’A La Carte’ TV Programming Is A Wonderful Idea

As I’ve explained, I’m a Luddite.

I don’t own an iPad or an e-reader or even a video-game console like Xbox 360. I don’t stream Netflix and cannot independently compare a BlackBerry to an iPhone because I haven’t owned either gadget or any smartphone for that matter. I used to text, but for reasons related to my inability to effectively manage my personal finances and understand Verizon’s billing policies, I don’t even do that anymore.

Frankly, despite writing about communications and technology for an eon, it’s sometimes hard to get my head wrapped around every last next-generation app, gadget and the like.

But occasionally, I learn about something that wakes me from my tech stupor.

Today was one of those days – Reuters has reported that U.S. cable operators are working on a plan that would force programmers to unbundle their networks and allow customers to subscribe to channels on an individual basis.

That’s something nearly all of us can relate to, even us dinosaurs.  

I subscribe to Comcast and receive a gazillion channels, but I probably only watch less than a handful of them: AMC, Animal Planet, ESPN, E!, FOX, CNN and a few of the major networks on occasion.

From a consumer standpoint, it doesn’t make sense that we should pay for channels that we don’t care to watch.

Apparently, pay-TV operators historically have been opposed to “a la carte" programming, but are having a change of heart thanks to the cruddy economy and other factors. Cable TV isn’t a priority when the bank is about the repossess the house.

As Yinka Adegoke of Reuters writes, a la carte programming is likely to encounter opposition from the likes of Viacom and Discovery Communications. But if the Federal Communications Commission has a role to play in changing the pay-TV business model, I hope the agency favors consumer choice.

Plain and simple: We should only pay for content we want to watch, and a la carte programming would probably save Americans a bundle of dough.

But on second thought, disregard everything I just said: We don’t want to lose the privilege of flicking for hours through 150 channels of nonsense.