Channels like Animal Planet would probably be very badly served, frankly, by strictly a la carte cable line-ups

Maybe, but I know more than one person who subscribes to digital cable solely to watch Animal Planet.

Yep, Anne did, which gives me hope that I could someday move out of NYC without throwing away all my stuff. I am terrified by the stories I've heard of long-distance movers. Every time I've moved far in the past, I've done it myself, but never again.

Someone please remind me of this if when I finally start my 3000 mile move to the other coast. Ack.

I loved early Cosby. I also totally agree with Hec re: Elmo.

Cable Channels I'd definitely pony up for ala carte:

Independent Film Channel
Food TV
Comedy Central
Turner Classic Movies
Cartoon Network
BBC America (though I keep forgetting it's there)

Channels that have gone downhill, but still program stuff I tune into occasionally:

AMC
Bravo
A&E
SciFi

Channels I don't watch that have stuff I should check out:

FX
Discovery
Animal Planet

I subscribe to digital cable to watch the history international, national geographic, science, and discovery times channel. The other ~70? I don't want, although I would probably subscribe to Noggin ala carte too, for the kids. In fact, I don't want most of the channels I get either on my regular cable package, or the expanded digital tier. I want PBS, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, UPN, WB, CNN, History, Travel, and I think that's it. In reality, I have channels between 2 and 88, and between 100 and 152, (there are probably some blank spots in there) when at most I watch 14--15, if we count NESN, which we only really watch during baseball season.

What they could really do is mini-packages by subject -- all the classic movie channels, all the makeover channels, all the sports channels, etc.

I would love to get BBC America. But, I'd have to buy $30 extra dollars worth of digital cable (and reconfigure the TiVo, aiiieee!).

The trouble with cable a la carte is that the cable companies would hate it, don't you think? There was a flap a couple of years ago (about which DX can tell you more than I) where NESN basically bullied its way onto basic cable, where before it had been premium, because NESN did better with an expanded viewer base, and as part of the basic package, everybody who wanted CNN had to help pay for it.

Narrowcasting would have to work a lot harder to be profitable, I should think; and the average click-happy idiot like yours truly would be vastly impeded from clicking properly.

Stands in the corner

I love Elmo and his puppeter, Kevin Clash is pretty cute.

Growing up - the tv was on a lot GMA in the morning, soaps in the afternoon, movie of the week , news, nightly sitcoms.I remember watching the waltons - but I remember very little , except the two sisters who were makeing wine or moonshine ( but they called it something else). Little house was watched a little, but no one got hooked. Happy days- I remember it more as something my parents didn't reaaly watch. MASH was a big one. Cheers ( which I did not like)

I know people that have made there kids - chose TV or do something else. In my family you could watch tv or sit in the same room with a book. I used to brush the dog a lot when there was something on that I didn't really like. I remember being disillusioned by ads early - a doll I really wanted - I got for christmas . but she was hard plastic and getting her to ride her bike - hard work. So from an early age I knew ads didn't tell the whole story - and I think I understtod that about TV shows in general.

My youngest sister was the one that saw cable at an early age. I remember watching a teen movie ( the whole family) that had a few scenes in it that were possible inappropriate for my youngest sister. My mom kept shoving a copy of Smithsonian in front of her face saying" Look at the goats" and " Isn't that a great picture of goats". We still talk about needing goat pictures occassionaly.

I've always thought that my tv habits would have to change if I had kids. and as much as I enjoy it- I would be willing to do what friends of mine have done. They have no cable tv. there own a tv- but it is strictly for DVD viewing.

The trouble with cable a la carte is that the cable companies would hate it, don't you think?

Oh, definitely, which is why we don't have it. But it'd be nice if we did.