Under the current cable system, cable TV companies offer subscribers three tiers of programming. Before they may subscribe to other channels, federal law requires that all subscribers “must buy” the first tier, which must include local broadcast channels and community-access channels.
The second tier, known as the “expanded basic” tier, is a package of channels selected by the cable company that requires subscribers to buy channels they do not want in order to buy channels they do want. Within that second-tier package there are several channels that include sexually explicit programming, which is a major complaint of most subscribers who object to paying for unwanted and/or offensive programming they do not intend to watch.
The cable industry's response to their customers is an offer to block any unwanted programming. That is unreasonable and insulting. It's like being told by a waiter after you complain about your food, “I'll bring you a trash can with your bill.”
William and Christine Stough of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, asked their cable company to block unwanted channels in their basic expanded package of channels. The Stoughs sent CWA an unsolicited letter detailing their frustration and dissatisfaction with the company's blocking system. The Stoughs have given us permission to post their letter. It's one more reason why 66 percent of cable subscribers want channel choice and why 80 percent don't want to pay for programming they don't want to view.
(This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
