TV watchers don’t want 100-channel packages
By Meg James, Los Angeles Times
VH1 Classic, with music videos from the 1980s and ’90s and movies like “The Breakfast Club,” was designed as a nostalgic stop for channel surfers.
Viacom Inc. launched the channel 15 years ago during the last big boom in cable programming. Back then consumers were hauling home high-definition big screens, and cable and satellite TV operators were eager to offer cutting-edge lineups with hundreds of channels.
Media companies laid claim to the channel space. Viacom figured it could milk its valuable MTV and Nickelodeon brands by creating offshoot channels such as Nicktoons, MTV Hits, MTV Jams and others. VH1 Classic was a hot ticket, featuring footage from old Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones concerts and documentaries on the Beatles.
But the world has changed.
American TV viewers receive an average 194 channels, and most people watch only about 17 — a number that has not budged despite the proliferation of networks, according to measurement firm Nielsen.
When I moved up to Tahoe, you could get channels 2, 4, 8, and 10 without paying for cable. To have any cable today, you have to pay for a lot of channels I never watch. I wish we could just buy the basic channels to get the news and a few programs, at a reasonable cost.
We get the three network stations, ABC, CBS and NBC out of Reno with a powered rabbit ear antenna and a digital converter box in Meyers. The cost to buy both is about $75. We then watch other channels including KCRA news out of Sacramento over the internet by using Roku and Apple TV. Even using Charter internet the cost is much less than a cable package.
All I need is Fox channel 11 news out of Oakland and Red Rock and Blues music.
A $40 indoor amplified antenna from Costco enabled us to cut the cord and receive free broadcast TV, saving over a thousand dollars a year in cable fees, and better reception.
Steve: What channels do you get? We are tired of Charter big time.
This is what we receive free with perfect picture & sound with the amplified HD indoor antenna-
2.1 KTVN CBS, 2.2 KTVN #2, 4.1 KRNV NBC, 4.2 KRNV #2, 8.1 KOLO ABC, 8.2 KOLO #2, 11.1 KRXI FOX, 11.2 RTV, 11.3 Grit TV, 21.1 KAME, 21.2 METV, 27.1 KREN*, 27.2 KREN CW, 27.3 KREN UN*, 27.4 KREN LA* *Spanish
In addition, ROKU box connected to the internet provides something like 3,000+ channels and movies free or low cost plus free movies on Amazon Prime
Hey Kit, we at Charter are tired of you. We offer 30 meg Internet, unlimited phone service, 200+ channels of HD in our triple play, all for about 100-120 bucks a month. A really good value actually. So go ahead and get AT&Ts 3 meg Internet, a crappy digital tuner that won’t work and keep using your cell phone and get brain tumors. You will be back to daddy cable eventually. They always are.
Charterperson, we have charter and HATE IT. We have had the basic service for 17 years and just in the last 6 months charter has started to whittle away at the few good channels we get. There one moment, gone the next. When we call to complain the ever so nice operator says its the network, not charter, who took away the channel. I dont buy it for a second. Then we get handed over to the “retention” operator who tries to upgrade us and sell us something we dont want. When we ask about the channels in the next level being removed by the “network” they say that wont happen. I say BS. Im gonna start recording these conversations to play back to them as they say “we never said that!”
Also they say we have twice the number of channels but they are repeats. The same network on two or three channels. They change the line up constantly, never know if the channel we watch will change tomorrow. Unfortunatly we cant get the competition (dish or satellite) due to trees in and around our home. Charter sucks…
Charter you suck, Went to Netflex,and better options ,disconnected charter cable ,179,00 to much.Get the antenna better connections. Steve is right .Charter big rip off big time.
charter internet by far the fastest and most solid. figure out for yourself if you really need televison channels on top of that. americans=generally illiterate, lazy.
Charter: I don’t think your Supervisors would think highly of you telling your customers you are tired of us. Great business promotion and one more reason to fire you.
You have gone from good to sub-standard channels like nature’s mentions. I guess if I wanted to pay for 200 channels I would buy them, but who watches 200 channels?! That’s simply unrealistic. I think I will save your blog and show it to your bosses when I dump you. Buh-Bye.
Hey Charterperson,
I have no other choice but Charter, for $150./month I get Internet, and expanded basic cable. I can’t get any other internet or satellite at my house. The internet is very slow on busy tourist periods. I was told the reason, basically Charter not investing in our communities cable infrastructure. I am stuck with Charter and it’s too much and also doesn’t quite fit our needs.
For Example we don’t get Comcast Sports California, for which I would be able to finally watch my Oakland A’s and the closest professional sports team, the Sacramento Kings. In addition the SEC network is an option, but not the PAC 12 Network. If you’re going to offer regional sports programming, wouldn’t it make sense to offer the closest regional sports?
I pay for the expanded basic because there are two channels on it my wife wants, i don’t need Sprout,Golf channel, ESPNU, ABC family, MTV, GSN, Fox news, MSNBC, to name more than a few.
Please don’t tell us how fortunate we are to pay for programming we don’t want, I’ve been watching a lot netflix lately and I might add Hulu. I think next time I’m at Costco, I’ll pick up one of those amplified indoor antenna.
It would be nice to be able to choose the channels you actually watch. I hate having to pay for the home shopping crap and western music channel when I will NEVER use them (there are so many more channels I will never watch that I have on our basic line up). Giving any more $ to charter is NOT gonna happen…
Steve is right. Two of the channels 4.2 and 8.2 are THIS movie network and MOVIES network respectively. MOVIES shows movies 24-7 and are unedited. These 2 come in crystal clear here with 14 dollar rabbit ears simultaneously.(vhf is the key here-uhf is of no use .)I could not be happier to not have ANY cable bill each month ! Why subsidize a bunch of crappy channels ?
Charterperson,
I respect your loyalty to your company, and that you id self as working for them. However, Charter is terrible!
The only reason it has any customers is because it has no direct competition! Terrible service, broken promises, and rip off rates translates to the fact that I will never, ever, go back to Charter! Satellite, Netflix, Hulu, OR, old-fashioned just reading a book, all are much better alternatives than dealing with your company, Charter!
The anger is hilarious, and predictable. For those that say ‘you suck’ and we ‘hate you’… I wonder where you work and what you do for a living? This company is made up of many hard working LOCAL people, some of whom have listening to threats and insults from wackos like these commentators here. Guys that go up poles in storms for 15.00 bucks an hour. These comments clearly show few of you understand how TV is broadcast, and purchased. Our industry is razor thin on margins. The infrastructure in Tahoe is dismal (owned by AT&T) and a certain cable company would go bankrupt if we had to invest 100s of millions of dollars for something the govt should manage anyway. Don’t worry, you all may get your wish if Charter pulls out of this TINY market. You will be left with Dish and satellite good luck with that. 120 bucks a month?? Some of you chuckleheads spend almost that much on a fill up.
And TV is entertainment! If you can’t pay to play, don’t! Use the library for your internet, and pay 120.00 dollars a month for a CELL phone ONLY. The Charter service is an excellent value. Had a bad expierience with a call center rep? Ask yourself how you would feel getting yelled at all day cause someones bill went up 20.00 bucks! Cry me a river. Cmon folks.. Why don’t you tell us all where you work so we can tell you how we feel about your company?
I am not happy with my experience with Charter. They changed to all digital several years ago and by bill went from about $70 to almost $150.
That said, my experience with the people working for Charter have been excellent. They seem to be good people working for a bad company. For example, I drive to Round Hill to talk to a local person instead of calling the 800 number and getting horrible service. It is not their fault that they work for one of the most hated industries in the country.
rob 5 .. Thank you for those kind words. The team at Roundhill is truly local and is committed to providing excellent service. The switch to all digital was a government mandate.
I’ve had good service from Charter since I’ve been here. Hey.. gaspen aspen ‘ kid? Are you threatening to have a someone you’ve probably never met fired? Wow dude you need a hobby.
And do you people yell at the clerk at the gas station? I’m pretty sure the petrol companies are the most hated industry. I’m a transplant from Europe and I’m realizing Americans are totally unaware of how good they have had it and what goods and services cost in the new global economy. You only need high speed internet and the speeds in Tahoe are remarkable given it is a realatively remote community
Where I work has competition. If people aren’t happy, they can go to the competitors. Not exactly true with Charter.
And if my business was losing customers even though it had no direct competition, I’d feel a little embarrassed.
Charter is the WORST. The dumb commercials top it off.
Charterperson : thank you for acting exactly as we’d expect some cable boy to act. Now get in here and fix my router. Chop chop.
Hi lerberule. I’m a women, and I would be happy to educate you how wireless technology works. I’m super busy though, so I’ll have my 11 year old niece stop by ok?
What do you do for work liberule? I expect you either don’t work or are to embarrassed to say.
You’re a women? As in plural? Well that’s fun. Ok a cable girl. Whatever. I’m a hydrologist. I don’t expect you to even know what that means. Why so defensive of your monopolizing, greedy and lazy employer?
Charter women,Disconnecting more then connecting ? lol