While you're kicking back and enjoying some HD content on a lazy Sunday it is easy to give little regard to the economics that make that HD content possible. Most don't care much about what makes the world go around, but if you've always wondered why there aren't more all-HD channels, this recent post over at Multichannel news is worth the read. Most notable is the challenges all-HD networks face including the fact that Nielsen doesn't even provide rating for them. If you're a big Mark Cuban fan you might also find it interesting as a number of his quotes are included like when he says "We really think that as our distribution continues to grow, we can dominate the demographic (13-34 males)."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
lee @ May 31st 2009 10:42AM
TW sucks for removing HDnet's. Such a travesty. Best HD channels they had. They have no problem raising rates all yr long and now all the sudden it is a big deal? At least it is worth something usually it is mysterious fees. I will switch to FIOS as soon as it is available to me.
lakersin2025 @ May 31st 2009 12:44PM
I love that channel but obviously hate Cuban.
Randall Lind @ May 31st 2009 3:38PM
BrightHouse tells me they are independent from TW but, the do whatever TW does. HDNET 2 was the best for movies. They added 2 new channels Smithsonian HD and MavTV HD. Smithsonian is nice bit Mavtv sucks and it doesn't really replace HDNET.
HDNET had a all movie channel. So I lose a movie channel.
Craig @ May 31st 2009 3:53PM
After TW dropped HDNet, I canceled the HD package that it was on. My fear is that most customers will blindly accept this and not do the same.
They replaced HDNet and HDNet movies with channels we already have or don't need... MavTV, Smithsonian HD, and RFD HD. MavTV is supposed to be TV for men, but it seemed to be car and motorcycle oriented, and we already have SPEED. Smithsonian HD might be alright, but we already have History Channel and Discovery. RFD HD is dedicated to rural programming -- rodeos and tractor pulls and crop reports. Really? Is this really what HD subscribers are clamoring for? The crop report in HD?
So much BS that TW replaced two great channels with three shitty ones...
Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 1st 2009 1:50AM
I added the "HD package" just so I could watch NASA launches/landing in HD on HDNet. Now that they've scrapped that, I'm cancelling in the morning. I'm also calling my friends that subscribe to it (for Bikini Destinations...etc) and encouraging them to cancel, I'm quite sure they will.
Time Warner's slogan "the power of you" is utter crap also. A la carte cable would truly be empowering, I think they need to go with something that includes the word "bondage", or "slavery".
Craig @ Jun 1st 2009 7:20AM
I'm guessing losing Arrested Development was also a motivator
Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Jun 1st 2009 6:27PM
Haha, I forgot about that, but that didn't help either. Oh well, I've got the DVD's until it finally comes out on Blu-ray.
squiggleslash @ May 31st 2009 4:54PM
You don't make a channel revolving around a technical feature. Yes, it's very nice if a channel's HD, but even if the rest of the industry wasn't progressing in that way...
Well, I guess you can capture the early adopters. Presenting 3DNET! All 3D, all the time!
8pm: Needles - our new documentary on medicine and the use of syringes to administer drugs
9pm: Darts. The British Pub game... in three dimensions!
10pm: The pointing show, a great new quiz show where people point at things... like the camera!
Actually, don't laugh, but part of the popularity of the billiard game "Snooker" in the UK is because BBC2 was looking for a way to demonstrate PAL Colour TV. So darts being used to sell 3DTV isn't impossible.
BTW, if we start having to watch TV by wearing stupid uncomfortable glasses, then I'm going back to books. Just saying. HD was a step foward. 3D? OMG.
Randall Lind @ Jun 1st 2009 8:28AM
After yesterday I tried to keep the HD Pack I looked at MGM HD, Hallmark HD and Universal HD they are good channels really but I mainly watch HDNET Movies.
Brighthouse added MAVTV and Smithsonian HD but, after thinking it's not worth $6 a month. So I cancel the HD Pak.
I am saving $6 there, I also dropped Encore (movie pak) also. I still have HBO, Show, Max HD
jkid @ Jun 1st 2009 9:12PM
This article merely confirms my findings: most of the HD offerings on cable are either upconversions of standard definition channels, or in part time HD. The few that offer end-to-end programing in native HD are unavailable unless you pay a lot of money for channels you will not watch.
Even if I get a job, I would not get the HD versions of these channels, they're a waste of money.
Until the cable networks start to produce programing in end-to-end native HD, they should start broadcasting in digital widescreen. Produce in HD, but down convert it to digital widescreen. If you're not broadcasting in native end-to-end HD, just drop the HD logo.
lee @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:47AM
What are you talking about?, plenty of HD content now.
Voltar @ Jun 1st 2009 7:26PM
"None of the HD networks in this story are rated by Nielsen Media Research because of their limited distribution"...................That's a bunch of BS. Nielsen monitors ALL channels. Not everyone chooses to buy them