Are You Willing To Pay More For TV?

It all seems to have started with a government mandate to obligate television viewers to make the transition to a digital TV format. Ending analog TV automatically forced viewers in rural areas to purchase cable or satellite systems. In order to receive a decent signal, a rural consumer must now become a paid subscriber. So, rural viewers have lost Free TV already.

As a Columbus Dispatch article wonderfully explains, problems in the broadcast industry stem from several decades ago. Cable, satellite TV, and the internet have have further fragmented the audience. Advertising revenue may have diminished.

To be fair and honest about it, Pay-TV has been a better business model, fairing well under tough economic times. CBS News better explains how both systems operate.

The founding of DirecTV and Dish Network in the 1990’s made a profound impact upon the industry. DirecTV claims that it has 50 million subscribers and is available to 94% of households in the United States. Dish Network competes for remaining subscribers.

On the other end of the spectrum is Comcast, which has announced  to buy NBC Universal from General Electric (LA Times). This will further upset the balance of power. The Comcast deal will end an era for NBC to be sure.

And there’s this: “Good programming is expensive,” Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp. owns Fox, told a shareholder meeting this fall. “It can no longer be supported solely by advertising revenues.”

But where does the American consumer stand in all this? Does this mean that the end of Free TV is near? Will corporations monopolize the airwaves and raise all the rates? What if Comcast decides to end “free broadcasting” for NBC networks? This is definitely looking like a possibility.

Here is the real criticism. How about the endless storm of commercials on all TV? The amount of commercials are extraordinary. It’s hard to believe that all those commercials do not pay the bills.

Furthermore, the bundling, the excessive fees, and the poor quality of programming have left me with heartburn. With many other displeased, crabby television viewers, I am searching for reasons to keep cable, or satellite TV. I must confess that I did enjoy a 24-hour marathon of The Three Stooges. But shouldn’t that be a permanent part of the package anyway? Seriously?

I find myself on the computer more and more these days. And I am actually finding some nice educational channels to watch. To be perfectly honest, I am getting a thrill out of watching free television online. I can go to Annenberg and watch college courses for free! 

Now if you’ll graciously excuse me, I’ll get back to reading my free library book…