Should the federal government push this?

[Steve]

NYT (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/16/business/yourmoney/16frenzy.html) - At the National Cable and Telecommunications Association convention in Atlanta last week, the cable guys were at it again. They were kvetching that the Federal Communications Commission had gotten it terribly wrong in pushing to loosen the way that cable television channels were packaged and sold. Essentially, the cable contingent says that its current practice of selling a package of 75 or so broadcast and cable channels is better for consumers and the public good than letting people pick and choose the 10 or 20 stations they actually watch.

Should the federal government force cable companies to allow consumers the ability to choose and pay for only the channels they want or should we continue with being forced to buy different 'packages?'

[tiedeman]

There should be two options:

Option 1: Let consumers pick each channel this want for $1 each channel. So 20 channels would be $20

Option 2: Set it up into packages. 75 channels for $50.

The reason behind this is that certain people only want to watch certain channels, like 10 to 20. While others may want to have 50 channel to 75 channel options. I feel that when it gets above 50+, the consumer is not going to want to spend $1 a channel. So the consumers that do want 50+ channels, such as 75 channels, are rewarded by getting them for $50 instead of $75.

[kc2006]

I think they should offer the option to pick the channels you want. Cable is getting pricey, it's $45 a month here for just the basic package, no frills basicly. Heck I'm lucky if I actually watch more then 10 stations, 3 mainly. When it gets too outrageous in price, I'll end up ditching it and finding something more productive to do.