I have received a number of complaints over actions by Comcast TV. Apparently they are only providing CNN and Fox news in their basic package. The recent move of MSNBC to digital has created great concern on the part of Democrats that the news is slanted toward a more conservative message.
Here is the message:
In the past few days, Comcast TV has moved MSNBC to the Digital line up. What seems strange to me is the fact the the 2008 Democratic National Convention is coming to Denver and that Colorado is going to be an important state in the next election. MSNBC is a moderate left National News channel that features informative interviews on such programs a Hardball, Countdown and Scarborough.This channel is probably has a high percent of Democratic viewers. FOX News has a high percent of Right Wing Republican Viewers but the FOX channel remains on the less costly lineup. My question is why are Democrats having to pay more to view their prefered programming (forced to buy the Digital upgrade) and FOX viewers are not?
Robert
Littleton
Anyone who has additional comments should call or email Comcast and let them know what they think.
I’m in Colorado, I haven’t received anything from Comcast saying that MSNBC is moving at all. Its still on Channel 43, still analog.
I hope they don’t move it though… Let’s face it, Comcast pretty well has a monopoly in most cities it services unless you want to get a dish which means you miss the PEG (Public, Education, Government) channels.
Here’s the dilemma for me – I really don’t want a dish. I don’t want a contract, I don’t want to be locked in, I don’t want to have to have my own piece of equipment to deal with, and I don’t want to deal with the EMF from the dish itself.
On the other hand, I have basic cable for a reason… I don’t want to pay any more. So I’m not likely to spend more money on service to get MSNBC back, and I’m not likely to have my service disconnected either.
Hey – I just called Comcast, and the lady I talked to said she couldn’t find any plans for moving MSNBC off the analog line up at all in Colorado.
She tried searching the whole state thinking maybe it was going to happen in rural areas, but ended up asking if I was sure when I’d heard about it first if I was sure it was about Comcast.
I did however find some public notices in the SentinalJournal newspaper about Comcast moving from analog to digial in Oregon.
Man, I hope she didn’t miss something!
Here in Vermont MSNBC has NOT changed. Our service here is the old Adelphia system, analog on channels 2 through to 77. MSNBC is on 44, CNN is on 61 and FauxNoise is on 69. The digital channels are 101 – 198 and MSNBC is NOT on there.
How can Comcast claim that MSNBC is digital-only, when we still get their analog signal up here in VT?
(Now what really irritates me is the Communist-run ESPN. I NEVER watch ESPN, yet my cable fees go to their channel so that the ESPN watchers are immorally subsidized and don’t have to pay the actual cost of their channel… See, Communism is OK if huge corporation do it, but if the government wants to share the wealth of the many for the benefit of the few, well that’s somehow wrong…)
I live in Denver and can confirm that MSNBC used to be channel 65. My Tivo still believes it is there but in fact it was deleted from the basic package back in June. You must now upgrade to the Comcast Digital Basic package to get MSNBC.
Just so everyone knows, MSNBC wasn’t the only channel to get moved to digital only on this transition. My understanding when talking to Comcast back in June, when I first complained was that HBO was also moved to digital only. This was about 2 weeks before the Soprano’s finale.
>> knew Comcast was pretty right wing and I always suspected it was their way to get people to switch to another staion durring the show,
huh? Have you actually researched this? Did you follow the link I posted?
Comcast is not right wing! (as far as giant telecoms go)
Rupert Murdoch owned or owns DirecTV.
Maybe know something before you spout off…
>>This is just Comcast trying to get a digital converter in everyone’s house.
>>and CSPANs arent included in basic???? Arent they virtually free channels for Comcast?
#1, Yes.
#2, moving a channel to digital has nothing to do with its cost to the cable company. It has to do with the bandwidth it takes up distributing it to the households.
an analog channel (one that doesn’t require a set top box; just plug the cable into the tv and you can view it) takes up about as much bandwidth as six digital channels
if they move lesser viewed channels (like CSPAN, and even MSNBC to some extent) to digital, it gives them more bandwidth to provide other channels, or higher end services, like HD, VOD, etc.
This is happening throughout the Comcast system; because they are trying to add more HD (people are demanding things like TBS HD to see the baseball playoff, etc), they are squeezing as much on their systems as they can by moving some channels to digital only.
Yes, you will need a box; yes it’ll probably cost more; no it’s not ‘fair’, but it is a techical reality: only so much stuff fits on the cable, and they have to pick and choose what goes where. Sometimes, the channel you like gets moved.
Other subscribers are complaining that some pay channels like HBO have been removed from the basic (analog) service. Even though with digital you get much more for the same monthly fee – HBO2, HBO3, HBO Signature, HBO Comedy, etc – some people just wanted regular old HBO on their TV without any set top box. Again, Comcast needed the room, and off it went to digital only.
So, one last time, it’s not political; it’s based on techical limits, and viewership, that’s all.
Comcast did this nearly two years ago in the Atlanta area when they took over from Adelphia cable. MSNBC was offered on Adelphia’s channel lineup, but when Comcast officially took over, the new lineup did not include MSNBC. I really thought they were just trying to keep the southerners ignorant, since this is prime george bush territory. It appears, from what you guys are saying, it was part of a master plan. It reminds me of the favorite chant of the george bush supporters, USA! USA! USA!
I live in Salem, Oregon and have just received the word of what Comast is doing with MSNBC. I currently spend over $150. a month on their bundled services (tv, internet, and phone). I’m really fed up with their prices and now with their politics. Anyone have good ideas for internet and tv replacement (think I’ll just cancel phone service in favor of cell). I sent the following message to Comcast but haven’t received a response:
I see that Comcast is moving MSNBC to a more obscure location making it
Why are you doing this? I hope
unavailable to extended basic customers
not for political purposes. Rupert Murdock hasn’t purchased Comcast, I hope.
If you are going to remove MSNBC from extended basic, I request that you also
move FOX.
I should let Keith Obermann know what you’re up to so h e can hopefully include
you on one of his world’s worst/best persons of the world segments.
My mother, who is nearly blind and 93 years old watches Keith Obermann every
weekday. She isn’t very happy with the
cost of extended basic and now you are taking one of her favorite channels away.
I, too will probably finally make the break from Comcast. I’m currently
spending over $150. a month for bundled services. This really upsets me, in
case you didn’t notice.
Comcast accused of trying to kill MSNBC / Olbermann…
[...][...]…
No conspiracy here, folks, but rather these decisions always come down to ratings/revenue.
Q: I received a notice from Comcast in the mail today that if I want to continue receiving MSNBC, EWTN, Court TV, C-SPAN2 and Hallmark Channel, currently included in standard cable, that I’ll have to get the digital starter tier which requires a box. They presented this as “a wonderful opportunity” and will give it to me for free for 12 months, no charge, on one television or $1.99 per month on other TVs. After 12 months it will cost $3.99 per box. There’s no mention of cost for the digital starter tier.
When I called Comcast to complain, they told me it was because MSNBC raised its rates. Is this discrimination against liberals so we can’t see Keith Olbermann?
– Julie, Edgewood
Rob: Hmmm, I haven’t gotten that notice myself. Then again, Comcast hasn’t sent me an updated channel lineup in years, so I’m not too surprised.
As for the conspiracy theory aspect, no, this is not discrimination against liberals. If it were, EWTN, a Catholic station, and Hallmark, a comfy, conservative-friendly family channel, would not also be getting moved. When it comes to decisions like this, it’s all about money.
A Comcast spokeswoman said the reason for the change is because of the “high demand by customers for HD programming. It is necessary to move some existing channels to create space for the new HD channels.”
I’m not sure why some customers who subscribe to less expensive cable packages have to be punished to satisfy HD customers who routinely pay more, but there you have it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07285/824693-238.stm
Comcast in Porltand, Oregon just switched MCNBC from cable 47 to digital 128. I called about it and they said they did so becuase it was one of the lesser viewed news channels, which seems contrary to other rationals that others have been provided.
A switchis in order and they have threatened me with a fee for breaking my contract with them..can they do that if they in essence broke their contract by removing MSNBC from standard cable?
I’m in Portland, Oregon, as well. Having not read my mailer a few weeks back (as I never do), I didn’t know that when I raced home tonight to watch the Democratic debate on MSNBC, my usual Channel 47 MSNBC station would be gone, with a scrolled message that I’d have to pay $1 for a digital conversion box if I wanted it back. Now I’m buying the technological argument, and I assume capitalism always trumps politics….but come on guys…..on the night of the advertised Clinton-Obama face-off you leave me empty and wanting. No conversion from this guy. You are already ripping me off. By Keith. I’m going to miss you.
Wow! If you take the time to actually read the ratings you can see what a horrible job MSNBC is doing. I’m surprised they actually remain on the air. Is it possible that despite your political conspiracy theories the real reason behind this move by Comcast is driven simply by the dollar?
And the fit hit the shan here in Portland(OR)/Vancouver(WA) market for some Comcast subscribers on 10/30/07 — but didn’t get to us until sometime after Countdown’s 5pm run on 11/01/07 (last night)…. My calls to Comcast this morning finally yielded the story/excuse/lie that MSNBC (and Hallmark and one other channel) is corporatly OK with the change, wanting to get ahead of the all-switch-to-digital coming up in 02/09…. But, after reading your comments from around the country, I’m back to compiracy theory big time…. Heck, FOX is killer ubiquitous in the the dinkiest towns/motels everywhere in the USofA — but even CNN and HNN and MSNB are missing…. Does MSNBC have a comment someplace that I might have missed?… Thanks.
Go to http://www.dolphingroup.info to see what they are doing in Illinois. Add your name and
E-mail address to those fighting Comcast, who is trying to justify moving cspan-2 to a digital group (called: entertainment group??!!) by Comcast, but not requested by Cspan-2. Join us in this effort, $14.99/month is a penalty not a fee for service. Thanks for your help.
ccarl76@Yahoo.com
Yes, MSNBC, CSPAN2 and the TV Guide channels are all gone from Comcast in the Denver suburbs, at least. I was really suspicious and am glad to have found this site so I know it wasn’t just me! I keep paying more and more for less and less. This is slightyly off the subject of MSNBC (I miss you, Keith!!) but Comcast also recently sent Jewelry Television to digital with no warning or explanation. That was my personal last straw. I emailed them to voice my outrage. I have a feeling a lot of others did the same thing because, shortly after the crime, the replacement Jewelry Channel ran a continuous crawl for days and days telling us where JTV went. And then, JTV suddenly reappeared on extended basic on a couple of obscure channels that only creative surfing could have found. I think they were inundated with complaints and actually listened. A woman scorned. . . .
What people need to know is that Comcast’s eventual plans are to move everything to encrypted digital cable. In other words, we’ll all be required to rent boxes to get programming beyond local channels. In my area, Comcast has already started to add and switch to encrypted digital channels on the “basic” cable service (so most everyone is paying for them without being able to receive them, since most everyone who gets Expanded Basic does not have a converter box). So, despite the fact that most TVs sold today have QAM tuners which could receive digital cable channels, Comcast’s plan is to encrypt everything and require box rental.