Is the ability to choose satellite programming the best deal for consumers?
The FCC released a new report last week concerning a second study on the bundling of TV programming packages in the satellite TV and cable industries. The study concluded consumers could be saving money by ordering only the channels they thought they wanted. However, this was a second study. The first study, released 15 months earlier, had the opposite conclusion, bundling programming was best for consumers. So which position is the FCC really taking? Which option helps American consumers save money on their cable and satellite bills? Is unbundling TV programming a viable solution?
Is a la carte programming politically motivated?
If the bundling study was motivated simply by a question of economics, it would be one thing. But there are political motivations involved as well. The key political motivation is from the conservative right who feel its unfair for consumers to pay for programming that contains objectionable content. They contend consumers shouldnt be forced to pay for content they dont want coming into their homes. The FCC can only censor content that is sent...