I Want My HGTV

Cablevision subscribers in the tri-state area woke up Jan 1st to find out that HGTV and Food Network had been dropped from the lineup. Scripps Networks, owners of the two networks, are feuding with Cablevision over fees for the channels. Cablevision has been launching attack ads against Scripps ever since urging subscribers to pressure Scripps into making a deal with Cablevision. Cablevision just raised my rates so I am a little annoyed that two of my five favorite stations are now gone. What the hey?

If you happen tune in to these now blank stations, you will be treated to Cablevision's apology/explanation claiming that Scripps is being unreasonable for requesting triple the fees that it once got from Cablevision to be a part of the lineup. Cable networks are biting back because they want a bigger piece of the action; they want some of the subscription fees that cable providers collect from all of us poor sods. I'm paying Cablevision $85 for television and double that when you add in internet access and voice lines; there is no competition, yet.

I don't know how much Scripps Networks should get so how do we know whose side to come down on in this feud. I know that Cablevision is making a mint and now that they also own Newsday, they have a virtual media monopoly on the Island. So, maybe they should give Scripps what they want. On the other hand, does Scripps deserve triple their fees. I don't know, I just want my HGTV.

Newsday's Hard Sell

I am a 3 day weekend subscriber to Newsday, Long Island's tabloid confection of daily news, alas we have no choice. I subscribe for the bare minimum - the 3 day weekend - so I can get local news and the advertising flyers; I like my coupons. Newsday has been calling me for weeks without leaving a message. Today I finally picked up the phone because I was getting tired of them calling. What could they possibly want? My annual subscription is paid in full. In a nutshell, they want to give me an additional 2 days of the paper, Wednesday and Thursday for free. That's right. Free! Through the end of my current paid subscription, I would receive 2 extra days of the paper for free. 5 whole days of Newsday.

So I asked, "how much will it cost when it is time to renew?"
"There is no cost," he said. "Newsday is simply encouraging all of its current weekend subscribers to take the additional 2 days."
"I have nothing to lose," said my handler. "it was free."
I said that was fine, well, and good but how much will it cost? I got the same answer. So, I gave up that angle and proceeded to explain that the 3 days I already get are practically more than I can bare and I couldn't possibly take on another 2 days.
"But, its free," he said, "we just want you to try it, that's all."
"But I don't want to try it," I said. "I barely read what I pay for, nevermind you giving me more."

Certainly, Newsday has the most to gain by this arrangement - by improving circulation on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they could increase advertising costs for those days. More exposure, better value. How easy it is to give current subscribers more newspaper as an instant boost to circulation figures? Well they met their match. I flatly refused to accept my 2 extra free copies of Newsday; the solicitor was stunned, I could hear it in his voice. I had to be honest with myself, I just couldn't stand the thought of having any more newspaper to read, sort and recycle. As stated in a previous post, I am still deeply considering giving up my beloved New York Times weekend subscription, so Newsday called on the wrong customer.