BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:18 AM

My guess is that you can go online somewhere to look at their weekly schedule. Then you can decide for yourself. We check into it time to time but it's nothing I would buy satelite servce to get. "Your milage may vary"

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Bagpuss
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:23 AM

http://www.bbcamerica.com/tvschedule.jsp

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:32 AM

Why not do a GOOGLE search on your local cable companies? All the information you need is there.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:37 AM

I am also disgusted that my local cable operator - Cablevision - does not carry BBC America. I am not a fan of satellite dish TV - the quality, from what I have seen, is not very good. Too much interference and the whole setup is cumbersome and an eyesore.   Yet, they are a distinct option because they do carry BBC America.

From what I have seen from friends that have it is that the programming is well worth it. I am tired of all the reality shows that have invaded EVERY network. I do understand that BBC America offers a few of those, but overall the programming I saw seems to be well worth watching.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Cluin
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 11:04 AM

More channels = More crap not worth watching. It just takes longer to go through them to find out.

Even when you get a channel that might carry something interesting on it on, it ends up being the same as every other crappy station after a short time.

A&E runs nothing but "CSI" and "Dog the Bounty Hunter" now. The Learning Channel?... don't make me laugh. Ditto the Discovery Channel. The History Channel is running "CSI: New York" now (who knows why?), so kiss it goodbye by summer. MTV & MuchMusic... do they even play any music anymore? Loks like non-stop "reality" show kife there.

But TCM at least runs lots of old movies, unbroken by commercials, so that one's still okay. Saw "Thunder Road" on it last week.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 11:13 AM

BBC America is one program we gave up when we went back to basic cable isntead of the high priced, mostly worthless digital cable. BBC America is the only channel we miss, but it's not worth the extra just to get it. We've talked about going to satellite, but they charge extra for the local stations. With my Rog being a local station chief engineer, we've got to have those, so cable still works out cheaper. IF I could get BBC America without spending a lot more, I'd get it in a heartbeat.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 11:27 AM

Too many commercials in the BBC America channel. I'm used to watching those programs straight through on PBS so I haven't successfully made the transition to their commercial forum.

I regularly watch a couple of the top tier channels on my DishNetwork, and since they are what I always watch, I'm stuck with the higher bill. I don't pay for any premium channels--they don't interest me.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Alec
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 12:00 PM

I ask out of genuine curiosity,which of BBC America's programmes are popular Stateside?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: autolycus
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 12:39 PM

Books? Music? Films? Magazines? Creative Writing? Painting? Friends? Relations? Theatre? Folk Clubs? Crafting? Groups? Evening Classes? Saving the Planet? Radio? Others?


   just a thought.






      Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 12:46 PM

But Ivor - we've DONE those things already. Now we want to watch some TV.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Bee
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 01:30 PM

I'm in NS, GUEST. We switched from cable to satellite and are glad we did. Slightly cheaper, with more choice, plus all kinds of music channels including CBC Galaxy folkroots, which I love. BBC is extra, and we don't get it. They don't charge extra for local stations here, they are included in the basic package.

It's my opinion that Discovery and National Geographic have gotten really poor, with tons of endlessly repeated shows about motorcycles, cars, construction, and hardly any biology, archaeology, paleontology, which is what I wanted them for in the first place.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 04:24 PM

Hmmm. it's been about three years since we had BBC America. Sounds as though it has deteriorated as many others have done. We are constantly amazed at the crap the Discovery channel shows. I think the ones we enjoy the most, besides PBS, are History, Animal Planet and Turner Classic Movies. Would love to have IFC again, but that's why we subscribe to NetFlix.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 07:08 PM

We enjoy the BBC News and watch their business and special reports- far superior to the American news and comment channels.
Not enough on BBC America to justify the added cost, and all their best material from the past is on DVD.
PBS we get from both Detroit and Spokane; their budgets are different so not the same.
Would like to add Hong Kong (Fairchild) but too expensive.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: GUEST,Tommy B
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 10:43 PM

I am switching to cable for tech reasons, but love BBC America-- especially Gordon Ramsay and "Keeping up Appearances." Whether you think BBC America is a good or bad thing, what does one do to try to get cable to carry the channel? BBC probably wants the eyeballs to make more advertising money, but what's in it for Cablevision? They would attract more consumers in the BBC America demo-- do they care?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Amergin
Date: 28 Apr 08 - 11:07 PM

I think the ideal plan would be one where you get to pick and choose which channels you want...instead of being saddled with all that extra crap...

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Apr 08 - 12:36 AM

Here in Calgary, BBCWorld is part of our basic package with Shaw Cable, no extra cost. Their news and business reports are superior, and programs such as Imagination, Click, DOHA Debates, the recently shown series Around the World in 80 Treasures, Chinese Education, etc., we could not do without.
Shaw does have another BBC channel at extra cost, but it is mostly for children, according to the program lists, and we have not subscribed.

Shaw has added a bunch of HD channels, but we don't take them; there will be a change-over in Canada late next year, and we may go that route at that time.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: irishenglish
Date: 29 Apr 08 - 09:59 AM

When we upgraded a few months ago, we were so excited to get BBC America, but that was based on my last viewing of it on a regular basis, when there were lots of programs on. We cancelled our premium setup, including BBC because all that I ever seemed to see on there was Top Gear, News, and Gordon Ramsey. No Office, no Kumars, none of the shows I thought were absolutely brilliant, just the same handful of shows. I was so disappointed.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: GUEST,Fantasma
Date: 29 Apr 08 - 11:47 AM

You can download all the good stuff on Netflix for no charge (ie the Office, etc).

We do it all the time.

We get the Beeb World News on our public access channel.

We have to have basic cable, because without it we can't get the fastest broadband, which is a case of absolute highway robbery.

We would much prefer satellite, but until something gets down to break the monopoly lock on both cable and broadband access...

Don't get me started.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Ebbie
Date: 29 Apr 08 - 01:06 PM

I am bemused with the House of Commons versus Prime Minister confrontations. I wish we had something comparable in America.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: closet-folkie
Date: 30 Apr 08 - 10:56 AM

George Bush having to think on his feet? The very thought makes me so nervous.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 30 Apr 08 - 03:51 PM

Our local cable provider in New Orleans (Cox) provided us with BBC America a few years ago, back when "Ab Fab" was new to the states and a big deal. (My wife loved it, I could take it or leave it.) We do not get BBC-A now ~ I'm not sure if it's been discontinued, or if we just aren't currently subscribing to a large-enough "package" of stations.

(Katrina knocked out all utilities, so when we moved back home and reconnected, we started all over again with Cox Cable, not necessarily opting for the exact same options as before.)

Another related result of the Katrina fiasco is that we lost phone service for well over a year, and became cell-phone-only users. Now that "landline" phone service is finally available again, it seems like a needless extra expense; cell phones are really all we need.

With no phone line to the house, cable is the only available option for broadband web access. We might consider switching from cable TV to satellite, but we'd have to install conventional telephone service to get DSL internet.

If not for the expense of adding phone service that we don't need, satellite TV would be less expensive than cable TV, at least in this area. Folks I know hereabouts who are using satellite are generally happy with it ~ years ago, weather-related reception problems were rampant with stallite service, but they've apparently improved that aspect greatly.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Apr 08 - 06:28 PM

We get BBC World, but BBC America, available here for a short time, is no longer available. A TV station employee said he thinks it has something to do with program licensing, but this may be just a guess.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Bee
Date: 30 Apr 08 - 09:35 PM

Well, since I last posted, BBC Canada got added to our package, and some of it is good, particularly some of the comedy. I admit to being mildly addicted to some of the decorating/home buying shows, though I keep wondering where they find all these middle aged and even young Brits who can spend a million or two on a house in the Country/France/Spain/Italy and have a few thousand pounds left over for redecorating.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: GUEST,H
Date: 31 May 08 - 09:23 PM

To all Cablevision subscribers and BBC America fans, what can we do to convince Cablevision to add BBC America?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 31 May 08 - 10:51 PM

I remember several years back when someone asked me if I watched BBC America and I had not heard of it. So I called the Cable Co. and said I want BBC America -- they said, you can have it along with 90 other channels. I said, no , I just want BBC Ameica -- no can do said the tv company. So we bought the whole dog and pony circus and after watchiing it avidly for days (Mystery Monday and Thriller Thursday were very popular here) we hardly watch i al all and I am thinking of getting rid of the service.....

But I too, did love Ab Fab.....!

Subject: RE: BS: BBC America, is it worth it ?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 12:36 AM

I cut off the DishNetwork a couple of months ago and really don't miss it much. I used to watch PBS a lot anyway, and though it is a little fuzzy now, it's still the one I'm most interested in. I miss Turner Classic Movies, but I have a lot of movies on DVD and some old VCR films I still haven't watched once I recorded them. I have a lot more time for other things. It's amazing how much time gets eaten up with channel surfing. I have subscribed to Netflix for a while and the breakdown tends to be that I get the films and my teenaged son watches the download programs. He's into about season three of The Office.

There has been pressure on these providers to offer ala carte programming. A lot of sub-standard stuff would probably die away since people wouldn't pay for it. Now you're subsidizing the crap with your monthly fee whether you watch it or not.

SRS