TV plans

Hi Gilmore,

If you are looking to swap just one channel, the answer is no. For example, you aren't able to swap ABC Family for the BBC channel. What you are describing is called cable "à la carte," where cable subscribers are able to pick the channels they want and the ones they don't want. This is a concept that has been around for quite a while, but there are several hurdles impeding the cable television industry from moving to an à la carte environment.

The major media corporations like Walt Disney Company, Comcast, and Time Warner would need to relax contracted requirements that force certain channels to be bundled together. Also, cable companies are required by law to carry local broadcast and other TV stations, so the FCC would need to change long-standing laws and regulations before a la carte cable pricing would allow subscribers to pick and choose channels.

Does that answer your question? I hope we get to an à la carte environment one day! Unfortunately, we’re not there yet.