200 Cable TV Companies Are Suing to Block À La Carte TV

Discussions about the latest legal news in the TV industry.
Post Reply
Arion
TVRO Guru
TVRO Guru
Articles: 0
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:05 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 29 times

200 Cable TV Companies Are Suing to Block À La Carte TV

Post by Arion » Tue Sep 17, 2019 5:18 pm

By Luke Bouma on September 15, 2019

Last week, Comcast, Disney, CBS, and Fox sued to block a new Maine law that would require cable companies to offer à la carte TV. Now, a second lawsuit filed by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association representing more than 200 cable networks, has been filed to block Maine’s new à la carte TV law.

Recently, Maine passed a law requiring that cable operators offer an à la carte TV option. The new law says that “a cable system operator shall offer subscribers the option of purchasing access to cable channels, or programs on cable channels, individually.” This would bring à la carte TV, which many have hoped for, to the state of Maine.

The fear of cable companies is understandable. Many have predicted that a lot of cable TV channels would not survive à la carte TV as they count on people paying for the channel who don’t watch the channel. The possibility of many profitable channels shutting down because most cable TV subscribers don’t watch them has prevented any hope of à la carte TV in the past.

This will be a major landmark case for both cord cutting and cable TV. If Comcast, Fox, CBS, Disney, and over 200 cable companies win, it will set back hopes for à la carte TV. If Maine wins, it could open the floodgates for other states to require a true à la carte TV option.

The new law is set to take effect on September 19, 2019. Those behind this lawsuit hope to block that from happening. Cord Cutters News will be keeping a close eye on this case and will post updates as we learn more.

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/200-cab ... -carte-tv/
10' Tek C-band dish, 1.2 meter KU band dish, ASC1 mover, Octagon/Zgemma/Edison dual band STB's. Running OpenPli on all.

Arion
TVRO Guru
TVRO Guru
Articles: 0
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:05 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: 200 Cable TV Companies Are Suing to Block À La Carte TV

Post by Arion » Tue Sep 17, 2019 5:22 pm

Cable and satellite better adapt or they are going to end up like Blockbusters! Was a great idea at the time but when the idea became outmoded they didn't change the business model and pretty soon they were bankrupted. People are not going to be held hostage to the cable/satellite companies anymore. I'd bet if Sears, K-Mart and a number of other retailers could do it over they would of made better choices. Amazon today [love em or hate em] is the Sears of 100 years ago. They were the first with a massive catalogue where you could literally buy almost anything and have it shipped to your door.
10' Tek C-band dish, 1.2 meter KU band dish, ASC1 mover, Octagon/Zgemma/Edison dual band STB's. Running OpenPli on all.

User avatar
fatso
TVRO Guru
TVRO Guru
Articles: 0
Posts: 1368
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 7:46 pm
Has thanked: 16 times
Been thanked: 197 times

Re: 200 Cable TV Companies Are Suing to Block À La Carte TV

Post by fatso » Wed Sep 18, 2019 2:25 pm

With so much free programming on c-band and atsc 3.0 just around the corner who needs those pay tv guys anyway? :yawn
12ft Mesh Dish
C-Band Enthusiast since 1983

Arion
TVRO Guru
TVRO Guru
Articles: 0
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 6:05 pm
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 29 times

Re: 200 Cable TV Companies Are Suing to Block À La Carte TV

Post by Arion » Wed Sep 18, 2019 5:42 pm

fatso wrote:
Wed Sep 18, 2019 2:25 pm
With so much free programming on c-band and atsc 3.0 just around the corner who needs those pay tv guys anyway? :yawn
That's what I'm saying. And I just heard on Fox Business a few minutes ago that now AT&T is looking for a way to ditch DirecTv. Bought a pig in a poke. :lol:
10' Tek C-band dish, 1.2 meter KU band dish, ASC1 mover, Octagon/Zgemma/Edison dual band STB's. Running OpenPli on all.

Post Reply

Return to “Legal News”