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- Path: sparky!uunet!peora!upchrch!joel
- From: joel@upchrch.UUCP (Joel Upchurch )
- Newsgroups: misc.consumers
- Subject: Re: Cable Bill Rip-off
- Message-ID: <ww4csB1w164w@upchrch.UUCP>
- Date: Fri, 09 Oct 92 01:32:31 EDT
- References: <1992Oct6.165315.13389@netcom.com>
- Organization: Upchurch Computer Consulting, Orlando FL
- Lines: 42
-
- strnlght@netcom.com (David Sternlight) writes:
-
- > It's economic baloney for the broadcasters to claim they should be
- > paid by the cable companies for carrying their programming. To
- > the contrary, broadcasters get paid by advertisers, and what they
- > get paid is a function of the number of viewers. By increasing
- > the number of viewers, cable companies make it possible for
- > broadcasters to charge more for advertising. Thus it is the
- > broadcasters who should be paying the cable companies, and not
- > vice versa.
-
- What I wonder about is how much luck the local stations will have
- in collecting big bucks from the cable companies. As I understand
- it if the local station wants a fee from the cable company, then
- the cable company isn't obligated to carry that station. If a cable
- company doesn't like the fee the station demands it can always
- play hardball and not carry that station. I suspect in most cases
- that will hurt the station a lot more than the cable company. I
- suspect few subscribers will choose to drop cable because one station
- isn't carried and the ratings drop will effect that local stations
- revenue.
-
- Also I wonder if cable companies will be able to pick and choose
- among network affiliates. My father's cable company in Waverly, TN
- carries both ABC, Nashville and ABC, Jackson. If they don't like
- the amount of money one affiliate is asking can they negotiate with
- another one?
-
- Also if they have to pay they local station on a per head basis, could
- they set up a tier of service for people who don't want the local
- stations, just the real cable channels like CNN, ESPN, CSPAN etc.?
- That way people who can use an antenna could get the local stations
- for free.
-
- If the station wants a fee from the cable company, what if the cable
- company starts billing for it separately, like HBO. "You want KCPX
- sir? That will be an extra five dollars a month. Sorry about that
- sir, but we're just passing along what the station is charging us."
-
- (If your mail bounces use the address below.)
- Joel Upchurch/Upchurch Computer Consulting/718 Galsworthy/Orlando, FL 32809
- joel@peora.ccur.com {uiucuxc,hoptoad,petsd,ucf-cs}!peora!joel (407) 859-0982
-