Cable Providers Pressured for 'a la Carte' Programming
by AFA Journal
July 7, 2004
(AgapePress) - Pro-family groups are pressuring the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and members of Congress to force cable television providers to allow consumers more choice when it comes to programming options."It only makes sense for a cable company to allow a family to pick what channels they want, and only pay for those," said Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association. "Such an a la carte approach would also help parents keep smutty television out of their homes."
Currently, cable companies force consumers to buy cable "packages," in which raunchy channels like MTV, E! Entertainment, VH1, and Comedy Central are bundled with more family-friendly fare.
Congress has instructed the FCC to look into the ramifications of an a la carte approach to pricing for cable television. The study will examine whether or not subscriber costs would rise under the new proposal, and whether less popular cable channels might disappear, leaving consumers with fewer choices. The FCC report is due back to Congress by November 18.
Meanwhile consumers have another alternative. Leading cable companies affiliated with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), which represents about 85 percent of all cable subscribers, will make channel-blocking technology available to any cable customer who does not already possess the equipment necessary to block channels. The technology will be made available upon request, at no additional charge.
Some local cable companies have balked when customers have called to ask for the new channel-blocking technology. When Wildmon's group passed this along to the NCTA, president and CEO Robert Sachs said the organization was setting up an e-mail address (parentalcontrols@ncta.com) for complaints.
This article appeared in the July 2004 issue of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.<
