Changes to Ignite TV Channels in Packages and Theme Packs

[-G-]

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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[aboyaci]

Yes I agree. It is possible something political may be going on. It would be a shame to lose CNBC and Golf, given that these two channels are part of the original MeTV package of new channels that were provided by Rogers, which I believe were launched in 1996 or 1997.

[aboyaci]

I wonder if Bell has the same issue with NBC with negotiations, similar to how Rogers had to negotiate with AMC, and then a month after it was Bell's turn.

[stefer009]

Yeah, reruns etc... I took it for the news and some animal/science/nature channels, velocity etc. Its a bit different, the packages are not exactly the same. Like, I was looking for Télé-Québec because there's one show I was following on there a while back, and wanted to follow it again, and for some reason, it's not part of the basic french channels in ignite... AND you can't get it by itself, I tried, i contacted support, impossible to get, unless you get a theme pack that includes it. Now the kicker... you either pay 3$ extra for time-shifting which includes it, doesn't make sense because there's only one Télé-Québec on Rogers, so its not really a time-shifting channel.... OR you get the Sports theme pack which also includes Télé-Québec, for 30 or 35$ a month.... and well Télé-Québec is not a sports channel... It's a weeeiiiiiird way of putting theme packs together... I love the flex channels though, that's a neat feature to have.

[ReneHache]

Télé Québec is on the Flex list.

Yes, the Flex option is awesome, that one of the main reason I want to upgrade.

Also I have an other question, the CSR might be able to answer that one, since I'm living in a french area (Acadian Peninsula) we have MétéoMédia has part of packages, but on Ignite, I see it on the flex list instead, but due to my living area does we get The Weather Network has flex instead? I know for Ignite the channel list on Roger's website is based on Fredericton for NB, even if I enter a local address, because of that we can't have an exact list for our location. I'm asking this because for the legacy cable, our channel list is slightly different compare to the english market.

[stefer009]

Télé Québec is not in the flex here.... doesn't matter which tv bundle, maybe because you're in the acadian peninsula and i'm in moncton... still weird tho, on nextbox it always was included in the basics... https://i.imgur.com/V2V7IoW.png
I have MétéoMédia in my flex channels.
Oddly enough, the weather channel is on channel 2 here, but not listed in any of the channel bundles... and can't search for it on the site, 0 results :
https://i.imgur.com/mObmD1t.png

[ReneHache]

I just checked and Télé Québec is indeed not on Flex, sorry I thought it was because most of all other french channel are Flex. Weird.

I wonder if Ignite TV here in NB is province wide without separation between the french and english market like the legacy cable.

[stefer009]

Well on the website it says that channel 1-99 is region dependent, and after that its the same for all regions. (for Ignite TV)

[-G-]

I'm not sure what changed (or what didn't change) but "Fox Sports Racing" still seems to be available in Ignite TV Premier.

[aboyaci]

And now its gone after you mentioned this. 😞

[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!!!

[User1030445]

Apparently Rogers just enjoys pissing off their customers,  raise the price , cut your service year in and year out.  Not a good marketing strategy.

[Gdkitty]

While I agree that rogers does not always some times have the best business decisions, etc..

In a lot of cases like that, its not always up to the carrier like rogers, bell, etc.  Its the channel owners itself which can hold a lot of the cards.   They often can make the decisions if the channel can be bundled or not, and is available by what method.  (Why some channels are not available via on demand, etc).  So something like this could be more FOX  end.

This has happened in the past with things like AMC before.  There was a big campaign by AMC itself, plastering stuff on the feed in their shows 'which rogers was threatening to not pick them up again, etc'.  What was failed to be mentioned, which was yes it was renewal time, but that AMC had been asking for a 400% increase in what they wanted for the channel.