Televangelists Hope To Smite A La Carte Cable

from the though-I-walk-through-the-valley-of-HBO,-I-shall-not-watch dept

The FCC's got a slightly unusual foe to its call for cable companies to sell channels on an a la carte basis: televangelists. It hasn't just been consumer groups pushing for the change, but also anti-indecency activists, who say the plan would let parents not subscribe to channels that could corrupt their children. The televangelists, who often side with the conservative advocacy groups, staunchly oppose the a la carte plan, because it would likely remove them from a good number of people's TV sets. They say it's so they can "preach to the unchurched", and some are attempting to pre-empt the issue by buying up local broadcast stations and forcing cable companies to relay them through must-carry regulations. Making an exception to the a la carte plan, for religious stations or anything else, would completely undermine it, and would lead to all sorts of channels seeking exceptions and ruling that they must be carried -- whether it's for ideological reasons, or financial ones.
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  • identicon
    thecaptain, 30 Nov 2005 @ 10:11am

    What else?

    (oops)

    what else will they want? Legislate TVs with no power off function so I can't turn them off either?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Roy, 30 Nov 2005 @ 11:02am

      Re: What else?

      When it comes to telecom fights like this, there are no idealogical reasons. There are only financial arguments. The TV preechurs care far less about their "outreach to the unchurched" than they do about their fundraising potential.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        eskayp, 30 Nov 2005 @ 8:27pm

        Re: What else?

        Amen!
        Today's clergy tell their sheepish flocks how to vote, making those churches into political organizations.
        It isn't totally about money -- there is a good dose of hunger for power and authoritarianism present in most religions.
        Their insatiable greed for money has transmogrified many churches into just another money grubbing corporation.
        Time to eliminate their non-profit status and tax them like any other business.
        We wouldn't violate the constitution by telling them who or how to worship,
        we would just have them render unto Caesar that which is due Caesar.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    ehrichweiss, 30 Nov 2005 @ 12:07pm

    finally my children won't be corrupted...

    As soon as I saw the headline I knew what I was about to read: Televangelists recognize that they won't have any cashflow except from those terminally retarded enough to subscribe to ReligiousNut TV(tm). The real message of xtianity is "Eternal suffering awaits all those who questiond God's infinite love"--Bill Hicks.

    Finally my children won't be corrupted by accidentally tuning into this cult that worships death and irresponsibility.

    The comedian Doug Stanhope has a good bit about how we shouldn't teach any religion to our kids until they're 18 years of age. THEN they can decide if it makes logical sense to them. Seems this is a move in the right direction(or is that the LEFT direction..muahahha).

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    crystalattice (profile), 30 Nov 2005 @ 12:16pm

    Like it matters.

    The people who watch the channels now will be the same ones who will buy it a la carte. Just because it's part of a package doesn't imply they will get more viewers. I've got the remote set so those channels are skipped.

    If people want to watch it, they will. Otherwise they won't and there's nothing the evangilists can do that will stop that (unless they go "A Clockwork Orange" and force people to watch).

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bernie, 30 Nov 2005 @ 1:26pm

    tele-religion

    It's so easy to simply program individual stations out of your channel selections anyway. "Must carry" maybe, but you're out of my life with the push of a button!
    Amen

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Riley, 30 Nov 2005 @ 2:51pm

      Re: tele-religion

      There is a simple response to this argument. If you still want your channel to reach everyone, just don't charge for it and then everyone can "subscribe". In an un-bundled world, there would only be a limited amount of channels able to charge a premium anyway, the rest will be very inexpensive or free. These channels would still make most of their money from advertising.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    CHEROKEE TROD Bruce D. Frazier, 13 Aug 2007 @ 12:43pm

    THE IDENTITY OF THE BEAST

    (GLOBAL FORWARNING):-YHWH- John F. Kennedy Sr. was healed and hidden and will step from hiding to become the beast, aka antichrist. JFK Sr ss# is 600-60-0006. The next pope will be the false prophet. -WATCH- PLEASE REPENT AND READ THE BIBLE AND DO AS ASKED. This message is going out worldwide. ESSENES/MELCHISEDEC 25McKinneyStEnglewoodTn37329

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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