In Praise of John McCain

[InTheLight]

I don't praise him very often but I sure hope this bill gets passed.

John McCain wants to unbundle cable and to stop broadcasters like CBS and Fox from moving their stations to pay TV. The Arizona senator right now on the Senate floor is introducing The TV Consumer Freedom Act of 2013. The legislation is intended to “allow the consumer, the television viewer who subscribes to cable, to have à la carte capability. In other words, not required to buy a whole bunch of channels that that consumer may not want wish to subscribe to,” McCain said moments ago. The former GOP Presidential candidate also went after broadcasters like CBS and Fox who have said that they could move to cable if they lose in the courts against Barry Diller’s Aereo streaming service. “We’ll also establish consequences if broadcasters choose to downgrade their over-the-air service,” McCain told the Senate. His legislation would also eliminate the sports blackout rule “in events that are held in publicly financed stadiums.”

http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/john-mccain-cable-legislation-a-la-carte/

 

[webdog]

Sounds good to me. I would have thought cable and satellite companies would have already offered this by now considering people are leaving to Netflix and internet TV in drones.

 

[mactx]

That won't fix the big reason many of us are switching to netflix though.
The man reaso nwe are switching is because there is not much worthwhile programming on and what there is is almost negated by the horrid commercials.
In the big scheme though, TV is not an important issue. This country has serious problems to fix, this won't help do that.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Generally I have a problem with politicians poking their noses into businesses they do not understand. However, I would like to see a la carte programming. The reason it won't happen (or if it does, prices will be higher) is that entire blocks of channels are owned by single entities (e.g. Disney, NBC-Universal, Fox, etc.) In the contracts with the networks, they force the cablecos to carry their less watched channels to get rights to the popular ones. For example, to carry ABC, Disney makes the cableco also offer Disney, DisneyXD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN-U, etc.

Still, if I could dump the preachers and shopping channels it would be a good start. Never watch them.

 

[poncho]

Why do we need John McCain to do what we can do just by cancaling our subscriptions to cable? Who needs to watch the garbage they broadcast anyway? We should be voting with our feet and our money. Disney needs us we don't need Disney.

 

[Salty]

Generally I have a problem with politicians poking their noses into businesses they do not understand. However, I would like to see a la carte programming. The reason it won't happen (or if it does, prices will be higher) is that entire blocks of channels are owned by single entities (e.g. Disney, NBC-Universal, Fox, etc.) In the contracts with the networks, they force the cablecos to carry their less watched channels to get rights to the popular ones. For example, to carry ABC, Disney makes the cableco also offer Disney, DisneyXD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN-U, etc.

Still, if I could dump the preachers and shopping channels it would be a good start. Never watch them.

MP, I have told you to stop agreeing with me!:laugh:
You are right about politicans. Also you are correct about "package channels" however, the ones you metnioned, I think are ones that most folks would watch. There are many "narrow casting" stations that would never surrive on a la carte menu.

 

[Aaron]

McCain: Simply an albino Obama.

 

[Jedi Knight]

McCain: Simply an albino Obama.

:thumbsup:

 

[InTheLight]

Why do we need John McCain to do what we can do just by cancaling our subscriptions to cable? Who needs to watch the garbage they broadcast anyway? We should be voting with our feet and our money. Disney needs us we don't need Disney.

Some of us like to watch live sporting events. That's not garbage and it's not political. You are not going to get that via Netflix, Redbox, Hulu, Vudu, etc.

Besides, you're missing the point. It's about freedom of choice. About having the ability to purchase only what we want instead of having to take almost everything they are offering at inflated pricing.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

MP, I have told you to stop agreeing with me!:laugh:
You are right about politicans. Also you are correct about "package channels" however, the ones you metnioned, I think are ones that most folks would watch. There are many "narrow casting" stations that would never surrive on a la carte menu.

Agreed about the narrow casting stations. That then begs the question, if they cannot find a sufficient audience, are they worth being subsidized by everyone, including those who don't watch them and have no interest? Does every channel need to find its own way to survive, or is there a greater good in cross subsidies.

And Salty, I am truly sorry. I try to disagree with you, but sometimes I fail. :thumbs:

 

[poncho]

Some of us like to watch live sporting events. That's not garbage and it's not political. You are not going to get that via Netflix, Redbox, Hulu, Vudu, etc.

Besides, you're missing the point. It's about freedom of choice. About having the ability to purchase only what we want instead of having to take almost everything they are offering at inflated pricing.

In that case I choose . . .

https://www.cleartvsale.com/?mid=3560054

 

[InTheLight]

In that case I choose . . .

https://www.cleartvsale.com/?mid=3560054

Sorry, but that device only gets over-the-air broadcast TV. It's basically an aerial for broadcast HDTV (local channels).

No ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN U, no FOX Sports Net, no MLB network, Big Ten network, NFL network, NHL network, Outdoors network, Speed Network, Velocity Network, etc.

 

[Salty]

Agreed about the narrow casting stations. That then begs the question, if they cannot find a sufficient audience, are they worth being subsidized by everyone, including those who don't watch them and have no interest? Does every channel need to find its own way to survive, or is there a greater good in cross subsidies.

And Salty, I am truly sorry. I try to disagree with you, but sometimes I fail. :thumbs:

Good point
Let me give another example - for those of you who were in the military and stationed overseas before circa 1990 - I'm sure you remember AFN radio. In Germany, most cities only received the AM signal which had a variety of programs/music: Top 40, C&W, Spanish, Rock, and ect. Sunday morning we had ONE Christian song! Even though Christian music was probably at the bottom of the list for most GI's, there were many who would have like it. Granted, AFN is run by the DOD - as opposed to a profit making company - so should AFRTS have had more Christian programing. Now-days with cable/satellite that is possible

Same principal with air ports. Some small cities may only have 4 or 5 flights a day - and once an airline is servicing a small city - they cannot pull out until another airline takes over.
More than likely, it is not cost effective for the airline or the FCC.....

Salty,

PS MP, you realize I am up to all hours of the night to find issues that you.....:sleep:

 

[poncho]

Sorry, but that device only gets over-the-air broadcast TV. It's basically an aerial for broadcast HDTV (local channels).

No ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN U, no FOX Sports Net, no MLB network, Big Ten network, NFL network, NHL network, Outdoors network, Speed Network, Velocity Network, etc.

Yeah you're probably right the world would fall apart without all that corporate programing. Think of all the commercials we'd miss out on. How would we ever know which soap to use or beer to buy or clothes to wear? We'd be lost if we didn't have the corporations telling us what life is and how to live it.

 

[InTheLight]

Yeah you're probably right the world would fall apart without all that corporate programing. Think of all the commercials we'd miss out on. How would we ever know which soap to use or beer to buy or clothes to wear? We'd be lost if we didn't have the corporations telling us what life is and how to live it.

You are like an LP record with a skip in it. Sports programming is neutral. There is no agenda to a sporting event.

When did I say the world was in danger if I get less TV channels piped into my house?

Plus, I'm perfectly able to determine which products I want to buy and am not influenced by commercials. Besides, when they come on I turn the channel.

Why are you opposed to people having the freedom of choice to choose which television channels they want to pay for?

 

[poncho]

You are like an LP record with a skip in it. Sports programming is neutral. There is no agenda to a sporting event.

When did I say the world was in danger if I get less TV channels piped into my house?

Plus, I'm perfectly able to determine which products I want to buy and am not influenced by commercials. Besides, when they come on I turn the channel.

Why are you opposed to people having the freedom of choice to choose which television channels they want to pay for?

If there's no agenda why is there no sports without corporate sponsors? I belive people have the right to choose what ever bread and games turn them on.

Turning the channel doesn't turn off the commercials. Haven't you noticed their embedded into the program itself? What do you suppose all those big banners all over the court or playing fieald are for? Take NASCAR for instance the cars themselves are corporate advertisments. It might not be subliminal exactly but your subconscience records ever bit of it and influences you to buy, buy, buy their made in China products.

 

[InTheLight]

If there's no agenda why is there no sports without corporate sponsors? I belive people have the right to choose what ever bread and games turn them on.

OK, if you like, the agenda is capitalism. The idea is to get people to buy stuff. I don't have a problem with that.

Turning the channel doesn't turn off the commercials. Haven't you noticed their embedded into the program itself? What do you suppose all those big banners all over the court or playing fieald are for? Take NASCAR for instance the cars themselves are corporate advertisments. It might not be subliminal exactly but your subconscience records ever bit of it and influences you to buy, buy, buy their made in China products.

Yep, there's that nasty capitalism again. Got an alternative? Outlaw advertising, perhaps?

When was the last time you went on vacation?

 

[mactx]

I get that. Football is the only reason we keep dish. Unfortunately even that does not guarantee all the games because i won't pay what ever extra for the NFL channel.

For most other things we watch we use Amazon or netflix.
We do watch a few tv shows, but dvr them so we can ff through junk.

all i am saying is this is a minor issue and cbs et al are private companies who also should have the freedom to run their businesses as they choose, with out government interference.

 

[InTheLight]

For most other things we watch we use Amazon or netflix. We do watch a few tv shows, but dvr them so we can ff through junk.

That's what I do as well.

all i am saying is this is a minor issue and cbs et al are private companies who also should have the freedom to run their businesses as they choose, with out government interference.

The government regulates over-the-air networks via the FCC. If there was no regulation there could be full frontal nudity and all curse words on "free TV", as well as no limit on the number of commercial minutes per hour. I'm OK with the FCC regulations and leaving cable and pay TV to do as they (mostly) wish.

 

[poncho]

OK, if you like, the agenda is capitalism. The idea is to get people to buy stuff. I don't have a problem with that.



Yep, there's that nasty capitalism again. Got an alternative? Outlaw advertising, perhaps?

When was the last time you went on vacation?

That's not capitalism it's called corporatism. The merger of corporate and state power. I took a vacation right after I schooled you on fractional reserve banking, why?