Charter and Time Warner called out by legislature for BTN

[zurch1818]

http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/414

 

This is not saying much, but it should help our cause. Having this channel for Badger Basketball is important.

[TheCrew07]

switch to dish and all your worries are over...

[sgtcluels]

Ya know.. I think that is crossing the lines of government should really be doing. I mean.. if there's enough demand the Cable/Sat providers will add it right? Enough people leave their services for "Big 10" they'll do it. But I would like NHL Center Ice on my u-verse, do I think that the government should demand it? no...

 

I know that there are draw backs to a 100% Free Market, but dang, it'll work itself out. Why do you think DTV got locals back in? Demand and free market. Let it does it's job.. instead of spending time on issues like this, how about you spend time ya know.. fixing the budget, working on ways to fix the schools, combating teen pregnancy in Milwaukee metro area, or heck, even working on ways to reduce the crime rate. You are in office to govern, now govern instead of making your friends like you because you got them Big 10.

[trwi7]

switch to dish and all your worries are over...

 

Or AT&T U-Verse if it's available in your area. Nothing better than watching up to 4 Big Ten football games at once.http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smile.gif

[sgtcluels]

But UVerse only allows you to DVR on one, and only one TV. That is what sucks about it. Other then its sluggishness some times, I think it's a really slick concept that could compete. And it's quality is really good, I'd say almost every channel doeesn't look at pixelated as my DTV did. I don't have HD, so I can't tell you about quality of HD channels.

[trwi7]

But UVerse only allows you to DVR on one, and only one TV. That is what sucks about it. Other then its sluggishness some times, I think it's a really slick concept that could compete. And it's quality is really good, I'd say almost every channel doeesn't look at pixelated as my DTV did. I don't have HD, so I can't tell you about quality of HD channels.

 

Yeah but you can DVR 4 programs at once and it doesn't take long to set up the DVR just the guide, time, hit the record button and it's done.

[1992casey]

I think there's some confusion caused by a discrepancy between the headline and the article itself. Remember that headlines are generally written by someone other than the author of an article.

 

Headline:

Local lawmakers demand Big Ten Network available statewide

First two sentences of article:

Two state legislators called on the cable companies Time Warner and Charter Communications to provide Wisconsin residents with the Big Ten Network on Monday.

 

State Sen. Jim Sullivan, D-Wauwatosa, and state Rep. Josh Zepnik, D-Milwaukee, issued a statement today to ask the two largest providers of cable television in the state to put the network in expanded basic cable packages.

Then there's a third issue where the thread title suddenly says "legislature", as if the whole legislature is suddenly involved. It's almost like the game where you whisper a story in someone's ear, repeat the process by whispering it to several people, and finally seeing what you end up with. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

This doesn't sound at all like something the state legislature is going to get bogged down with. Rather, it sounds like a nudge from two men capable of getting more attention than the average joe.

[Fatter than Joey]

Ya know.. I think that is crossing the lines of government should really be doing.

 

Maybe... If these guys' constituents are calling on them to get the BTN on the cable, then they can't be faulted though trying to please their constituency.

[splitterpfj]

I think this is ridiculous. This is not the business of the state government, and if people really are calling their reps to have them act on this issue, those people need to spend a little more time outside. Hey, there's a whole planet outside your TV sets, folks.

[PeaveyFury]

Well, I'm assuming it was in the context of the 'Choice in Cable Act' legislation (or discussion therein) that this was brought it.

[TheBwaz]

Here is the bottom line:

 

BTN wants to charge $1.50/per household and carry the channel on basic (channels under 99). Everybody would have it, no choice in the matter. Most stations on the basic tier charge at MOST $.25/house (ESPN) or charge nothing at all because they are making up the revenue in ads.

 

This is just greed by Fox, pure and simple. They will not take the alternative, put it on digital (100 and UP) and make it a subscription service. Its thier way or the highway. Well, it didn't work for the NFL at $1/house, it won't work here.

 

Right now Dish and Direct pay a pretty solid premium for BTN and NFL, because they think it will bring them customers. If cable and those networks every reach an understanding, be prepared to pay if you want to keep it.

[patrickgpe]

this is so much like the nfl network problem. The thing is that IMO they do not show enough live games and games with meaning to warrant such a charge. If ESPN only charges 25 cents per house and already shows all the good BT games, why would consumers pay 6X to see the worse BT basketball and football games because ABC and ESPN already carries the games that most football fans want to watch. Just like the NFL network wanting to charge an arm and a leg to see approximately 4 football games during the season not able to be shown elsewhere. I think most around here couldn't care less about seeing the fringe BT sports.

[mark brouhard is number on]

a little off topic but if anyone here has at&t cable i was wondering if fox sports net is included. its not in their list of channels that i saw.