The Imperfect Community

[MedeaNJ]

Disclaimer: As most of you know, I do not have cable/satellite or analog television, just a DVD hooked to a TV.

So I am reading a small blip from the Center For American Progress regarding the debate of an 'al a carte' option for families who wish to pick and choose cable/satellite stations that are more family oriented, rather than deal with channels that are more adult oriented such as Comedy Central and HBO.

Of course the argument is that smaller experimental stations stand to lose millions of dollars and thereby decreasing diversity in programming choices.

Even as a liberal, I can see both sides of the fence in this case and I cannot defend either side.

Though I would prefer experimental or cutting edge programming, I personally do not care for the children's programming that is out there in which, as far as I can tell, is interwoven with product placements for useless junk and unhealthy food. The ultilmate goal is to make children consumers and parents to feel a need to 'keep up with the Joneses.'

The original vision for cable television was for provide alternative channels in a commerical-free setting. Obviously this is no longer the case anymore.

So the question is, are you happy with the over abundance of choices? Would you opt-in for 'family-friendly package'? Or would you prefer a la carte?

Finally, I would be curious to know what would be your ideal cable/satellite package. Here is mine as an example:

* Local New York City Channels (I can only get Philly channels if I decide to get cable again)
* NJ 12 (NJ Newschannel)
* PBS (WNET, WHYY, NJN)
* C-SPAN 1, 2, & 3
* IFC
* Sundance
* Turner Classics
* AMC
* HGTV
* BBC America
* Bravo
* MSNBC
* The Weather Channel
* National Geographic Channel
* Free Speech TV
* Classic Arts Showcase
* Research Channel
* Deutsch Welle TV

There is NO home shopping channels on my list. I am not kidding, before we got rid of the basic cable, we had 3 dedicated home shopping channels out of the 20 or so channels that we had. Then there was the 4 foreign language channels. Put it all together and it is 35% of channels that were worthless to me. I feel I should not have to pay what I don't use.

Thanks for letting me rant.

[Princesso]

I have DISH network and we have 150 channels, only a handful of which we actually watch. I wish we could just pay for the ones we use.

The ones we watch are:

Noggin
Nickelodeon East and West
MTV (I watch the Real World )
The Learning Channel
Discovery
Discovery Health
FOX
FoxNews
MSNbc
ABC
NBC
CBS
ESPN

[Jessica]

I like it's original intent which was to lower cable costs for families that have to pay for crap they don't want, for us that would be all of the sports channels.

With DirectTV, you can eliminate the channels you don't want, but you still have to pay for them, I miss that about having satellite. We have HD cable now, and I could go either way. If it would save us money to eliminate the channels we don't watch, then that's cool. I think there are enough people that would buy the indi channels at a premium that I'm not really concerned about them.

We are big tv watchers here. I love tv. We don't watch that much because everyone is so busy, but I think there are some great shows for kids and tv just not a big deal in our house. Our kids pick appropriate programming, as it's always on in the other room, even for background noise. I go upstairs and watch my shows sometimes. <shrugs> I think there are a lot of other ills in the world, least of them is PBS kids. JMHO. It's just not who we are to eliminate that part of pop culture, we are kinda absorbed in itd and my kids rarely, if ever, ask for specific toys. Buying for X-mas this year, it was difficult because Holden didn't really have anything in mind. I think we taught him well in that most toys are junk and a waste of money and that you can't just have what you want.

Part of my confidence comes from the fact that if Holden or Graham are given a choice, then 9 times out of 10 they will pick a National Geographic documentary to watch. I have absolutely no regrets allowing television in our home.

[MainstreamMom]

My cable company makes me sick. They suck and charge outrageous monthly fees.

I would get rid of all cable if I could only have HBO! That's all we care about. That and Boston Channel 7 (which is NBC) and then ABC for Houswives. I would want PBS for the kids and that would do it! Dh likes the food network (Emeril and Rachel Ray) and ESPN and NESN for sports but he doesn't have to have them.

Cable is the biggest ripoff out there!

[MedeaNJ]

[new053105]

I do own a TV but I am another who does not have cable. As a single mom, it was too much. I do have high speed internet though...LOL!

My ideal would be:

All broadcast channels (ABS, NBC, etc.)
HBO
News channels such as CNN
MTV
VH1
History channel
TBS and other channels that show geeky 80's movies...LOL!
Discovery
National Geographic
Entertainment

I would not have public access or religion or 5 different ESPN, etc. or home shopping channels.

[prescott]

I would definitely like to see *some* sort of a la carte, although I would prefer/settle for just picking and choosing categories instead of sifting through individual channels.

It's funny, I would describe ourselves as TV junkies, even though we only watch an average of an hour a night after the kids go to bed (not counting news) -- there are certain shows we just have to watch... it's like what they taught you in health class -- even though someone only drinks one cocktail a night, if they *have* to have that cocktail, they're still an alcoholic.