Is cable TV going downhill?

[Mike M]

At this point, Antenna TV is one of the few remaining *good* channels on the air.

[Eric]

At this point, Antenna TV is one of the few remaining *good* channels on the air.

Don't jinx it!

[WeatherSTARIII]

I found this interesting articals about cable TV's rising rates:
 
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/10/11118954-pay-tv-costing-a-pretty-penny-and-rising?lite
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/Study-Average-Cable-Bill-Will-Top-200-By-2020-119185
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2012/02/5-theories-on-the-death-of-cable-tv----and-why-theyre-wrong060.html
 
It seems that most cable networks (and likely TWC) wants to raise the rates mostly because they want to put more programing and attract ratings. This is just one reason why Dish Network originally pulled the plug on TWC before when they reach that new agreement and shuttered "The Weather Cast" two years ago.

[Mike M]

At this point, Antenna TV is one of the few remaining *good* channels on the air.

Don't jinx it!

Crap, I probably just did 

[toxictwister00]

What about GSN? I haven't watched that channel in years, do they still stick to showing only game shows?

[WeatherSTARIII]

What about GSN? I haven't watched that channel in years, do they still stick to showing only game shows?

I think GSN still shows game shows. 

[Eric]

"Match Game" still gives me my daily dose of chuckles. 

[Mike M]

What about GSN? I haven't watched that channel in years, do they still stick to showing only game shows?

GSN was at its worst in 2004 when they showed reality shows such as Extreme Dodgeball and Kenny vs Spenny. At least they're better now.

[TampaMillTWC88]

I miss the 90s when Nick showed cartoons like Inspector Gadget, Muppet Babies, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Garfield and Friends.

Me too. Same with USA and TBS. I watch old promos on YT and RetroJunk just about want to cry. TV was so much better back then.

Yes, even looking up some of the old production logos on Youtube brings back memories, like DIC, the Program Exchange, LBS Communications, Ruby-Spears, Worldvision Enterprises, and Viacom.

[Eric]

The man saying "Viacom" used to scare me. 

[toxictwister00]

I've been wondering, are they ever going to take into consideration DVR recordings as apart of rating TV shows? The way they go about doing ratings now seems very "outdated" given the times. Since when has having ratings in the 8-10 million range been terrible? Not even a decade ago that would have made you a hit show. It bothers me that a lot of smart good shows keep getting the curb, but they keep milking the crap in a bucket *cough* *cough* Two and a Half Men for one.

Something else that grinds my gears is that they don't give new shows a chance to find an audience, even worse is when they shuffle them around to different days/timeslots to compete against other networks and many times it fails.

I'll end this sudden but small rant there.

P.S - Somebody please kill reality TV.

[Eric]

Eventually it's going to become apparent that "by appointment" television viewing is eventually going to die.  Because of my DVR (and Hulu plays a minor role, too), maybe only 10% of what I watch on TV is currently being broadcast at that time.  Everything else is recorded for watching later.  Sometimes "later" means in 5 minutes, in an hour, in a day, in a month...

[twcclassics]

Because of my DVR (and Hulu plays a minor role, too), maybe only 10% of what I watch on TV is currently being broadcast at that time.  Everything else is recorded for watching later.

Same here. Except the reason is that generally when I want to watch TV, there's nothing good on. For me, about 95% of what's on TV these days is garbage.

[Lightning]

What about GSN? I haven't watched that channel in years, do they still stick to showing only game shows?

I think GSN still shows game shows. 

It's not on basic cable anymore, though. It's on one of those triple digit channels that requires a cable box for you to get. That Game Show Network (what GSN stands for) had Family Feud of the 70s, 80s and early 90s (when Richard Dawson and Ray Combs were the hosts), Wheel of Fortune of the 80s and 90s, (Pat and Vanna were so much younger) Price is right of the 80s (when Bob Barker still had black hair), Match Game PM, Jeapardy of the 80s and 90s...

[Star4000 Fan]

I found this interesting articals about cable TV's rising rates:
 
http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/10/11118954-pay-tv-costing-a-pretty-penny-and-rising?lite
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/Study-Average-Cable-Bill-Will-Top-200-By-2020-119185
http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2012/02/5-theories-on-the-death-of-cable-tv----and-why-theyre-wrong060.html
 
It seems that most cable networks (and likely TWC) wants to raise the rates mostly because they want to put more programing and attract ratings. This is just one reason why Dish Network originally pulled the plug on TWC before when they reach that new agreement and shuttered "The Weather Cast" two years ago.

I am paying $125 a month for two television sets with Cinemax and HBO.   I have seen it rise from $90 in just the last five years.....I have FEWER channels, too.  I still get charged for two remotes and cable boxes.  The remotes are worn out....and the cable boxes, on good days only, actually tell me what show is on.  It used to work all of the time, but now it's like 5% of the time.

It's gone downhill since the recession started for sure. 

I remember asking to have a set of channels added for $2.50 so I could get Game Show Network....2003.  They changed themselves to GSN in March 2004, and the cable company removed the channel completely by September.  I have not seen it since.