Legislators propose ‘a la carte’ cable packages
June 21st, 2007This is something I’ve been wanting for a long time. From Baptist Press:
With a goal of letting consumers choose which cable channels are appropriate for their homes, legislators have introduced the bipartisan Family and Consumer Choice Act with a possible a la carte system that would let viewers pay for only the cable networks they want while blocking those they don’t.
This would be fantastic.
It sounds like a good idea, but the cable companies will probably respond by jacking the per-channel cost so high that you’d be crazy not to just buy the package.
I seem to remember you and I talking about this very thing a few years back. May it become a reality.
There may be hope for congress yet!
“Cable companies offer a la carte cable packages.”
Indeed, that would be fantastic.
“The government through law and by the force of coercion and the threat of fines requires cable companies to offer a la carte cable packages.”
There’s nothing fantastic about that. There’s no clear indication that Congress has any constitutional authority to require any such thing from cable companies, and the convenience that would come from this admittedly good idea isn’t worth the growth in government power that is entailed through Congress’ mandating that idea.
I would love to see Burger King make the Italian Chicken Sandwich a permanent feature of its menu. May that too become a reality, but I would never think that Congressional fiat that would require BK to have things my way is indication that there’s hope for that august body of largely money-grubbing, power-seizing political opportunists of both parties and of all stripes.
In general, local community governments restrict the number of available cable providers through a bidding process: like electricity and land-line telephones, cable requires wires and there may be too little room for those wires to allow for free-market force to flourish with every competitor stringing up its own network of cables. For that reason, the local government is within rights to make clear its requirements for the company that wins the bid to provide cable: X number of foreign-language channels, X channels for locally produced public service information (traffic cameras, city hall), and — yes — a la carte packaging.
But on what grounds could Congress possibly intervene?
“Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.”
–Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Albert Gallatin, 1817
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”
– James Madison, Federal No. 45, January 26, 1788
That would be cool, but I doubt it will ever happen… makes too much sense.
I’ve been begging for this for ages. I can’t even let myself think this will ever happen, however. The companies wouldn’t make as much dough, and we know that’s the driving force behind their decisions.
*sigh*
How I’d love to not pay for MTV and other similar trash.
This really would be great; in fact, with so many people FOR it, why is it not a reality already?
As an example: Currently, our cable company offers the Golf Channel. I have zero interest in this, even during the majors. I would, however, LOVE to have the Tennis Channel, espec. with Wimbledon coming up. But nooooooooooo!
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