NYwxguy, thanks for posting the news.
I actually didn't find out until early this morning, hours after the news was posted online.
This is one of the few most essential cable channels on the planet (alongside CNN and ESPN) and it took them
THIS long to act since TWC HD "re-launched" one month ago yesterday?
It's a part of an expansion of 15 HD channels to Cablevision's iO Digital Cable service between July 28th and August 1st.Yes I know, you've heard me complain a handful of times about how Cablevision has done a horrible job with
keeping up with their competitors such as Verizon FiOS, DirecTV and Dish Network. Can you blame me?
This is one of the largest cable companies in the country (I think fifth if I'm not mistaken) and they had NOT added
a single new high definition channel since December 20, 2007 with ESPN 2 HD. DECEMBER 20TH!
Why do I get the feeling that Cablevision decided to get off their collective ass because Verizon FiOS is adding
a crapload of new HD channels this month (they have more already to begin with) while DirecTV and Dish Network
blows Cablevision out of the water? They're afraid of losing customers! They probably have lost some already.
Here's another reason why I think this announcement of FINALLY adding more HD channels was done.
Cablevision has advertised their iO HDTV service has had roughly 45 HD channels FREE (still marketedly below
their competitors), but what they don't tell you is that their VOOM HD package takes up 15 HD channel slots.
Take away the handful of those HD channels only available to you if you pay to have the premium SD channels
HBO, Cinemax and Starz, and makes the freebies down to 26 or 27 HD channels. Don't include the local stations
that have HD slots (CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, MyNetworkTV and CW), the amount of those that are from the regional
and national cable networks, it's down to about 20.
To continue on my theory for this move by Cablevision, for the past 3 to 5 weeks (I forget exactly how long
it's been), all my VOOM HD channels have not been available when I tune in as I believe my HD cable box
needed replacement and that now the carriage agreement had expired on June 30th.
So negotiations for a new deal are ongoing while I don't have the VOOM HD portion of the iO HDTV channel lineup.
Customer complaints about the reduction of available HD channels right now has probably caused a knee-jerk
reaction by Cablevision. Who knows.
If we get the 15 VOOM HD channels back on and we get the 15 new ones coming to us, that's about 60 altogether.
STILL, not close to our competitors. Only 10 of the 15 that will be added are known to the public and they are:
Nickelodeon
WE tv
AMC
Animal Planet
The Weather ChannelTravel Channel
FOX News Channel
Discovery Channel
Hallmark Movie Channel
FX
At least I can finally watch the
Cash Cab shows that have been in HD for a while now...
among the other five, they better include ESPNEWS HD!
Cablevision news release (July 2):
http://www.cablevision.com/about/news/article.jsp?d=070208"Cablevision celebrates freedom with the addition of 15 new channels of free HD for iO TV(sm) customers"
TVPredictions.com's news page (July 2):
http://www.tvpredictions.com/cablevision070208.h"Cablevision to add 15 HD channels"
Multichannel News (July 2):
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6575099.html?desc=topstory"Cablevision ramps up HD lineup"
DSL Reports (July 2):
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cablevision-Adding-15-More-HD-Channels-95736"Cablevision adding 15 more HD channels"
Long Island Newsday (July 3):
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/thursday/business/ny-bzcabl035750265jul03,0,2203789.story"Cablevision to offer 15 free new high-def channels"
