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.

I would kill for a la carte channel selection. Because we want 1-2 channels in a number of different packages, we end up having the buy the most ridiculously expensive cable package out there. We spend...brace yourselves..$120/month on the damned cable!!! And we don't watch that much TV!

Argh. It makes me insane. What a waste of money.

The FCC asks the cable companies about a la carte: [link]

I think BBC America, Sundance, and SciFi are my three heaviest usage cable channels, although right now only Carnivále on HBO is appointment television. I'm still getting Showtime for the sake of the final season of Queer as Folk, but as soon as that's done I'm ending my subscription. The cancellation of Dead Like Me and the failure to pick up Sucker Free City as an ongoing series will leave me with nothing worth watching on any of those channels.

I would kill for a la carte channel selection. Because we want 1-2 channels in a number of different packages, we end up having the buy the most ridiculously expensive cable package out there. We spend...brace yourselves..$120/month on the damned cable!!! And we don't watch that much TV!

This me (though mine is closer to $100). Although I also have a lot of pay movie channels in my line up (I'm thinking of culling that herd a little at some point, especially since I've been weeding my home-taped videos to a reasonable number).