a la carte programming - TV

[jefferiestubes8]

a la carte programming — the ability to subscribe to and pay for individual channels rather than programming packages. But providers are unlikely to move away from the profitable, entrenched model of pricing tiers.

Allowing the consumer to pick channels rather than packages hasn't happened yet...
And this is not cable or satellite or IPTV specific.

Perhaps a tier of the future could be VOD-only, where you purchase programs either individually or on a metered basis rather than accept them in a linear stream.

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-why-cheaper-cable-opens-a-pandoras-box/

Apple has also held talks with programmers, but faced resistance industry-wide over its plans to offer a lower-cost subscription TV plan,

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AS2E120101129?pageNumber=2

Microsoft is in development on a new subscription-based TV service on its Xbox gaming console for 2012 and beyond.

it could sell more individual channels, such as an HBO or Showtime, directly to subscribers. It already has Walt Disney Co's ESPN on the Xbox Live online service.

according to the article.

That isn’t to say the strategy doesn’t have potential. In the UK, SkyTV has offered its Sky Player via the Xbox since 2008, allowing subscribers and non-subscribers with a broadband connection to access SkyTV content.

Rather than emulating Google’s (so far shaky) strategy with Google TV, Microsoft would work with networks and media companies to offer content.

http://mashable.com/2010/11/29/microsoft-iptv/

the advocate believes the Federal Communications Commission should get involved.

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20101115/ENTERTAINMENT/101119535/1275?p=4&tc=pg


The FCC is what it may take. In 2006

the FCC fixated on the possibility of allowing consumers to choose their channels

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-why-cheaper-cable-opens-a-pandoras-box/

a decade ago you couldn’t imagine buying more than a few singles over a full album, now the album as an art form is all but dead. For better or worse, the “channel” – meaning a group of programs that appear one after the other interspersed with commercials – may be going away.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/29/microsoft-tv-a-bold-move-that-may-blow-up-broadcast/

Hey guys shall we discuss the great possibilities of a la carte programming?
I really don't think commercials will be going away since the whole idea of Hulu Plus was to get you to pay for content not to make the advertising go away...

 

[PsychoPere]

I'm hoping for something along those lines, as I briefly mentioned when I pointed out the Xbox news in the Gaming forum.

 

[Flavius]

Please explain to me why that would be desirable even?

I have to say I like the old ways better. You know, where some greedy monopolist is dropping several dozen HD channels on me, without even telling me (well, I probably threw away that junk mail) - channels I most likely never ever watch, but who knows, right?

However, I haven't watched Live TV in like seven years now. A la carte means to me that I get to pick what I record and watch whenever I want. Our most recent addition is the new Apple TV. We use those to add our sizable iTunes libraries to the mix, watch more recent movies or TV shows, but right now it's Netflix that seems to have what our Kids want to watch the most.

You know, I'd love to pay for a channel in [name you mother tongue here], but I can't get it. Yet.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I'm all for a la carte programming--I have like 200+ channels and I don't watch but maybe 5% of them.

 

[Sakrysta]

I think the timing is wrong. This would have been hugely popular 10-15 years ago.

The ONLY thing that might make money at this is the sports channels. Live sports is the one holdback I see consistently mentioned online as people's reason for not dumping cable. There are lots of people out there who, if they could just get ESPN and its subsidiaries, would dump the rest of cable in a heartbeat.

Other than that, most of us have moved beyond wanting specific channels to wanting specific shows, which we can get either online or on DVD.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

You know, I'd love to pay for a channel in [name you mother tongue here], but I can't get it. Yet.

Due to licensing in various countries it makes it harder to do this kind of thing Internationally. Not impossible but just more complex when you are talking about rolling out a new feature or brand of content.

Microsoft has more than just ESPN3...

In Europe, the company has recently announced a deal with the Canal+ Group in France to stream all their premium channels as well as the CanalSat bouquets via the game console to the TV set.

So far, Microsoft has signed a few TV content deals in the US for its Xbox 360 including a successful offer from Netflix and content from ESPN.

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2010/11/29/micorsoft-planning-virtual-cable-for-xbox/

I can see offering various foreign language channels one subscription at a time.

Other than that, most of us have moved beyond wanting specific channels to wanting specific shows, which we can get either online or on DVD.

Sakrysta this is why I started a thread in Future of Trek [ Would it really matter if the next Trek series were on linear TV? ]
about the next Trek TV series possibly not being on a linear TV channel but as a subscription or video-on-demand only... (in 4-6 years...)

 

[RoJoHen]

I feel like this kind of programming would kill new shows before they ever got off the ground. For a long time, LOST was the only thing I ever watched on ABC. If I wasn't subscribing to ABC (which I wouldn't have been), I would have completely missed out on that show.

Giving everybody access to the same channels at least gives them the opportunity to tune into new TV shows.

 

[Sakrysta]

^ I think the trend away from multi-channel cable packages will certainly have an impact on people's watching habits. I know that when I cancelled my subscription to cable, my TV watching became much more deliberate. I found out about shows that might interest me through word of mouth or advertising, and made a point of seeking them out. I no longer spent time floating through dozens of channels full of worthless programming looking for something interesting to watch. Instead, now I watch what I want when I want, and spend the rest of my time on other pursuits.

Overall, it's been an extremely positive change.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

when I cancelled my subscription to cable, my TV watching became much more deliberate.

I agree. It's been 3 1/2 years since I have not had cable TV. Our lives and schedules are pretty busy anyway and watching things on Netflix allows me to watch when I want to. I wish I didn't have to wait 1 year for a series to come out on physical DVD though and soon it will be download/streaming for me.

 

[darthraidr]

I feel like this kind of programming would kill new shows before they ever got off the ground. For a long time, LOST was the only thing I ever watched on ABC. If I wasn't subscribing to ABC (which I wouldn't have been), I would have completely missed out on that show.

isn't that what Marketing is supposed to do? If you don't hear about a show, chances are it wasn't marketed well.

An a la carte change would require more marketing money to be spent outside of the channel itself, but that isnt new. i dont subscribe to HBO but i still know about their shows because they market them.

it may also require some free online previews to get people interested in subscribing... again, it's something the premium channels have done in the past. now it would require more channels to do it.

it could screw over the really small channels or the start up channels, but again, i think clever marketing could help out.

 

[Warp Coil]

when I cancelled my subscription to cable, my TV watching became much more deliberate.

I agree. It's been 3 1/2 years since I have not had cable TV. Our lives and schedules are pretty busy anyway and watching things on Netflix allows me to watch when I want to. I wish I didn't have to wait 1 year for a series to come out on physical DVD though and soon it will be download/streaming for me.

Agreed. I've gone without cable for nearly a year now and I really don't miss it. I've fully-embraced new media as a platform for watching television. Between Hulu, Netflix and DVDs I am able to watch what I need. Sometimes I'm able to watch my shows the day after air (if available on Hulu) and sometimes I have to wait for the DVD. Sure, it's an inconvenience, but I have enough to keep me occupied. Watching anything "live" during broadcast just doesn't interest me anymore. I like the flexibility that new media technology allows.

As a consumer, I would see the appeal of a la carte programming, but as a network or cable service provider, it makes bad business sense. Cable networks rely heavily on subscription fees as a revenue stream (along with commercial advertising). If consumers are able to pick and choose what cable networks they pay for, networks will lose a ton of money.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I can't afford to get rid of cable. I'd lose some of the baseball programming I love to watch. During the season, if the Yankees (my favorite team) play the Royals, I would have to watch that game on TV, since I live within Royals territory and so the game would be blacked out of MLB.TV which is where I usually watch games. Also, *all* postseason games are blacked out. If I got rid of cable, I'd have to wait and watch those games on a delay, and I am way too impatient for that.

 

[RoJoHen]

I can't afford to get rid of cable. I'd lose some of the baseball programming I love to watch. During the season, if the Yankees (my favorite team) play the Royals, I would have to watch that game on TV, since I live within Royals territory and so the game would be blacked out of MLB.TV which is where I usually watch games. Also, *all* postseason games are blacked out. If I got rid of cable, I'd have to wait and watch those games on a delay, and I am way too impatient for that.

Not if you subscribe to the right channels.

I mean, you don't need Lifetime or HGTV to watch baseball.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Without a la carte programming, you do.

 

[RoJoHen]

Well, right...but since this thread is about a la carte programming, I didn't really think that was an issue.

 

[jefferiestubes8]

There is a similar discussion going on over in the Gaming forum you may want to check out:
Xbox TV
It's more the business aspect of using the hardware though.

 

[PsychoPere]

^ Yeah, that's what it's become, though that's not what I had initially expected when I posted that thread. I was more interested in this sort of a la carte programming idea. Being able to subscribe to specific cable channels and watching them through my Xbox, in addition to already being able to watch Netflix through my Xbox? Hell yes, I love that idea.