Well Cablevision customers, I hope you're not planning on watching the Oscars...- Page 2

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 9:35am

What pisses me off is the idea that my channels can be held "hostage".

I'm paying x amount a month for these specific channels. They are included in my cable package, and because of Cablevision and ABC/Disney's complete IDIOCY (yes, I blame both of them), I'm not getting it. I'm wondering why this isn't denial of service and why these greedy companies couldn't have their asses sued off by angry customers like me who aren't getting their money's worth.

Cablevision and ABC know exactly what they are doing. Cablevision is hoping to portray ABC as a bunch of greedy fatcats trying to squeeze a couple more bucks out of the little guy, and ABC is trying to portray Cablevision as stingy bunch of moneygrubbers who don't care about their customers.

Ultimately, Bob Iger has the red button here and he pressed it. It's just a shame that customers are getting caught in the middle of this petty little feud and will be deprived of what is personally my favorite television event of the year.

I don't have many options at this point: everyone around here that would have me over has Cablevision themselves, there is no legal or safe method to live stream the Oscars online, and I 100% refuse to run over to Best Buy and drop $50 for an analog antenna because of the failure of my cable company to successfully negotiate with a major broadcast network instead of simply sniping at each other with petty ads and Twitter feeds.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 9:44am

Totally screwed up.

[blueroses]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 9:45am

I completely agree. And I've had it up to here with the non-stop attack ads and mudslinging--as far as I'm concerned they both look like losers in the PR war. I love the Oscars and am very upset.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 9:51am

Blue you can come over here and watch.....

[clever name]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 10:53am

I am so mad!! I was really looking forward to the Academy Awards this year. The only show I watch on ABC weekly is Modern Family...but I can probably find that on hulu. The whole thing sucks.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 10:58am

I wonder if they'll really let it go that far. I just have a feeling they'll "compromise" right before the awards start.

Updated On: 3/7/10 at 10:58 AM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 11:18am

What I don't get is why in recent years Time Warner has been able to work out keeping channels on after these so-called deadlines, and this is the second time in a little over two months Cablevision ended up with the the programmers pulling the plug.

Luckily most of the ABC shows are on Hulu, but seriously for Disney to pull the plug on ABC's biggest night of the year? Somebody must have pissed them off bad. Finger crossed you guys get ABC back by tonight.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 12:40pm

Of course if you can get some rabbit ear antennas and a conversion box this afternoon, you can still watch ABC for free!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 12:44pm

You're not paying for specific channels. You are paying for a package of channels that are (alas for you) subject to change at any time.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 12:55pm

I know that around the time of the new year there was a problem with Time Warner and Fox. Now, I am not a Time Warner customer due to the fact that I live on Long Island. But, I do know that there was a big college football game that was to be aired on Fox and they figured things out right by the zero hour to keep Fox on the air.

What puzzles me is that Cablevision has customers in the NY metro area, a very major market. So, why they would pull the plug (Yes, it was ABC that did that and not Cablevision) is beyond me. I hope that things get resolved soon.

I do know that there is a limit of how long ABC can yank the plug. This is due to the fact that ABC is a basic channel and the FCC has rules and regulations about how you have to air basic channels etc and how many you can and cannot show.

I don't watch ABC but I do watch ESPN. As a matter of facet ESPN is one of the very few channels out there that I can watch all day and still be content. As of early this afternoon, the plug was only pulled on ABC 7 not any of their other channels. How long that will last, I don't know.

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 1:49pm

As a Cablevision customer, I am placing the blame this time on ABC. If they are losing money because they don't have a lot of viewers, now that they have used me as a pawn in their spat with Cablevision, do they think I am going to watch any more often? I only watch LOST (which I can see on my computer after a short delay). And I rely on Cablevision not only for my TV feed but also internet and phone - think I am going to have the hassle of a service change-over because I am emotionally invested in ABC programming? Right...

[clever name]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 5:06pm

Cablevision is offering a free pay per view movie today. I think I'll take them up on that offer right when the Oscars are going to start.

[winston89]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 6:54pm

It's not just one free movie that they are offering. Anything that is part of their on demand menu you can watch for free all day. I too am going to take full advantage of that since there were some movies that I want to see, that, while on there are not ones I am sure I would pay for.

[wonkit]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 7:45pm

By the way - if you are a Cablevision customer in parts of CT, you can watch the CT ABC affiliate on Channel 8 and watch the Oscars!

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 8:41pm

Here guys:

http://www.channelsurfing.net/watch-abc.html

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 8:49pm

ABC is back.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 3/7/10 at 8:50pm

Great find, jg2!