Hey Cablevision, wheres my food network?!

[Sensai]

Time warner settled their score with Fox (hopefully without higher subscriber fees) .. why can't you?

 

[techs]

Time warner settled their score with Fox (hopefully without higher subscriber fees) .. why can't you?

Huh? Cablevision is having another "problem" with a cable network, like they did with the YES network?

 

[Doodoo]

I believe they dropped Food Network and HGTV.

 

[CptCrunch]

I find the fox's reason for the increase ridiculous. So they are getting less money in advertisements so they want to pass that along to consumers? What kind of crap is that. How about you stop paying large bonuses and try to be responsible corporations before you start charging more for your shitty tv.

I'm glad that cablevision stood up to hgtv/foodnetwork. These channels that ask for an increase in rates every year is ridiculous.

 

[jaybert]

yep it sucks

http://www.cablevision.com/scripps/

 

[guyver01]

wow.. that sucks.. yer gonna miss the Super Chef battle on Iron Chef Sunday.

 

[TecHNooB]

I was watching the food network just yesterday. Is this for real?

Goddamnit. Just checked the TV.

 

[Sasiki]

ABC is pulling from Mediacom here on January 8th. It's crazy how much cable companies pay to carry different networks though. When I worked for Charter Communications, our plant manager said that Charter payed ESPN like $2.50 per subscriber for ESPN.. regardless if the subscriber watched it or not.

 

[DnetMHZ]

Still pissed about this.

 

[rh71]

As a former subscriber for years, I don't know how many times I've bad-mouthed Cablevision already because of their business practices... but I am smiling at their customers' dissatisfaction once again. Switch to FIOS already... or satellite if you can't.

It may seem like Cablevision is a victim of pricing changes here, but rest assured they have all the power to settle (like everyone else) if they cared about their customers. They didn't before there was competition, and now that there is (within the last few years), they put on a massive campaign and beg people not to switch from them... yet they allow petty shit like this to happen.

 

[DnetMHZ]

As a former subscriber for years, I don't know how many times I've bad-mouthed Cablevision already because of their business practices... but I am smiling at their customers' dissatisfaction once again. Switch to FIOS already... or satellite if you can't.

It may seem like Cablevision is a victim of pricing changes here, but rest assured they have all the power to settle if they cared about their customers.

Up until now, I really haven't had any complaints with their service. Optimum Online is rock solid. other than some hardware problems with a couple DVRs they have been good. They also have a customer center about 2 miles from my house so I rarely have to deal with them over the phone which can be painful.

I absolutely refuse to give Verizon a penny of my money. I don't care if FIOS runs circles around everything else. They are the lowest form of life on earth.

 

[FoBoT]

better switch to Directv , we still get FoodTV network thingy

 

[rh71]

I absolutely refuse to give Verizon a penny of my money. I don't care if FIOS runs circles around everything else. They are the lowest form of life on earth.

Funny I say the same thing about Cablevision. Did you have Optimum Online when they were capping people? I tried working with them and following their rules about constant speeds for certain amount of time in a row. They told me what to do over the phone to avoid being capped... yet I was still capped... after the 3rd time going through all that crap, I gave them the finger. Even with all the DSLReports.com postings about their capping practices, they still never admitted to doing it.

You want to know why that pisses me off? Because this was before FIOS. After FIOS appears, they no longer cap. What a coincidence. You can see how that leaves a bad taste in my mouth - all of a sudden the extra usage doesn't affect people like you claim it did? A few months ago they gave me a very enticing offer to switch back to them. I told them their tv service was horrendous because of the VERY slow channel changing and guide for IO digital. My parents still had them and it was still very obviously a problem. They blamed it on possible old lines going to their house. Funny because my lines weren't old and it happened to me. More bad lies - even with $15/mo. cheaper than FIOS I could not stand dealing with that. Tell me your channels are fast and your guide comes up instantly... because people on Long Island forums also see the retardation.

Verizon on the other hand has given me countless credits and free promos, on top of providing excellent products. I don't know how it's possible for such a large company to not make a shit-list, but they have not done anything wrong to me at all and I've been a customer of theirs in some form since around 2000.

 

[Vette73]

ABC is pulling from Mediacom here on January 8th. It's crazy how much cable companies pay to carry different networks though. When I worked for Charter Communications, our plant manager said that Charter payed ESPN like $2.50 per subscriber for ESPN.. regardless if the subscriber watched it or not.

I think ESPN is up to the mid $4 now.


<-- No cable bill, only FREE OA Digital TV

 

[DnetMHZ]

Funny I say the same thing about Cablevision. Did you have Optimum Online when they were capping people? I tried working with them and following their rules about constant speeds for certain amount of time in a row. They told me what to do over the phone to avoid being capped... yet I was still capped... after the 3rd time going through all that crap, I gave them the finger. Even with all the DSLReports.com postings about their capping practices, they still never admitted to doing it.

You want to know why that pisses me off? Because this was before FIOS. After FIOS appears, they no longer cap. What a coincidence. You can see how that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. A few months ago they gave me a very enticing offer to switch back to them. I told them their tv service was horrendous because of the VERY slow channel changing and guide for IO digital. My parents still had them and it was still very obviously a problem. They blamed it on possible old lines going to their house. Funny because my lines weren't old and it happened to me. More bad lies - even with $15/mo. cheaper than FIOS I could not stand dealing with that. Tell me your channels are fast and your guide comes up instantly... because people on Long Island forums also see the retardation.

Verizon on the other hand has given me countless credits and free promos. I don't know how it's possible for such a large company to not make a shit-list, but they have not done anything wrong to me at all and I've been a customer of theirs in some form since around 2000.

You're lucky. I can't remember a single time I've ever dealt with Verizon (and there have been many both professionally and personally over a number of years) that hasn't been a nightmare. It has just left me with a deep hatred for them.

As far as Cablevision, I've had them for about 5 years and never ran into any capping issues, though I'm not a real heavy downloader. You are correct that the cable boxes are slower than molases. It is aggrevating sometimes to sit and wait for the guide to pop up. It's the same anywhere I've used them, so that nonsense about old lines is just that.

 

[spidey07]

I find the fox's reason for the increase ridiculous. So they are getting less money in advertisements so they want to pass that along to consumers? What kind of crap is that. How about you stop paying large bonuses and try to be responsible corporations before you start charging more for your shitty tv.

I'm glad that cablevision stood up to hgtv/foodnetwork. These channels that ask for an increase in rates every year is ridiculous.

All the over the air networks are moving this way. They can't make money on advertising alone when cable providers have another revenue stream via fees. They are being beaten by cable companies so they have to find a way to compete. There's even talk of them abandoning their over the air broadcasting.

 

[Vette73]

I hope more channels do like fox, food, etc... that way maybe that will force cable/Fios to Ala carte pricing. They, Cable/fios, charge their fee then you pay for the channels you want.

If that happens many channels will find out real fast how much they are worth.

 

[DnetMHZ]

I hope more channels do like fox, food, etc... that way maybe that will force cable/Fios to Ala carte pricing. They, Cable/fios, charge their fee then you pay for the channels you want.

If that happens many channels will find out real fast how much they are worth.

If I watch 5 channels it's a lot.. I'd love a la carte.

 

[mugs]

These channels that ask for an increase in rates every year is ridiculous.

Are you employed? Do you like it when you go a year without getting a raise?

 

[Chryso]

Are you employed? Do you like it when you go a year without getting a raise?

I understand not to look for one in a recession.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

ABC is pulling from Mediacom here on January 8th. It's crazy how much cable companies pay to carry different networks though. When I worked for Charter Communications, our plant manager said that Charter payed ESPN like $2.50 per subscriber for ESPN.. regardless if the subscriber watched it or not.

I think ESPN is up to the mid $4 now.


<-- No cable bill, only FREE OA Digital TV

Hah, that's crazy! What's funny, though, is that I pay $9.99 for basic cable and somehow get the standard tier (which includes ESPN). I realized recently that I never watched ESPN or any of their sister stations anymore, so I removed them all from my TV's scan list (have to manually enter the channel number now).

 

[dullard]

Are you employed? Do you like it when you go a year without getting a raise?

It isn't that they want a yearly increase. It is the SIZE of the increase that is the problem. 5&#37; to 8% per year increases are the norm (with some years registering a 11% increase for my cable bill). All without any real change in the level of service (other than moving some channels around each year just to annoy me). Increases should be closer to the rate of increase in inflation.

Plus, there is the point of a recession and all. Maybe that isn't the time to demand an increase that is a multiple of the rate of inflation.

 

[ProgressiveAthe]

I have been following this, and in reality scripps wasn't asking for an unreasonable increase. All they wanted was to be paid similar to other channels with similar number of viewers. Right now they are paid 16 cents TOTAL for 4 channels (Food Network, Food Network HD, HGTV, and HGTV HD). This is far less than what cablevision pays for channels with even less viewership. All they are asking for 56 total cents for all 4 of these channels or 14 cents for each channel.

 

[kranky]

If I watch 5 channels it's a lot.. I'd love a la carte.

Careful. Let's say the cable company pays $1 per subscriber per month to carry a channel you like. They go to a la carte pricing, and 10% of the subscribers elect to pay for the channel. It's quite likely you'll be paying $10/month for that channel so the company can maintain the same revenue.

A la carte pricing will mean the top 5% of channels will be able to charge whatever they feel like. That means ESPN, Nick, TNT, Syfy, Fox News, FX, Discover, History, etc. could charge a lot more than they do now, knowing customers will sacrifice lesser-watched channels to keep their bill down.

The "add-on" channels like ESPN Classic, ESPN-U, etc. will be gone. And many other niche channels will fold as well.

Cable choices will return to a 1980's level... 40 channels and we'll be paying the same amount we're paying now for hundreds of channels.

 

[Kelemvor]

Cable companies just keep adding more channels and then raising their rates to cover it. All more channels means is more channels for me to skip.

Most people who track their usage only watch 5-10 channels. And yes they keep promoting that you can get 500 digital channels. I had 200 digital channels and could have gotten 500 digital channels for more money. So that'd be 300 more channels that I'd never watch.

Hopefully ala carte will happens some day. Or something like Pay $20 and pick 10 channels or something like that. Until then, I get my cable for free and have no qualms about it.