21 December 2010 Cable providers can but won’t

The cable feed from Comcast was abysmal last night. The programmers have taken the easy way out on every possible network and scheduled either re-runs or Christmas re-runs.

After scrolling through the vaunted >500 channel schedules we found exactly nothing that we cared to watch. 500 channels of duplicate offerings separated by the letters “HD” works out to about 300 channels, still with nothing of interest.

Cable programming and the selections that cannot be eliminated from the “packages” can drive one around the bend.

I have no need for any “sports” networks, channels or programs. I have no need for any Christian channels, networks, or programs. I have no need for shopping networks, channels, or programs. I have repeatedly asked cable suppliers to sell me a package designed around those channels and networks I do watch. They tell me I can’t have that option, that it is technically to difficult and too expensive.

Expensive is probably the operative word in the mix. According to a friend who has worked in the cable industry, the programming for such packages would have to be manually keyed into the system. That doesn’t seem like too much of problem to me. They cable companies are being paid to carry many of the channels by the channel owners. So not only am I being charged for programming I will never watch, the programmers are paying the cable company too.

I have no problem with a one-time fee to set up a personal package as long as it includes a routine review and option event. My interests won’t change that much in a year. I’m never going to watch anything on ESPN or its analogs, any shopping channel, any country music, any music video programming, or any Christian programming. I’m also not going to watch any kid programming and damned little “family friendly” programming.

How about it, Comcast? Build me a package with CNN, the major broadcast networks, BBC, History, the premium movie channels, and a few others like Comedy Central, Sci Fi, Food TV and others that I might need an hour or two to think about. Sell it to me and deliver it without glitches.

I know you can do it. Your system allows me the option of streaming movies any time night or day with no intervention from you. So I have to believe that the capability for auto-programming exists in the system or could be added rather easily.

Honestly, as computer systems increase the ability to work around cable TV providers it may be in your best interests as a corporation to let the consumer call the tune. I can get buy, if I want by watching news and movies on-line and I can live with pirated network programming or wait until the shows are released on disk. I don’t need water-cooler or work conversation material so it doesn’t matter, really, how current my TV knowledge is.

Now, about all these “reality” shows…