So I am trying desperately to escape the purgatory that is cable TV. Why? It sucks. Well, that is a given. The main reason is that I just don't watch it. Even if I did like scripted shows and reality lobotomies, I don't have time nor would I want to use the time when I do have it staring at the TV. What? Hockey is on? Let the staring commence.
This is not a new question. Why do I have 2356346544 channels? Why am I paying for 356346564 channels when I might watch 5 over the course of a week? Revenue, rights to programming, blah blah blah. If TV execs really wanted to think a bit harder, they would probably put a bit more into custom cable packages. A pay per play option when there is a basic service charge but each subscriber gets 3 base channels. See? A nod to the original three networks, how sweet! For additional channel, you pay a bit more. Just like DVR or TiVO, people could put together a package featuring the shows and channels they wanted to watch, not just get a giant lump of fused crappy content under a bulk banner price. Sure,sure, major advertisers don't always put programming on the smaller channels and they don't want to lose any potential audience. I am pretty sure internet advertising has found a way around that. Hell, even YouTube make you sit through an add to watch some awful video of two cats dancing. (ed. note: No cats were viewed dancing in the making of this blog) The vast majority of people would still get all the big channels and as such, be subjected to the ads plastered all of those channels. It would be a marketing coup; "Your TV, your channels." WORK IT OUT, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A GLOBAL COMMUNITY BASED ON OPEN ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
Yes I realize how petty it sounds to whining about TV channel choice when there are major issues in the world. Shouldn't I be celebrating Saudi women getting the right to vote? Or breaking down the possibility of another Putin presidency? I would like to but I don't get that channel.
