So a few years ago I cut the cord. No more cable/ satellite TV. No more letting the industry gouge me on what I want to watch. Will I still overpay some? Sure, anyone that watches anything outside of just having rabbit ears on their TV will always be overpaying at some point. For instance the cost of a DVD costs a fraction of what we usually end up paying, even when something is on sale. So I invested in a Roku. LOVE IT!
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| My Roku (Angry Birds Edition) |
It sets me up with what I am willing to pay for, and I can stream it when I'm ready. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, PBS & PBS Kids, etc. It's all there. But once again, the industry got those of us that have cut the cord in a position for it to laugh at us. Sure, it's not bad to have to wait a day or two for a new episode with some networks. But others (ala Turner Networks to name one) are jerks about it. Now I can understand still having us pay. For instance, I don't mind purchasing a full season here or there. SouthLAnd, SOA, and a few others, I'll happily shell out a few bucks for. But it's really poor decision making to force people into cable to watch something. Some networks say, "We have it online now!" And technically they do, so long as you're a paying cable subscriber. But that's garbage. Now, I'm not saying they have to go to a service like Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu. They could open a website for subscription on their own. Or even put their product up for purchase on Google Play, Xbox Video, iTunes, etc. If they run their own site, they don't even have to worry about a middle man.
After all, why should someone have to pay for cable when they only watch a couple of actual cable channels? It would make more sense to go a la cart, or through a streaming service. In some respects I wonder if it's the individual companies unwillingness to move forward and take a chance with new technology such as smartphones, and multimedia devices like tablets, ipods, and Android mp3 players.
What's more is it punishes those who are trying to better live within their means, or just plain can't afford the luxury of cable. And make no mistake, it is a luxury. I hope the streaming companies such as previously mentioned, and others like Crackle keep putting out quality original programming in addition to the various other content. So to all who see this blog, I recommend cutting the cord and putting more pressure on the networks to move into the modern technical age by putting their products online for us. If YOU work for a cable provider, please put my suggestion in your local suggestion box.
