What Really Grinds My Gears: Mid-Rivers Channels
Posted by Josh Rath (+2309) 8 years ago
Today I decided I wanted to watch "@Midnight" on Comedy Central, but use the website to do so. I've done this in the distant past, so no big deal.. Or so I thought. Now I am provided this message on loop:



Why does this company literally do nothing to provide us with channels we watch, versus Comedy.TV among others we do not care about?
Top
-1
supporter
sponsor
Posted by Hannah Nash (+2539) 8 years ago
Use the Chrome Extension "Hola Better Internet" to work around these local cable provider shaftings.
Top
Posted by Steve Sullivan (+1430) 8 years ago
When a channel provider (those who sell programming to folks like Mid Rives) has their contract end, they renegotiate always for more money from your local provider. That's more money for the same programming you were watching the day before.

Mostly these negotiations go smoothly and life goes on and you never notice. Sometimes the people selling those channels want so much more money that the local provider says "whoa!" that is way too much, we'll give you less. That's when the sellers pull their programming in an effort to get you (the consumer) to call and complain and put pressure on the provider. This ensures that the seller gets closer to their asking price.

This is capitalistic greed run amok. It's extortion and completely unfair to the consumer and the reason the bill goes up every year. The sad thing is that these providers get plenty of money from advertisers as well so the extra extortion is just plain ridiculousness and greed.

Don't blame Mid Rivers. They are trying to keep your bill down...so you'll stay with them.
Top
+2
-1
Posted by Josh Rath (+2309) 8 years ago
Thanks Steve for the business lesson, however if they wish to bring down the cost of television why do they raise the bill either way? Also, thanks for batting on Team "Your Community Partner".

Hannah, thanks for the suggestion. I'm looking into that now.
Top
-2
founder
supporter
Posted by Amorette Allison (+12509) 8 years ago
I know my satellite provider periodically loses channels because the provider wants to force them to pay a huge pile of money for one channel in order to carry another. It is standard operating procedure. I don't know if DISH ever got Faux News back, since I would gouge my eyes out with a spoon before watching it, but I know it went away for a while because Fox wanted a pile of money for other channels.

It's show BUSINESS folks.
Top
+1
-2
Posted by Josh Rath (+2309) 8 years ago
Amorette Allison wrote:
I know my satellite provider periodically loses channels because the provider wants to force them to pay a huge pile of money for one channel in order to carry another. It is standard operating procedure. I don't know if DISH ever got Faux News back, since I would gouge my eyes out with a spoon before watching it, but I know it went away for a while because Fox wanted a pile of money for other channels.

It's show BUSINESS folks.


Oh Amorette, my level of respect for you has gone through the roof. FNC is hilariously terrible. I watch it whenever I want to hear the lies, just how I use The Onion as my online news entertainment. I do, however, wish the companies would allow us as content consumers an option of say $5 a month for instant, online access to all their channel content. I would STILL pay less than cable and get ALL the shows I want that way...
Top
-2