General Discussion

Atman

(31,464 posts)

62. We've tried to get rid of channels to reduce our bill...no go.

Tue Jan 15, 2013, 10:43 AM

Jan 2013

We pay a ridiculous amount for monthly cable/internet. I've tried to eliminate the stuff we don't watch, but everything is "bundled." If we drop Encore and Cinemax, we have to pay for HBO and Showtime a la carte, which costs MORE. If we drop them all, we have to pay more for an HD package. If we drop EVERYTHING but basic cable, our nice tv is almost worthless except for watching Blu Ray discs. If we keep the HD but get rid of all the "premium" stuff, it literally saves only about $5 a month.

I know plenty of DUers like to cock-a-doodle-doo about how awesome they are for not watching any television at all. Sorry, I'm not one of them. There is a big difference between "not watching any tv at all" and "I watch Honey Boo Boo and Swamp People" and using the medium for the good stuff. And gripe all you want, there IS a lot of good stuff on the box. But probably not if you're limited to basic cable. That's probably by design, too.

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Highlight:

The History Channel - the Fox News of the Social Sciences for terminal dumb asses [View all] Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 OP

Ahem. theaocp Jan 2013 #1

This. Dr Hobbitstein Jan 2013 #23

that very much sums its up Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #114

Hey - Pawn Stars and American Pickers talk about history of the junk they show liberal N proud Jan 2013 #2

Actually I don't mind 'American Pickers' all that much WI_DEM Jan 2013 #51

History of Egypt, Israel, India, China... ancient and in-depth vs. history of junk DonRedwood Jan 2013 #58

You can find them on H2... Sekhmets Daughter Jan 2013 #77

Those guys are in your back yard liberal N proud Jan 2013 #70

Television is for me an increasingly bad recreational investment. HereSince1628 Jan 2013 #3

throw off the mantle datasuspect Jan 2013 #9

Pawn Stars, Lady Hoggers, and Swamp People......I miss Hilter. TeamPooka Jan 2013 #88

Once in awhile they would have something good UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #4

H2 .... Oh ashling Jan 2013 #43

Back in the day oberle Jan 2013 #73

I saw that. UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #83

Yeah, my high school teacher used to show us episodes of that... Blue_Tires Jan 2013 #89

Cool. UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #90

Connections was awesome! backscatter712 Jan 2013 #113

A new series on the Vikings begins in March. grasswire Jan 2013 #106

I think "history" is now on H2 Atman Jan 2013 #5

I noticed that about H2 also Carnage251 Jan 2013 #18

Agree get the red out Jan 2013 #34

I like H2 Blue_In_AK Jan 2013 #75

And Cut Into The Profit Margin??? KharmaTrain Jan 2013 #6

Bingo... deutsey Jan 2013 #8

Charter switched Smithsonian to a pay channel Atman Jan 2013 #24

So Much For "De-Regulation"... KharmaTrain Jan 2013 #25

We've tried to get rid of channels to reduce our bill...no go. Atman Jan 2013 #62

smithsonian is a very good channel madrchsod Jan 2013 #26

In reality Le Taz Hot Jan 2013 #7

So Disney owns the controlling stake in The History Channel? (42%) annabanana Jan 2013 #76

Mystery... Godot51 Jan 2013 #10

Alien Amish Pawn Brokers! jberryhill Jan 2013 #11

I love that show shenmue Jan 2013 #22

Alien Amish Pawn Brokers Hunting Bigfoot in Logging Trucks. On Ice. Squinch Jan 2013 #104

The channel should probably change its name. Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #12

They could merge with Oxygen eggplant Jan 2013 #16

Not a bad idea, but let's go full-on geek. Buzz Clik Jan 2013 #20

As long as they left it in basic cable, it would be the free Radical Thor_MN Jan 2013 #32

No, because you still pay something for basic cable Ty Templeton Jan 2013 #49

No, Heisenberg is on AMC eggplant Jan 2013 #68

They have jumped the shark. Once in a while I find something on there. nt morningglory Jan 2013 #13

They're all actors loose wheel Jan 2013 #14

Gangsters dangin Jan 2013 #15

Now wait, I believe all those 12/21/12 "doomsday" shows the History Channel runs. AnnieK401 Jan 2013 #17

It's like Honey Boo Boo & Sister Wives on "The Learning Channel", well, TLC. catbyte Jan 2013 #19

Honestly, when I first saw "Idiocracy," dotymed Jan 2013 #47

And I don't think it's going to take 300 years for us to turn into it, if the species survives. catbyte Jan 2013 #53

Yes, it has reverend_tim Jan 2013 #78

Welcome to Costco! I LoveYou ! reverend_tim Jan 2013 #81

Coming up next on the History Channel: backscatter712 Jan 2013 #115

What, no Nostradamus? What's the world coming to? hatrack Jan 2013 #21

It works for me. CanSocDem Jan 2013 #27

I find "Ice Road Truckers" very educational ... Scuba Jan 2013 #28

This is all useless news to me. formercia Jan 2013 #29

Douglas Carpenter Diclotican Jan 2013 #30

There was a time when TLC stood for "The Learning Channel." CrispyQ Jan 2013 #31

They should do what the Sci-Fi channel did, and change their name to "The Hystery Channel." n/t Ian David Jan 2013 #33

Animal Planet too get the red out Jan 2013 #35

The National Geographic Channel is another one thats pretty much down the crapper tularetom Jan 2013 #36

It's a cartoon channel for middle-age white guys drinking beer and munching cheetos on the couch leveymg Jan 2013 #37

Aliens? RomneyLies Jan 2013 #38

Yeah the history channel isn't what it obama2terms Jan 2013 #39

Yeah, MTV used to show music videos. arely staircase Jan 2013 #40

South Park nailed it caraher Jan 2013 #41

wow! it is pretty bad when a South Park satire is no more far out than the actual History Channel Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #94

It along with much of basic cable has become "dumb fuck" T.V. Botany Jan 2013 #42

I must seem really dumb to most people. dotymed Jan 2013 #55

reality shows have very little to do w/reality ...... Botany Jan 2013 #61

Why I steadily downgraded my cable package and totally cancelled it last month Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2013 #96

I do agree... however... smiley Jan 2013 #44

I am all for taking a look at unexplained phenomena including an open minded look at unconventional Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #72

History Channel and Discovery are two good reasons we don't need public TV rurallib Jan 2013 #45

Umm whats happening? People are tuning in to those shows is whats happening. cstanleytech Jan 2013 #46

Not really jeff47 Jan 2013 #69

That's it, pretty much. They think lowest-common-denominator content gets the most views. Posteritatis Jan 2013 #112

I must admit. Sissyk Jan 2013 #116

I remember when the History Channel was nothing but shows about Hitler WI_DEM Jan 2013 #48

Public Broadcasting bullsnarfle Jan 2013 #50

I agree. I spend more time on PBS when watching TV WI_DEM Jan 2013 #54

Now I get it toby jo Jan 2013 #52

I watched tv the other night MrYikes Jan 2013 #56

TV is a dying medium, like radio. Dash87 Jan 2013 #57

No, it's not. It's a SHIFTING medium. Atman Jan 2013 #65

Then you'd love the Sarah Palin History Channel! Tommy_Carcetti Jan 2013 #59

OOOO, now I know how impordant tommy guns was to George Jefferson an' his frens'! Kurovski Jan 2013 #91

when parody is barely distinguishable from actual,,things have gotten pretty bad Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #99

oh don't you know? history is relative on the history channel... Javaman Jan 2013 #60

I hate those shows too... ReRe Jan 2013 #63

The History Channel - The Apocalypse, Nazis and Rednecks Channel amb123 Jan 2013 #64

It's one of the reason I downgraded my cable package - it's a vast wasteland. reformist2 Jan 2013 #66

All the cool stuff the Nazis would have done/built if they had won the war... dogknob Jan 2013 #67

All the "educational" channels have degenerated into... Odin2005 Jan 2013 #71

I hate to think that this is based on what the ratings say the public wants to see. Although it if Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #87

ALIENS! Rex Jan 2013 #74

Smithsonian Channel has the better kydo Jan 2013 #79

It used to be "All Hitler All the Time" Recursion Jan 2013 #80

If Pawn Stars was one of a couple of shows that were not history docs. I could handle that Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #109

Fair enough Recursion Jan 2013 #110

History channel. where History goes to die nadinbrzezinski Jan 2013 #82

Turn that shit off. tabasco Jan 2013 #84

Just part of the Dumbing Down Movement Coyotl Jan 2013 #85

The offshoot 'Military History Channel' has become atrocious Populist_Prole Jan 2013 #86

I get a similar experience Posteritatis Jan 2013 #111

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Jan 2013 #92

History channel, A&E, TLC, Discovery channel have some weird shit on. Liberal_in_LA Jan 2013 #93

History is owned by A&E, which is 50% owned by BSkyB, which is 39% owned by NewsCorp (Murdoch). eppur_se_muova Jan 2013 #95

I endorse the above message, and I don't watch that channel anymore, sadly. usregimechange Jan 2013 #97

I agree Jack Sprat Jan 2013 #98

I agree & rec. Ken Burn's documentaries like "The Dust Bowl" PBS- Best.Ever. DianaForRussFeingold Jan 2013 #100

you mean something like this? South Park History Channel Thanksgiving sasha031 Jan 2013 #101

The gone reality TV... Historic NY Jan 2013 #102

I suspect that like the much misnamed "reality tv" they discovered that "reality" schlock is a lot Douglas Carpenter Jan 2013 #107

That's a pretty broad statement...... MzShellG Jan 2013 #103

I'm guilty of watching the History Channel . . . . almost everyday rightsideout Jan 2013 #105

K & R Scurrilous Jan 2013 #108

Tonight is Gates of Hell Jack Sprat Jan 2013 #117