Your lack of watchable content led to my service cancellation

I COMPLETELY agree! We haven't had cable in our home for three years
now for exactly the same reason!!!

Good for you!

I agree with this letter. Most of what is on cable is junk. We
dropped it years ago due to money problems. Although we can afford to
get it back now, we choose not to. We've stayed in hotels with cable
TV, and a quick flip around the dials shows that there is very little
worth watching and paying for.

As far as kids' shows are concerned - I know people who do have cable,
but still won't let their kids watch anything but PBS. No
commercials, and the quality of the programming is superior.

Thanks to free digital TV, we now receive FIVE different PBS
channels. This is mostly what we watch. For a fraction of what we
used to pay for cable, we can make a generous donation to our local
PBS, to help keep their fine programming on the air.

We don't miss cable at all, we'll never pay a cable bill again.

Must say I agree with OP. I'd much prefer to select the channels I
watch and ONLY pay for those channels:

- Comedy Central, Fox, MSNBC, FX, Spike TV, Cartoon Network (for Adult
Swim), the ENCORE movie channels and Comcast Sportsnet are really all
I'd need.

That would probably lower my bill to about $15-20 bucks a month!

The Disney channels - ESPN, Disney, ABC, etc. - and the channels that
focus on sports alone (like the college football divisons) cost the
most...but since I never watch any of these...I could get a really
cheap bill if I could select my channels.

Good for you dropping cable! I've done the same and find that I watch
a whole lot less tv because of it.

The major factors behind my dropping cable were the sky rocketing cost
and the fact that I couldn't pick and choose the channels I paid for.
I get why cable companies don't allow this. However, I also firmly
believe that if enough people drop cable and turn to
alternatives(internet, Netflix) cable companies will be forced to
change the way they sell their merchandise.

Time Warner Cable does not have control over how cable stations choose
to present their news. They also cannot control the commercials cable
stations choose to air or the number.

The only two things I can get behind you on are a) Not being able to
choose the channels you want to subscribe to and b) A portion of the
bill going to Fox News.

It sounds like you have found better options for you and your family.

i have nothing wrong with the concept of doing away with TV. i also
have nothing wrong with the idea of doing so over lack of content



however... the network provider -- whether it's TWC, Verizon, Dish,
direct tv, or whomever -- has absolutely NO control over whether or
not the station is good or bad.


all they are responsible for is making sure the subscriber can see the
tv channel.


when it comes to crap programming the blame lies with the networks.





and believe me i know for a FACT that TWC themselves CANNOT control a
network.

Last year or so up in Buffalo NY, TWC got in a fight with one of the
local stations.

Local Station said "Our contract is up soon. You will pay us $$$ if
you want to carry our channel." (I believe it was over a million)

TWC said "hell no, people can see you for free on open air."

LS said "fine. We're the only station with a contract with the Bills.
We will win this."



For a while TWC stood their ground, and after the contract ran out
they dropped the local station.


within about 6 weeks TWC caved in.



yeah. if TWC can't even order a local tv station around... there's no
way in HELL they're going to be able to order around every single
cable network.


=)

I hope you are introducing your child to the latest in technology:
Built-in Orderly Organized Knowledge device (BOOK).


The BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology. No wires, no
electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched
on.
It's so easy even a child can operate it. Just lift its cover!

Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere - even sitting in an
armchair by the fire - yet it is powerful enough to hold as much
information as a CD-ROM disc.

(The above is part of an e-mail sent to me.)

Spend time with your child, commercial-free, with books.

So don't let your kids watch TV.

To me, it is more a commentary on what Joe Six Pack wants to watch -
garbage.

I don't blame you for cancelling your service. Cable is chock full of
nuts.

I used to get several stations off the antennae at the World Trade
Center, with my tower antenna I erected only in 2000. Sadly, that
functionality was not replaced. If you are in NYC, perhaps you can
get some network tv broadcasts, in addition to the public stations.

Good Day!

nt

good luck finding a cable provider without commercials. Or one that
lets you pick and choose what channels you pay for, beyond premium.