Changes to Ignite TV Channels in Packages and Theme Packs

[User1030445]

 Rogers keeps taking away channels each year and upping the bill coincidentally each year.   Just noticed my Fox Sports Racing is gone tonight,  now I read CNBC is going in a couple of weeks. Both channels I watch a lot. Streaming is looking like a better option than cable. 

[nighthawk]

Rogers removing channels and not replacing them but charging more is annoying and frustrating. Bell isn’t that good either engaging in the same practices as are others. That’s why more and more people are choosing to cut the cord or downsize their packages. Many people are not seeing value in the quality of the channel packages being offered and are fed up with the rising prices of those packages. I have my doubts that Rogers even tried that hard to negotiate a deal to keep Fox Sports Racing. We’ll see if MSNBC, CNBC or The Golf Channel will be around on July 1. Not going to get my hopes up. More channels that will disappear.

[aboyaci]

I wonder if Bell is also having the same issue negotiating with NBC, or is it just Rogers.

[nighthawk]

I haven’t heard anything about Bell having a problem at the moment. But, I do not have Bell. Maybe someone who has Bell would know.

[-G-]

I don't know for certain what the business drivers are behind these changes but (pure speculation on my part) they may be necessary as part of a plan to maintain package parity between Digital TV and Ignite TV (for the default channels in Popular, Premier, etc.) until the legacy Digital TV service can be shut down.

When a BDU negotiates contracts for channel carriage and related rights, the cost per subscriber for that channel typically goes down as the number of subscribers increases.  As the number of Digital Cable subscribers goes down, costs for the channels goes up and the profit margin for each package goes down, and may reach a point where either the monthly package price will need to be increased or (the more costly and/or less-popular) channels need to be removed from the packages.

As far as I know, contracting for channel carriage is separate for Digital and Ignite TV due to the legal and technical differences involved in delivering each service.  Part of the negotiations may entail how the subscribers are counted as Digital TV customers migrate to Ignite TV.  If they cannot be aggregated, it may become unprofitable to carry a channel in a Digital TV package, and that channel may also get dropped from Ignite TV to maintain parity across service offerings... until carriage rights get "renegotiated" and the channel reappears as an Ignite TV-only Flex channel.

Dropping a channel from default carriage on both Digital and Ignite TV may also compel the channel owner to negotiate terms that are more favourable for Rogers.

Like I said, this is all pure speculation on my part but to me, this would be the most plausible explanation for the recent channel package changes that we have been seeing lately.

[PeppermintP]

I am a digital TV subscriber, and my current contract expires on July 8th.  I will be leaving Rogers after 26 years if they  no longer offer MSNBC during  this important election year.  CNN does  not have any host who reports and explains details  with the same thoroughness as Rachel Maddow. 

[danno100]

Ya rogers wants you to,open your wallet again...mine went down today..thanks.

When I find a suitable device to stream it and get a dvr , I will remove ...not a good move to retain customers....bad marketing..

[danno100]

They removed them from flex channels, so you gave to buy it indivigually or with a pack with channels you are already paying for...crooks. I guess that's why most people I know have streaming boxes and have cut the cord

[aboyaci]

Which channel are you referring to?

[danno100]

Fox 1 Sports..it was a flex channel , they replaced it with a French channel...what a joke, but price isn't getting lower either....no wonder I see cord cutting everyday in social media..thses companies are doing it to themselves!!!