As the new ditigal TV world starts to nudge above the horizon, it is good to see the CTRC do something useful short of the dream of its own extinguishment. As some point before I leave this mortal coil, I may be able to buy cable TV without the 34 channels I never never never watch:
As the industry shifts from analog to digital transmission, which provides a high-definition TV signal through a set-top box, cable companies have sought to sell channels individually. However, in a show of support for analog cable networks concerned that their audiences may plunge, the CRTC said the tiered system must be kept in place on digital cable until 2013. If cable providers have transferred more than 85 per cent of their subscribers to digital after 2010, that system can be dropped. The tiers have often frustrated consumers who would like certain stations but do not want to be pay for those they don't want...While Canadian regulators are making the shift from analog to digital cable over a broader period of time, the U.S. government has more aggressive plans, setting a Feb. 17, 2009, deadline to end analog TV broadcasts.The next step of course is allowing any channel broadcast anywhere in the world to be available to me. All I want is the right to watch TV from India or Fiji as I have been able to listen to their radio through the miracle of the international broadcast bands of shortwave radio. You can tell by my internationalist style around these parts.
Comments
Hans - February 28, 2006 9:11 am
God forbid we should get to choose the channels right now. The CRTC has to do something between now and 2013 when the floodgates open and the mayhem of consumer choice takes over. Will we be ready by then? They better make it a conditional floodgate opening with a further review at 2018, just to ensure we haven't unduly gorged ourselves with all that freedom we are paying for.
Alan - February 28, 2006 9:12 am
I think ever since that cheesie incident in 1972, I am too well aware that I cannot trust myself in matters like this.
Classic - February 28, 2006 1:32 pm
_I had been paying $1 per individual channel (beyond a basic service) since '98 or '99 through digitally transmitted Look Communications. Their twin 50 million lines of credit were cancelled by competitor Bell long ago, they went through bankruptcy, and limped along with an outdated television line-up.
_Last Dec (15th) they ceased permitting individual channel selections in favour of a Gold /Silver /Bronze labelled tier packaging. So now I am a automatically paying customer of HGTV, Life, & Food Network, while doing without Prime, YTV, CNN, Discovery, unless I pay at a significantly higher price level(s).
_And still they offer no HD channels or Espn Classic, League Games channels ...
Hans - February 28, 2006 1:44 pm
"... that cheesie incident in 1972...."
That was you?!?! I had heard about it, but never really believed.... Oh, the humanity!