Directv and Viacom Blackout Ends - Impact TBD

[TheHills44060]

I wished the Cable and satelitte would provide alacart programming where customers can pick and choose what channels they want...

Been wishing for something like this for years.

[Smokey]

Been wishing for something like this for years.

DirectTV used to alacart programming back when they got started back in around '94-95. You could just order the premium movie channels only without any basic channels subscription, albiet slightly extra fee. Back then satellite was best thing next to sliced bread since it freed you from local cable company, with better picture and sound quality to boot.

I read an article a while ago that looked into the economics of this, and it concluded that under a la carte pricing, consumers would likely wind up paying as much for roughly 30 channels (and this is assuming that half of them are broadcast channels), as they currently do for 200+ channels.

Considering that out of 200+ channels, most poeple only watch a handfull of it on regular basis, then I guess it will be same

Not having alacart programming is really a win-win situation for cable/satelitte providers. Not only will they be able to collect fees for channles that nobody watch (like OWN ), they also be able to offer more watched channels (like premium or movie channels) as an add on. So if you only watch movies, you have to pony up for basic channel also.

[Woochifer]

DirectTV used to alacart programming back when they got started back in around '94-95. You could just order the premium movie channels only without any basic channels subscription, albiet slightly extra fee. Back then satellite was best thing next to sliced bread since it freed you from local cable company, with better picture and sound quality to boot.

And back then, Directv was also prohibited from offering local broadcast channels. I don't recall Directv ever offering an a la carte deal for premium channels without a basic subscription, and my wife has been a subscriber since 1996. By that time, Directv was bragging that they offered more "basic" channels than cable (which was true because the vast majority of cable subscribers at that time were still on bandwidth-constrained analog service).

Considering that out of 200+ channels, most poeple only watch a handfull of it on regular basis, then I guess it will be same

But, even if they only watch a few channels "on regular basis" there will still be programs that people watch on occasion on other channels. That's the reason why I doubt that a la carte will ever take off despite the usual bellyaching from the so-called cord cutter crowd.

Not having alacart programming is really a win-win situation for cable/satelitte providers. Not only will they be able to collect fees for channles that nobody watch (like OWN ), they also be able to offer more watched channels (like premium or movie channels) as an add on. So if you only watch movies, you have to pony up for basic channel also.

But, at the same time, it's also the only way that the providers can keep adding channels without the costs venturing even higher than they already are. The issue right now is how much higher the rates will go before consumers actually start downgrading their cable/satellite service or cancelling altogether. Up to this point, cable's subscriber losses have been more than made up by satellite, fiber, and IPTV services. The death knell predictions by techies are based on the slowing subscription growth for pay TV services. But, pay TV penetration is already at 80%, so it does not have much room for growth. Given that cell phone penetration is also stuck around 80%, are they going to make the same predictions of cell service?

[Smokey]

I don't recall Directv ever offering an a la carte deal for premium channels without a basic subscription, and my wife has been a subscriber since 1996.

It might have been the Dishnetwork as it was long time ago. Either way it was a block of movie channels you could order by itself [alacarte] at higer price than if ordered with basic subscription.

But, even if they only watch a few channels "on regular basis" there will still be programs that people watch on occasion on other channels. That's the reason why I doubt that a la carte will ever take off despite the usual bellyaching from the so-called cord cutter crowd.

I think alacrt is not offered more because of economics rather than consumers. But as you said since the market is saturated, alacart might be another incentive to attrack more subscribers. Or better yet, do web portal subscription.

But, at the same time, it's also the only way that the providers can keep adding channels without the costs venturing even higher than they already are.

Yes, another home shopping network without charge