Buzz Out Loud Lounge forum: Cable by the hour

I've had cable service in the past that had cable meters that could detect if there was a television on and putting a draw on the system. If you had the TV on, you were billed like any other utility. If it was off, you saved money.

With over the air broadcasting, broadcasters only made money if they sold advertising. In order to sell advertising they had to provide viewers with content that they would want to tune in for. That was the only money involved.

With cable, there is no need for this. You are paying whether or not you view any broadcast at all. There really isn't any incentive for cable providers or broadcasters to provide anything worth watching since you're going to be paying for it regardless. The only real difference is which network gets the advertising dollars.

I would love to see cable meters and rate plans enforced. It would help in three critical areas:

1) Content would have to improved to make it worth watching TV again. If you only show drivel and I don't want to watch any of it, I just turn off the TV and don't pay a dime. Nobody makes any money unless they offer something worth watching.

2) Uptime: Currently if your cable goes down, the cable company will try to get out to you as soon as they can- in a day or two, maybe longer. There really isn't any need for them to come help you in a timely manner- you're paying for the service even if you aren't able to receive it. Treat it like the power company- you pay for what you use. Imagine if the power company decided to adopt the cable provider's model and started charging you a base amount of power they thought you would use even if you never turned on a light the entire time.

3) TV as a babysitter. We have an entire generation of people growing up today who know more about what is happening on American Idol than they do about the current presidential election (okay, so maybe even the two political parties don't know much about what is going on either, but the fact remains). Kids are placed in front of the television as a babysitter and don't really let their creativity grow from entertaining themselves or learning about the world about them.

We could all benefit from turning the TV off now and then, from financial savings to the enlightenment of our children.

1. there is great content now.. there is jot alot of difficulty getting licensing and rights to put on demand.

2. Here in nashville the policy that we go by is from the time you call in and setup a trouble call till the time your fix is credited as long as your out more then 24 hours (or one day (My judement usually)

3. your right.. i need to go out on the streets at night (when i am awake) and jog and run and such *sing* In the middle of the NIIIIIGGGGGHHHTTt* (this # is complete sarcasm)


Honestly people would LOVE a ala cart cable provider... untill they reazlied how much each channel would cost them...

IE Here i know a few years ago it cost about $15/person (in $$ or free advertizing) to have the ESPN network.. but we make it back having so many off there channels to sell advertising on so its not a huge cost.)

Most channels are in the range of $.30 to $2.00 to $3.00 per person. (note $2.00 and $3.00 are very very very popular channels)


So, do you want to pay $5/channel because things can't be done in deals?

I would love to see more options, more packages so that people can customize more.. (more groupings and more choice to leave certain things out) Are the big cheeses working on that? i don't know.

your right.. its more confusing.. but you want alacart.. which is even MORE confusing

alacart does not seem to be a viable option unless its group to provide the cheapest option.. to do packages would allow cable co's to make large advertizing deals and make it just say you want the sports package or you want the A&E package or whatever...

No one wants to micro manage something.. choosing each show you want is silly..

plus there is a certain level of cost that it takes for cable companies to make some profit.. and thats usually the standard levels.. they do make more profit at the higher levels but.. :/

Your right, people want to watch what they want.. but I wonder how many people would have been willing to watch Lost had it not been free over the air or on the cable they already pay for.

The problem with your modle is.. discovery (flipping though channels). So far all (to my limited knowlage which might be wrong) a company will give out a preview episode (the first one usually) and only let it be free for a few weeks or a week.

Then they don't give people the free taste. (this is what i have seen on itunes)


There is a problem, cost. No online only show has yet to earn the company that makes it enough to produce a MAJOR show.
Lost cost millions to make... but the online option makes very little (in comparison).

Take even Revision3's options for Diggnation and Tekzilla (there two main shows that i watch)
Those make some money with ads, but no where NEAR enough.

For now Any MAJOR show that wants to be online has to be in a MAJOR channel on broadcast or cable so that they can afford to make a MAJOR show.

They need advertizing, which wants eyeballs, which you need major deals for. (which can only be gotten if you combine packages for the cable companies)

Some times the audience is low for some channels (Ziff Davis TV to Tech TV to G4) and they don't do that good. (which these benifit from groupped packages)



Give it 5-10 years and maybe a company like rev3 can have a breakout hit (a sitcom or series that would be equal to a minor series) and 15 years for a major like battlestar galactica.

At that point when that happens it will be bought by a major media company to add MORE eyeballs... maybe even give a online exclusives first it premiers online then on the tv.


But for now.. its the traditional options.


About your radio model... it does not fit... take the ammount of stuff on tv now, and you will see, alot of shows are given a HUGE chance.... some make it (like american chopper and Mythbusters) and some don't (like i belive smash labs)


So you limit your options to a few shows and no discovery options.... It can work but severly limits the things your exposed to.

The plans are unlimted because cable (and over the air) broadcasts the programming regardless of who is watching. M*A*S*H reruns are always on at the same time. You would have to have a DVR to use a meter and make it work well.

Metered use would work better in an on demand situation. That way you can watch M*A*S*H when you are ready. On demand would remove the need for a DVR and the need for broadcasting a set schedule of programs. Except of course News. Talk radio and other relativly live things...

Like most things you would get to pick the problems you are going to live with.

Actually, I guess what I have in mind is more like a cell phone plan. Say, 1000 minutes a month for a flat fee, then billed for additional time.