Letters
By Staff -- Multichannel News, 12/21/2003 7:00:00 PM
Who's The Pig?
To the Editor: I recently saw Dish Network's new "Stop Feeding the Pig" advertising campaign. I don't get it. The ad says cable raised their rates last year by 8%, or five times the rate of inflation. Last year Dish Network raised the rate for their basic service (America's Top 50) by 9%. That's six times the rate of inflation. Who's the pig? Cable includes local channels in our basic service at no additional charge. Last year, Dish Network added local channels here in Idaho and added $5.99 per month to their rate. That's a rate increase of 24%, or 16 times the rate of inflation. Who's the pig? Here in Idaho, cable hooks up additional TVs at no additional monthly charge. Dish Network charges $4.99 a month for each additional TV. Who's the pig?
It's interesting to note that Charlie Ergen, in a letter to Dish Network customers last year, blamed his 9% rate increase on an increase in programming-channel costs. If there is a pig out there that we really need to stop feeding, it's the people that supply us programming.
One final thought. Where was Sen. John McCain last year when both Dish Network and DirecTV raised their rates by six times the rate of inflation?
Don Campbell, Idaho City Cable TV, Idaho City, Idaho
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