Changes to Ignite TV Channels in Packages and Theme Packs

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I'm starting this thread to give us a place where changes to the Ignite TV channel lineups can be announced and discussed.

Rogers already has pages that show Free Previews and New Channels but I have not been able to find any pages that list planned/upcoming changes to the default channel lineups for Ignite TV Packages, Theme Packs or the Flex Channels that we can choose from.

For example, my latest bill contains a note informing me that Fox Sports Racing will no longer be part of my package effective June 14, 2020 but will still be available to subscribers as part of the Adventure Theme Pack.  However, it still shows as an included Flex Channel in Premier and an optional Flex Channel in Popular.

@CommunityHelps  Are you aware of any other upcoming changes that you can share here so that we can also plan accordingly?  Thanks!

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[RogersMaude]

Good evening @-G-,

Thanks for your post! This thread is a wonderful idea. Although we may not get notified a long time ahead, we always to keep you in the loop when it comes to changes to our TV content.

In the past, we thought Fox Racing may have been completely removed from our channel lineups. However, prior to January 1, 2020, we reached an agreement with the broadcaster for us to continue offering the channel to customers.

How will this impact your package?

• Digital (Legacy) TV Customers: If you subscribe to VIP or Premier you will no longer have Fox Sports Racing as part of your package starting June 15, 2020.
• Ignite TV Customers: If you subscribe to Ignite Premier, we’ll automatically replace Fox Sports Racing with a channel from your selection of Flex channels. This change will happen on June 15, 2020.  If you would like to choose a different channel, you can exchange Flex channels, once every 30 days by signing into rogers.com/myrogers and selecting TV.
   

You know that we occasionally make changes to the channel lineup in our packages. Fox Sports Racing continues to be an option either a standalone channel for $7/mo. or by adding the Adventure Theme Pack for $10/mo.

Hope this helps!

RogersMaude

[danno100]

The adventure pack already has most of the channels in it under Premier..therefore if you want Fox Sports1 Racing then subtract the channels aIready have and charge me $3 extra...you are ripping people off, trying to charge them more for something they had aready..no wonder I keep seeing people are leaving Rogers..you need to talk to the marketing dept about this issue!!!

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@RogersMaude  Thanks very much for confirming the status of Fox Sports Racing.  Are you aware of any other imminent changes to Ignite TV programming?

@danno100  In some ways this change does not make much sense.  Individual pricing for the Fox Sports Racing channel remains the same.  I also don't think that Rogers is trying to "rip off" their customers with this change either.  The ones that will get hurt the most is Fox Sports because their number of active (Rogers) subscribers will plummet, and so will their revenues.  (They get paid based on how many people (most of whom got forced to?) subscribe to their channel as part of their packages.)

Rogers also needs to deliver value to their customers or they will lose subscribers.  Premier customers have been paying a premium price lately for less-than-premium value.  They have been paying for channels that others have received as part of an extended free preview, sports channels that are not broadcasting any worthwhile content, and the rest is either reruns, breaking news, or whatever else that show runners can cobble together from footage shot in people's living rooms and basements.  Customers will now be scrutinizing the value proposition of the current programming packages more than ever.  I sincerely hope that some more-compelling offerings are in the works.

[danno100]

Well done!! I won't pay to go the adventure pack or pay$7 just for that channel. I found other ways to watch it...They will substitute a flex channel in it's place..what a joke..what BABY TV or or another spiritual channel????They should be lowering the price on the premier pack as FOX sports 1 was the main reason for getting this pack...Rogers just seems to be getting charged more for it from Fox, so they are just passing it on to subs.....

[RogersMaude]

Thank you both very much for the feedback! We'll forward it to the appropriate party for review. 🙂

I completely understand your concern @-G-, that's why I reviewed potential changes happening to TV services in the near future. I also took the time to go through every customer communications that we sent out or that appeared on invoices since the beginning of the year. At this time, I have nothing further to report.

I'll try to remember to post it here, as soon as a new one is brought to our attention. Thanks again so much for taking the initiative on this!

RogersMaude

[phandlstewart]

Would REALLY help if Rogers had a sortable, downloadable spreadsheet of the channels by NAME.  Having the channels listed by number is not helpful so I've had to create my own spreadsheet and maintain it.  Rogers should actually be doing this, not the customer.  Thanks!

[danno100]

That means someone would have to actually do some work!!

[aboyaci]

When was it announced that FOX Sports Racing was to be removed? I didnt get any notification at all.

Also, what is happening with CNBC, Golf and MSNBC? Are these being removed as well? Please let me know.

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@aboyaci wrote:
When was it announced that FOX Sports Racing was to be removed? I didnt get any notification at all.

Also, what is happening with CNBC, Golf and MSNBC? Are these being removed as well? Please let me know.

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The only notification that I received, that I am aware of, was on my "paper bill" ...or rather, the PDF equivalent.  If you are somebody who sees the same monthly charge as last month, and then simply pays the bill without looking at it, you can miss out on announcements that might be of concern or to you.  My last bill stated the following:

FOX SPORTS RACING TV CHANNEL UPDATE:
We previously told you that Fox Sports Racing will no longer be part of your TV package effective January 1, 2020.  You will continue to have access until June 14, 2020. Starting June 15, 2020, you can still get Fox Sports Racing if you choose to subscribe to it as a standalone option or as part of the Adventure Theme Pack.  If Fox Sports racing is one of your Flex channels, go to rogers.com/myrogers and choose a replacement, or we'll select one for you. You can swap Flex channels every 30 days. The rest of your Rogers TV package will remain the same. If you would like to respond to this notice, have questions, or wish to cancel or make changes to your TV service, check out the Contact Us section of this bill.

@RogersMaude  has followed up in an earlier post that she is not aware of any other forthcoming changes.

I started this thread because I could not find any existing page where Rogers announced channel removals, or any other related changes to channel lineups, flex channels or theme packs.

[aboyaci]

It is very odd because I did not get this notification on my bill at all, and I read it cover to cover. Im not one to skip out and pay the amount each month. Im learning about this here.

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@aboyaci  The text that I posted came from Page 2 of my May bill.  Sorry to hear that you only saw the announcement here.

[57]

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@aboyaci wrote:  Also, what is happening with CNBC, Golf and MSNBC? Are these being removed as well? Please let me know.

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Looks like MSNBC has only been affected on Anyplace and should be fine on Rogers Boxes.  See link below:

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/MyRogers-Rogers-Apps/Rogers-Anyplace-TV/m-p/462971#M8203

In my May bill I saw the following regarding those other channels (I'm on Digital Cable, so it may be different from Ignite). These sorts of channel announcements are usually in the bills, although not everyone reads them. 😉

We are currently in negotiations with the broadcaster of the Golf Channel, MSNBC and CNBC. We are hopeful that no changes will be made to your service. However, if we are unable to reach a fair agreement, these channels will no longer be available as part of your TV or theme package starting July 1, 2020. Please visit www.rogers.com/discontinued-channel for details and updates on the status of these channels. If these channels are no longer available as of July 1, 2020 and if you pay a separate monthly service fee for any of them, you will no longer see this charge on your bill as of this date. In the event these channels are no longer available, the rest of your Rogers TV package would remain the same, and this change would be made in accordance with the CRTC Television Service Provider Code. If you have any questions or wish to change or cancel your TV services, check out the Contact Us section of this bill. 

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@57  Well, that's interesting.  http://www.rogers.com/discontinued-channel has a line that says,

If you currently have them selected as any of your Flex channels, you’ll be able replace them, or we'll automatically select a replacement for you. You can also easily swap Flex channels every 30 days by signing into MyRogers.

so it looks like Golf Channel, CNBC and MSNBC could all potentially disappear from Ignite TV as well!

@RogersMaude  Is this an error on the web page or can you confirm this as well?

[RogersHarry]

@-G-

I know losing channels can be sad ☹. Especially if these are channels you watch frequently. What’s on the webpage is accurate based on the information we have. There is a chance that these channels may be lost. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that but if so we can certainly review your package at that point.

Cheers

CommunityHelps

RogersHarry

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@57 wrote:

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@aboyaci wrote:  Also, what is happening with CNBC, Golf and MSNBC? Are these being removed as well? Please let me know.

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In my May bill I saw the following regarding those other channels (I'm on Digital Cable, so it may be different from Ignite). These sorts of channel announcements are usually in the bills, although not everyone reads them. 😉

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I just got the notification in my June bill that Golf Channel, CNBC and MSNBC could be discontinued, effective July 1, 2020, so the status of these channels is still very much up-in-the-air and definitely also does affect Ignite TV.

@CommunityHelps  The status page also says that Rogers will automatically select replacement Flex channels if these channels should go off the air.  To whom it may concern: I would strongly advise against selecting Fox "News" and Fox "Business News" as replacements for MSNBC and CNBC.

[jjjjy7]

@-G-   Yeah, why would anyone want access to the top rated cable news channel, Fox News?   At least we will still have access to CNN - the most trusted name in news.

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Sorry, I know Fox News has their ardent fans.  I suspect that some (many?) MSNBC and CNBC subscribers deliberately do not subscribe to the corresponding Fox channels.  They will already be upset enough when they lose MSNBC and CNBC and might be even more upset by the substitutions, especially if they are locked out from making Flex channel changes for several weeks.  (I don't think that automatic Flex channel changes resets the 30-day clock, nor do new Free Preview channels coming online.)

[nighthawk]

I received a notification with my bill that Rogers will be dropping MSNBC, CNBC and GOLF CHANNEL as of July 1st if they cannot negotiate a deal with them. Does anybody have any further information about this and how likely it is that these channels will be dropped by Rogers. 

[nighthawk]

This is very disappointing to hear. I know that Rogers negotiated with AMC right up until the last minute before they made a deal. I am hoping that Rogers can come to an agreement with these channels. I do not watch the Golf channel that much but I do watch MSNBC and CNBC frequently.

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What's also kinda interesting is that CNBC,  MSNBC and Golf Channel are all owned by NBCUniversal Media, a subsidiary of Comcast. I wonder if this could be a part of a larger corporate spat going on behind the scenes.