The blocking of a cable channel

[mleach]

Reading the many of other posts on this site about how many parents wouldn't allow their kids to watch MTV and how some cable systems provided filters to block out and in some cases they did not even offer MTV, were there ever any cases where the other channels had faced a similar fate or was MTV pretty much in a class by itself? I had always found it quite odd that if a cable system had offered filters to block out MTV, why didn't they do the same say for VH1? CMT or even the other music channels?

I can remember years ago hearing from a family friend who once worked at our local cable company many years ago that while MTV at the time ( the 80s ) was the channel they had received the most complaints about, runner up was actually CBN Cable followed by, interesting the Cable Health Network.

I can also remember when many parents and a number of watchdog groups such as Action for Childrens Television when they were mad at Nickelodeon back in 1985 when Nick went from a commercial free channel to one that accepted ads but looking back now I don't think they ever staged a boycott or any cable system had dropped Nick as a result of that change.

Over the years I have heard of rumors of certain cable companies who had blocked out a certain show to the community for various reasons. I don't recall any of the cable systems in my neck of woods doing that but there was a small cable system several years ago not far from me who offered a local community board on one of their channels with the audio coming from a local rock station. The cable system had a timer or something where at midnight the audio would shut off and at 5:30am the audio would come back on. The purpose? The cable system simply didnt approve of the overnight jock at the radio station so they didn't air his show on that channel.

So outside of MTV and the pay channels like HBO, Showtime and the like were there any other cable channels that were off limits at your house? A channel that the cable system either totally blocked out for everyone or provide filters to those who didn't want that channel?

 

[azumanga]

I read somewhere that one of the cable systems in Louisiana actually blacked out HBO (or Showtime?) when "The Last Temptation of Christ" appeared as one of the movie offerings on the channel sometime around 1989 or 1990.

 

[ssetta]

Do you think it would be possible for a cable company to block out local broadcast channels? Like if a parent had a son who wanted to watch preschool shows such as Sesame Street, which is on PBS, and didn't want him watching it, do you think they would be able to block out PBS?

 

[anotherguyTN]

The digital cable tuner I have with Charter allows any channel to be blocked completely, or for shows or movies to be blocked based on ratings, or even the individual show or movie itself. Satellite tuners probably have most if not all of the same options. And of course there is the effective blocking of channels by not subscribing to the package of channels something may be in. For example in my house we don't have any of the movie channels like HBO, Showtime, etc. for cost cutting reasons, but also in order to not receive the adult oriented programming at late night.

 

[bk77]

My now ex-girlfriend had once told me about a situation involving her local cable company that took place in her town when she was still in high school 1986. The cable company wanted to drop MTV from the system claiming they had way too many complaints from parents about the content on MTV, the sex,drugs and rock & roll lifestyle and so forth. The replacement that was planned was The Nashville Network. During the public hearing of course a lot of parents were saying how trashy Madonna is, foul language, rock music stars showing their tattoos ( oh the shame ). Then someone out of the blue comes forward to discuss the content on the Nashville Network and country & western music in general such as George Jones and his well known nasty drinking habit and how some of Charlie Daniel's music included lyrics with such words as "go to hell" and "son of a bitch". One woman in the audience said "well rock stars smoke pot". The person responded with "..well so does Willie Nelson". The tattoo part, well can't have any more than what country's David Allen Coe had. Anyway in the end, MTV wasn't dropped and The Nashville Network was added but on a different channel.

 

[easttxtv]

Do you think it would be possible for a cable company to block out local broadcast channels? Like if a parent had a son who wanted to watch preschool shows such as Sesame Street, which is on PBS, and didn't want him watching it, do you think they would be able to block out PBS?

If it's a local market station, there would be must-carry rules involved. If it's from a distant market, MAYBE, but with the case of PBS, if there's no local market alternative (like for example, the Tyler-Longview market, or the Amarillo market pre-1988), the cableco would probably be urged/required/asked-nicely to carry it (if it doesn't already have the must-carry rule in it's favor). Plus if there is any college/university in the area of the local market, the PBS station would be showing their telecourses, and any local cableco would get flack for not carrying the station.

 

[rwells2265]

I read somewhere that one of the cable systems in Louisiana actually blacked out HBO (or Showtime?) when "The Last Temptation of Christ" appeared as one of the movie offerings on the channel sometime around 1989 or 1990.

It was in Arkansas .... on what was then East Arkansas Cablevision in Jonesboro.

--Russell

 

[mleach]

I read somewhere that one of the cable systems in Louisiana actually blacked out HBO (or Showtime?) when "The Last Temptation of Christ" appeared as one of the movie offerings on the channel sometime around 1989 or 1990.

It was in Arkansas .... on what was then East Arkansas Cablevision in Jonesboro.

--Russell

Wonder if those who were suscribers to the affected channel had received a discount over the actions of the cable system? Afterall if one pays for HBO then they should have access to everything that is on HBO and they should be able to make their own personal decision whether or not they want to view certain programs. However if the cable system says "no you cant watch Six Feet Under because the program goes against our faith in Jesus Christ" and goes on to block Six Feet Under, those who suscribe to HBO in that community shouldn't be paying full price for the service. A better question would be why would the cable system even bother offering HBO ( or Showtime ) in the first place?

 

[cowboybud]

Some years ago the Hispanic community where I live got REALLY offended by something Howard Stern said, and wanted E! removed from the cable system.

 

[azumanga]

...if the cable system says "no you cant watch Six Feet Under because the program goes against our faith in Jesus Christ" and goes on to block Six Feet Under, those who suscribe to HBO in that community shouldn't be paying full price for the service.

Furthermore, they should also write a letter to HBO, informing execs that their cable channel was being censored on their system. (And for good measure, send a copy to the cable company.)

However, if they censored "Six Feet Under" or "The last Temptation of Christ", but kept the after dark sex programs in, that would be hypocritical.

 

[jal41]

Contracts between program providers and cable systems should prevent this thing from happening, especially with premium networks (this does not include split-time arrangements). In this instance with the Arkansas cable company, I would be surprised if HBO did not sue. The only interruptions should be for authorized local commercial ad insertions, and for the Emergency Alert System.

In today's world, if a cable company did this, they would be helping out DirecTV and Dish Network by giving them new customers...the one from the cable company.

 

[compubit]

The one problem with the cable system (which I'm surmising, based on where it is - Jonesboro) - is that the cable company is the only option you have it you want to get regional network TV.

Jonesboro has 3 broadcast stations - KAIT/8/ABC, an AETN repeater (Arkansas Statewide PBS) and a local independent religious station. Satellite doesn't carry the market, and your chances of getting locals is small (distants on DirecTV - nothing on Dish...). Cable offers ABC, NBC and CBS from Little Rock and NBC, CBS, PBS and Fox from Memphis.

Jim

 

[DToTheJ]

Wow, interesting... Just go to http://www.suddenlink.com/lineup.do and enter zip code 72401.

Ironically, the Jonesboro ABC station - Channel 8 - is located on Channel 9. WTF?

 

[azumanga]

Wow, interesting... Just go to http://www.suddenlink.com/lineup.do and enter zip code 72401.

Ironically, the Jonesboro ABC station - Channel 8 - is located on Channel 9. WTF?

Interference issues -- it is common for local VHF stations to have a different channel number on cable, especially if it's close to the transmitter.

 

[mleach]

The one problem with the cable system (which I'm surmising, based on where it is - Jonesboro) - is that the cable company is the only option you have it you want to get regional network TV.

Jonesboro has 3 broadcast stations - KAIT/8/ABC, an AETN repeater (Arkansas Statewide PBS) and a local independent religious station. Satellite doesn't carry the market, and your chances of getting locals is small (distants on DirecTV - nothing on Dish...). Cable offers ABC, NBC and CBS from Little Rock and NBC, CBS, PBS and Fox from Memphis.

Jim

And by trying the get those Direct TV distant network signals well might not work either. I would imagine KAIT wouldn't allow someone within that area to get some distant ABC on Direct TV.

Not sure how Direct TV is but I know Dish Network when they offered distant signals, they were VERY picky as to who got what. When I had Dish Network back in 2003, I was able to get both FOX from Denver and New York City ( or Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and LA if I wanted to drop NYC or Denver ). However my neighbors across the street, they couldn't get any distant channels other than the Superstation package Dish had offered. My neighbors actually called up Dish Network to complain about it, saying it wasn't fair but they still didn't get them and I kept mine for another year, that is until I dropped Dish Network totally.