Mewsings from Lowecat (aka Indianacat)

My rants, ravings, and overall 'mewsings' on life, the universe, and everything.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

The Picture Says It All

Fans of Sons of Anarchy, The League, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (the last two are my DH's favorite shows) can relax if they have Direct TV as their television provider. Newscorp and Direct TV came to an agreement yesterday about carry priviledges. No plugs were pulled, no shows will be missed. Ob la di, ob la da, life goes on.

Both sides are probably sitting back on their ample asses, satisifed that they successfully screwed the other side. The powers that be on both sides are clapping each other on the back for a job well done. Both feel that they have served the public because no one lost their programming this time.

They feel self satisifed in their belief that they have fulfilled their committment to the viewing public, by coming to a last minute agreement that kept the channels on Direct TV without interruption. "We acted in the public good. We're the good guys!"

However, there is a price to be paid, and guess who's gonna pay it? Not Direct TV. Not by a long shot. Not alone. Advertisers will pay for the agreement through increased ad rates to be run on DTV, including local insert spots. Program providers - the writers, directors, actors, producers - who make the programs we enjoy will pay in increased costs to produce their visions and share them with us.

And the subscribers will pay. Right through the ass. In increased rates for the channels they want, while continuing to have to put up with Austrailian Dick Wrestling and other arcane programming they have no interest in because the provider has to dump it somewhere.

If the cable and satellite providers were truly acting in the public's interest, they would allow people to choose their own packages and rates. If I want an all sports subscription, and am willing to pay for it, why the Hell not? Or if I want movies and women's programs, Cubs baseball, IU basketball, SOA, movies, and the local channels, why the hell not?

But we won't ever get what we want and are willing to pay for.

And that's why I feel there is no real winner in this latest round of negotiations between a programming provider and a subscription service.

Guess what, kids? We get to look forward to it again when the next contract ends. We only heard about FX and DTV (and FX and Dish last year) because Sutter made noise. Think of the number of times we're gettin' it up the poop chute without benefit of vaseline or a kiss and don't know about it.