I've had DTV for quite a bit, and one thing is for sure: You sure as fark aren't getting out of your contract whether this goes through or not. They're kinda dicks about that.

This isn't new. My cable company went through this same ordeal with them a few years ago... same methods and tactics.

The only thing worth missing in that hot farking mess of channels is CC for Colbert and Daily Show. I'm watching TV last weekend and see Dish losing AMC. Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Hell on Wheels, etc vs the networks that have brought shiatty music and reality TV to the forefront of American entertainment.I'll stick with Directv. Fark Viacom in the earhole, anyway. When they can offer me sweet, sweet NFL Prime for 199$ a season.

And because Colbert and Stewart are always available on the net, along with South Park, I doubt I'll miss the programming of one channel I watch that disappears along with a few channels that can feasibly be argued as being the beginning of the end of watchable tv.

How many times do we have to go through this? They'll work it out, or they won't and they'll be a consumer uprising on both parts. They don't want to lose money.

I'm not certain that "No Snooki" is a decent bargaining position for Viacom.

I sorta wish we could do more individualized channel selection.

I hate the thought that some of my cable bill goes to support Fox News and MTV.

Schmoppo: I've had DTV for quite a bit, and one thing is for sure: You sure as fark aren't getting out of your contract whether this goes through or not. They're kinda dicks about that.

And that is why I just can't be bothered with them.

shiat like this is why I am glad I stopped paying for TV. And I'm guessing if DTV customers do lose all these channels they will be giving their subscribers a nice price drop for not getting the channels they are paying for?

Fat chance.

An antenna and online content work just fine for me. And I'm not spending $80+/month for the privilege.

Bundalo: I'm not certain that "No Snooki" is a decent bargaining position for Viacom.


It's a great one for DirectTV though.

Meh. I removed every single one of those channels plus about 200 more from my onscreen guide about 5 minutes after the installer left anyway. I won't even know they're gone.

MightyPez: shiat like this is why I am glad I stopped paying for TV. And I'm guessing if DTV customers do lose all these channels they will be giving their subscribers a nice price drop for not getting the channels they are paying for?

Fat chance.

An antenna and online content work just fine for me. And I'm not spending $80+/month for the privilege.

THIS. We pay $8 per month for Netflix and we're done.

Cancel your cable/dish. One of the best decisions I've ever made with $80 is not spending it on crappy programming. Once you've gone without for a month, you'll realize you were wasting a shiat load of time on meaningless, empty bullshiat.

Um, I have only DTV as a way of getting any TV access at the house.

Based on the channels being dropped...

I'm OK with this. These channels represent those that I don't watch and MUST PAY FOR because they are bundled.

If they drop these channels and I get a lower rate (ha * 1 bazillion) no problems.

/DTV isn't going to lower rates or rebate while these are off the air
//bet they stay on the air, someone will give

From Direct TV FAQ site:
A:
Absolutely. DIRECTV currently carries 17 Viacom networks at the cost of hundred of millions of dollars a year. But Viacom now insists that you pay over 30 percent more (more than a billion dollars extra) for the exact same programming. If Viacom wants so much more, then we believe your family needs to be able to choose which Viacom networks you want to pay to keep and which ones you don't

How does 30% more of "hundreds of millions" become "(more than a billion dollars extra)"?

wouldn't the original charge need to be 3+ billion?

Ambient: Cancel your cable/dish. One of the best decisions I've ever made with $80 is not spending it on crappy programming. Once you've gone without for a month, you'll realize you were wasting a shiat load of time on meaningless, empty bullshiat.

I haven't had cable/dish for 5+ years. Antenna + Netflix + hulu +mlbTV

MaxxLarge: Schmoppo: I've had DTV for quite a bit, and one thing is for sure: You sure as fark aren't getting out of your contract whether this goes through or not. They're kinda dicks about that.

I wondered about that. I'd think there would HAVE to be a loophole SOMEWHERE. I mean, If I'm paying $X for X channels, and suddenly a few dozen of the most popular ones are gone, but they still charge me the same amount? Seems like that's a breach of contract to me.

They'll let you out if you claim false advertising and raise a stink with enough consumer protection agencies, only because it's easier for them. They might blacklist you or your address for a while, but by the time some other company's 2-year promo runs out you'll be good.

MaxxLarge: Schmoppo: I've had DTV for quite a bit, and one thing is for sure: You sure as fark aren't getting out of your contract whether this goes through or not. They're kinda dicks about that.

I wondered about that. I'd think there would HAVE to be a loophole SOMEWHERE. I mean, If I'm paying $X for X channels, and suddenly a few dozen of the most popular ones are gone, but they still charge me the same amount? Seems like that's a breach of contract to me.

From the DTV site: "Q: Is DirecTV going to lower my bills if it loses the Viacom channels? A: If Viacom won't allow us to offer you their channels individually, then we will certainly work to make sure you feel satisfied."

This translates to "We'll give you 6 months of free Showtime or Cinemax"
/Ex DTV tech support

radar_OIIIO: From Direct TV FAQ site:
A:
Absolutely. DIRECTV currently carries 17 Viacom networks at the cost of hundred of millions of dollars a year. But Viacom now insists that you pay over 30 percent more (more than a billion dollars extra) for the exact same programming. If Viacom wants so much more, then we believe your family needs to be able to choose which Viacom networks you want to pay to keep and which ones you don't

How does 30% more of "hundreds of millions" become "(more than a billion dollars extra)"?

wouldn't the original charge need to be 3+ billion?

I'm guessing they're referring to the total increase over the contract life. Not the increase over a single year.

Contrabulous Flabtraption: Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, VH1, CMT, Spike TV, TV Land and more won't be available.
[i.qkme.me image 500x312]

I'm sure it's a bit of a bigger deal if you have children, though. This is when you have to get all Calvin's mom on them.

satanorsanta: Ambient: Cancel your cable/dish. One of the best decisions I've ever made with $80 is not spending it on crappy programming. Once you've gone without for a month, you'll realize you were wasting a shiat load of time on meaningless, empty bullshiat.

I haven't had cable/dish for 5+ years. Antenna + Netflix + hulu +mlbTV

I'm seriously considering dropping cable in favor of Hulu+ and/or Vudu. I hate literally 99% of tv these days anyways, so I don't think I'd be missing out by not getting tv shows I wouldn't watch anyways.

Vangor: Since dropping my television cable service, my show watching has increased.

This. System is very broke. Fix it.

The only 2 of the VIACOM channels that I even have listed on my program guide are CC and Spike.
And frankly, only CC would be missed. And thinking about it, I'll only really miss new Futuramas.
So, somehow I think I'll survive.
But so help them if I lose Velocity or BBC America!

Directv are Sith so I believe Viacom. Really, it's like crazy expensive for no reason other than people pay it.

I have DTV and looking at the list of channels that are going away... yup, not going to miss a single one. As has been mentioned, the only shows I watch on those channels (Daily Show/Colbert) are online. Sooooo... yeah, no problems here.

Ambient: Cancel your cable/dish. One of the best decisions I've ever made with $80 is not spending it on crappy programming. Once you've gone without for a month, you'll realize you were wasting a shiat load of time on meaningless, empty bullshiat.

The same thing could be said about internet access.

alwaysjaded: And the other side of the story.

My favorite excerpts from this link:

While some Viacom channels are on everyone's line-ups, this discussion comes at a time when we head into the Fourth of July holiday, kids are off school and headed outdoors, the Summer Olympics are on the horizon, and many of us are on vacation. Couple that with the fact that Viacom doesn't have all that much original programming this summer and the result is that it's not going to affect a great number of people.

OhSnap.jpg?

If Viacom wants so much more, then we believe your family needs to be able to choose which Viacom networks you want to pay to keep and which ones you don't.

Ooooh, I like this. I miss having DirecTV. It's too bad that I care more about fast Internet which leads me to use Comcast, and it's just a better deal to get cable through them.

Viacom's double-counting eight networks that are already available in high definition. They're counting both the high definition and old standard definition version of the same network to pad their total.

Yeah, like that's any worse than counting radio stations as 25% of my viewing options.

madgonad: I don't really have a dog in the fight. I cut cable/dish four years ago and haven't looked back. A couple HTPCs, a network OTA tuner (HD Homerun), Netflix, and Hulu provide all the entertainment I need at a tiny fraction of the price.

Ha, I use the exact same setup. Except it's a single HTPC running Windows 7 Media Center and have Xbox 360's for extenders.

wildcardjack: I sorta wish we could do more individualized channel selection.

I hate the thought that some of my cable bill goes to support Fox News and MTV.

ESPN is the biggest bite... I get my sports elsewhere, and would love to get THAT albatross from around my neck.

Viacom profits in 2011: >$2 billion.

Schmoppo: If Viacom won't allow us to offer you their channels individually, then we will certainly work to make sure you feel satisfied."

That's the oddest way of saying no that I've ever seen.