primosprimos
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Posts posted by primosprimos
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We may not get TCM back. Dish Network could drop CNN from lineup for good
Dish Network is prepared to permanently unplug a pillar of cable television — CNN, the pioneering 24-hour news network whose fortunes have faded.
The satellite giant's 14 million subscribers haven't been able to watch several Turner Broadcasting channels, including CNN, Cartoon Network and Turner Classic Movies, because of a contract dispute. Those channels might not come back any time soon.
Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen warned Tuesday that pay-TV providers must be more selective of the channels they carry amid rising programming costs. He painted a stark portrait of a survival-of-the-fittest mentality that is reshaping the television industry, particularly as competition from Internet outlets intensifies.
"Twenty years ago, CNN was a must-have channel, but it's not a top 10 network anymore ... unless they find the plane, the Malaysian plane," Ergen said on a conference call, making a jab at CNN's seemingly round-the-clock coverage last spring of missing Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.
Ergen said it would have been a "disaster" just a decade ago to remove CNN just before a big election. However, he said there have been few subscriber losses after the channel's removal because viewers now have plenty of sources for news.
Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner Inc., declined to comment.
Contract battles have escalated in the last few years, especially as Dish and others struggle to hold the line on programming costs. They are fighting to retain customers who are tired of ever-rising cable bills.
Dish lost 12,000 pay-TV customers during the third quarter. The company has been particularly aggressive in its negotiations with programmers such as Turner because the satellite operator is facing increased competition from cable and telephone companies. Rivals such as Verizon and AT&T have had success enticing away customers with bundled packages that emphasize high-speed Internet.
So, Dish has tried to manage its costs to undercut competitors.
"The world is changing, and some people are going to change with it," Ergen told analysts after the company reported weaker-than-expected third-quarter results. "And some people are going to be fast followers, and some people are just going to figure it out after somebody tells them what they should be doing."
After years of stability in the television business and fat profits for the media companies that own cable channels, changes to the economic model have accelerated this year.
Weaker cable channels could become endangered species as the industry adapts to shifts in audience behavior, brought on by popular entertainment alternatives such as Netflix, Amazon.com and YouTube.
"It used to be that the TV was the only place where you could watch content, but that's changing because of technology, and changing very quickly," said Dave Otten, chief executive of JW Player, a New York start-up that enables video streaming. "This will put a lot of older cable channels at risk over time."
For instance, St. Louis pay-TV provider Suddenlink Communications dropped Viacom channels last month. The company blamed the move on Viacom demanding too high a price for its MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and TV Land channels, which Suddenlink said were no longer must-haves.
DirecTV and AMC Networks have been waging a behind-the-scenes battle that exploded into view last weekend. AMC warned viewers of "The Walking Dead" that they might miss out on the series' zombie action next year if the two companies couldn't agree on a deal. DirecTV's contract with AMC Networks expires at year's end.
And this year, much of Los Angeles went without watching the Dodgers' regular season baseball. Cable and satellite providers, including Dish, DirecTV and Charter Communications, refused to pay the price the Dodgers and distribution partner Time Warner Cable were demanding.
Carrying the channel would cost distributors about $4.50 per month per subscriber household in Los Angeles, according to consulting firm SNL Kagan.
In contrast, a New York Yankees cable channel, now majority owned by 21st Century Fox, is sold to distributors for about $3.60 a month per subscriber household. And, unlike the Dodgers' SportsNet LA, the Yankees' channel also carries games of a second professional team, the Brooklyn Nets.
"There is no way the Dodgers are worth more than the Yankees," Ergen said, noting SportsNet LA was overpriced even in the field of high-priced sports channels.
Ergen said it wasn't Dish's problem "if somebody pays too much for the rights, and then comes in and says, 'We have to cover our rights fee,'" Ergen said. "We have to make hard choices with real economics and math."The Dish chairman has long been something of a maverick, unafraid to break from the industry pack in an effort to try to gain a competitive advantage.
Dish, for example, is preparing a low-cost package of channels streamed over the Internet. The offering would be a "skinny package," with just a few dozen channels, including ESPN, to try to attract young adults who currently do not subscribe to pay-TV. The service, which is expected to launch by year's end, would cost subscribers about $30 a month.
Veteran cable analyst Craig Moffett said the future of television might not look like some had predicted.
"People once envisioned an a la carte model where individual channels were sold one by one, but that's not what's happening," said Moffett, co-founder of research firm MoffettNathanson.
Instead, he said, distributors such as Dish and Suddenlink are making all-or-nothing choices, which could jeopardize the economics of entire media companies. Such decisions, Moffett said, probably will favor programmers with sports such as Walt Disney Co., which has ESPN.
"Nobody can force Disney to unbundle ESPN from the Disney Channel," Moffett said. "But people are starting to treat entire media conglomerates as pick-and-choose options. Soon whole companies are going to be off the programming menu."
Dish shares closed at $63.26 on Tuesday, down 55 cents.
The Englewood, Co., company's third-quarter profit fell to $146 million, or 31 cents a share, compared with $315 million, or 68 cents a share, in the previous-year period. Analysts had predicted earnings of 39 cents a share. Revenue climbed 5% to $3.68 billion. Dish said it added 28,000 Internet subscribers, but that was short of expectations.
Wow. You know where this is going..............higher prices for the viewers.
I can hear Cablevision and FIOS rubbing their hands together, singing Magoo's Christmas Carol song:
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I've always just right clicked on the photo and selected "copy image", not the URL or the address, and then pasted it on the forum page. It works for me about 95% of the time. Like this:
That's what I did, Andy, and it didn't work. As I said, in 2014 I would expect that action to work.
E.G., I googled warren william, I did as you suggested on the small pictures that come up on the right, and still get: You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.
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Among the best things I've ever seen on television were Meryl Streep's performances in the 2003 HBO miniseries "Angels in America." Based on Tony Kushner's 1993 award-winning stage play about AIDS, the two-part drama, directed by Mike Nichols, won 11 Emmy Awards.
Streep, who rarely does television, won the Outstanding Lead Actress award for her roles as the mother of a closeted gay man, an angel, a rabbi and the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg. I'll bet a lot of people didn't catch on that she played the rabbi.
She was very pleased by her Emmy win. "There are some days when I myself think I’m overrated," she said in her acceptance speech, "but not today.”
Hoo boy, that was an amazing teleplay. Don't forget Pacino, he was outstanding as well.
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Terrific movie and a great cast all around, but IMO the one and only Vincent Price totally steals the show.
And the more I think about it, the more I think that Price comes closer than any other Hollywood actor to having a completely unique screen persona. Grant, Bogart, Cagney, Robinson, Tracy, you name them, all of them are the best at playing a certain type, but there's not really any Vincent Price "type" outside of Vincent Price himself. He's 100% sui generis.
True. Like many a good character actor, he managed to convince.
The movie was hokey and unbelievable, but a good watch. Marjorie Reynolds, King Donovan, how neat.
Price was hysterical in the marshaling the troops for the boat scene. Wait, this boat is not ready. THIS boat is ready. Very well done.
Russell really couldn't hold an iron. Wait, she didn't need to. But Mitchum was still prettier than Bazooka Jane.
---Nice breaks, btw, with Claude Rains by John Gielgud and Myrna Loy by Julianne Moore. Thanks, TCM, for a very enjoyable early morning.
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6:00 Am, Saturday. Another really good Robert Mitchum movie with Jane Russell, Vincent Price and Raymond Burr. In a similar vein to The Big Steal and Macao. Good mystery with a little humor and romance.
I love me some Robert Mitchum.
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Is this what you were trying for?:
Yeah, that's a nice car.
That's it, thanks.
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The way I do photos is this. I find a photo. I right click. I copy the image address. In the selections above the text area I choose the image icon (eleventh from left on the bottom row. I paste the address. The photo appears in my post.
Thanks, slaytonf, still not working for me.
I guess I'd best give up.
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If you simply use: "right click-> copy" function then you are copying it to your computer's clipboard. That is not in a specific image format and so can not be recognized by html. How clipboard stores information varies wildly by operating system. Programs on your computer can accept clipboard contents because they are under the same operating system.
I save images by using: "right click-> save image as" and I then drag-and-drop the created image file to either our website or Imgur. I can then link from there. I resize only when I intend to use image as avatar or if it is extremely large image.
Thanks, I understand now. Yes, Imgur is similar to photobucket. I don't have the patience.
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Statements that TCM is changing are emotional reactions which bypass rational thought. To ignore the large amount of objective evidence that TCM has to date "stayed the course" re: programming and to endlessly repeat that it is changing is an excellent example of mindless action.
But it is changing. So if you feel better calling me a mindless one, I'll be happy to call you a deaf ear.
And we'll go on and on and on and on, and accomplish nothing, since TCM will do as it likes, and namecalling is all that will occur.
Rock on.
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He's actually sort of very close to that type of a leading man in Titanic (1953)
Best Titanic version, no question.
Webb was heart breaking at the end.
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You snooze you lose?
What will be truly dreadful is if the new financial strategies formulated by TCM's parent company cause any significant changes. It will not matter to the mindless ones that any things which happen during this time have no precedent and that this is completely new situation and has no connection in any way, shape or form with previous management or programming decisions. Even the slightest change caused by the new budget measures will be hailed as victory and will initiate endless "I told you so" posts.
So who exactly are the mindless ones? Are they the choir or the deaf ears?
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I am sorry to say that I do not understand the question because what you provided in the first post were links to pages and links not to images. I believe that it is never possible to post a page to a page.
The majority of images which I post to this forum are .jpg or .gif but I believe I at one time linked to .png image. I have been fortunate in that I have not as yet found an image extension which is not accepted.
What is the image extension which this forum does not accept? I have no connection to TCM or the forum's software providers but I will assist as I can.
Sans, if I find a picture on a site, and am satisfied that the site is safe, I try to copy and paste a photo.
Do you save a photo to photobucket and change the size and all that rigamarole? I used to do that but it's too much trouble.
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Any idea why I keep getting this stupid message, since the photos are VERY small?
You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.
I get that message about once out of every 3 or 4 tries. If there's any rhyme or reason behind it, I haven't yet figured it out, but usually I can find another version of the same image that works.
Thanks, Andy. I don't do photo-bucket anymore. It's 2014 and any site should be able to accept web pictures.
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From what I've read a lot of people watch AMC now for some series, can't recall the name. I don't watch any of those. I always loved AMC years ago but they show so few movies I enjoy now and if they do it's too filled with commericals which results in chopping up the movie. It's kind of like TV Land, they drifted away from the original concept.
Oy - I didn't watch Mad Men and I don't watch The Walking Dead. I don't do commercials, not on network television, and certainly not on formerly great movie channels!
They don't miss me, however - both shows are HUGE money makers.
Patti, do you remember Bob Dorian and Nick Clooney? Funny, I can't remember them hawking anything, but I do remember their spotlights on notable and grand movie theaters from the good old days.
I liked TV Land and even Nick At Nite. Both had good old television shows. Can't remember the channel, but back in the stone age of 1982, I even remember a channel (might have been local) that showed The Molly Goldberg Show, The Joan Davis Show, and Burns and Allen in prime time. B&A is on at 3:00am on some channel or other.
As Mary Hopkin sang: Those were the days.
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Good choices, TB.
Mine - Any guest star by a film notable on any Twilight Zone. I was always so glad to see them.
A standout, at this moment in memory: Joan Crawford in Night Gallery (Serling of course). I recently ran through the entire storyline for Mr. primos, who has never seen it. Whatta story!
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Phew, 6,900,000,000 years more of preaching to the choir and falling on deaf ears.
I hope our TCM holds out. I hope our tails hold out.
Anyone know the answer? Thanks.
Any idea why I keep getting this stupid message, since the photos are VERY small?
You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.
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We must accept that we will have to endure 6,900,000,000 years more of
Phew, 6,900,000,000 years more of preaching to the choir and falling on deaf ears.
I hope our TCM holds out. I hope our tails hold out.
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I don't see an ignore button.
Patti, you'll see it under the drop-down on you id. It's called Manage Ignore Prefs - a very handy button, and apparently much needed here, or it wouldn't have been remodeled to an easier to use format!
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Sooo. . . . .Anybody see a nice car in a movie?:
1948 Packard Super Eight, from the very wonderful Impact. I surely hope that was a toy car they threw off the cliff when it hit the fuel truck!
This and many others, including the Bekin truck, can be seen on this great site:
http://www.imcdb.org/movie_41503-Impact.html
Any idea why I keep getting this stupid message, since the photos are VERY small?
You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.
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Please let me find my thumbs-down clip art. The above post starts with a disrespectful slam against the original poster and various contributors of the thread, then the poster acts as if there is a reason for anyone to think what she's writing isn't equal nonsense or drivel.
But remember the sensibilities. You and I don't have any, remember?
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I have Brighthouse cable (Pensacola, FL) and I pay extra to get the upper channels so that I can get TCM. If TCM goes/went to commercials within the movies I would immediately cancel my upper channels.
Why? Because I enjoy watching CLASSIC movies to escape this crazy world. I don't need to be reminded that I'm watching a MOVIE, and I want to experience (as close to possible) what the director wanted me to see.
As has been suggested by AndyM108 and TopBilled, I have been recording all the movies that I want to possibly see again.
Why? Because I know that this (crazy) world is run by money (greed, power) and eventually TCM will eventually fall. As the banks used to give a decent interest on savings, the customers used to be always right, and the U.S.A used to be a republic, so shall TCM (Turner Broadcasting) succomb to Big Money (yes I realize that Turner etc. is already about money).
Unfortunately I realize this post is either preaching to the choir or falling on deaf ears. May this post be a comfort to others by solidarity or a warning to others that Rome wasn't forever.
this post is either preaching to the choir or falling on deaf ears.
Both. But not to worry, this board is divided into two factions, the choir and deaf ears.
We of the choir welcome your post, you are quite correct in your observations and in your warning. Corporations are, to quote Fred Dobbs, liars and crooks. That ain't a gonna change.
Post on, toddo, and don't let the deaf ears dissuade you from speaking your mind.
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I just got off the phone with Dish. I canceled my service since all I really enjoyed watching was TCM. I won't sign up with Direct TV since there is no way to know if this would also happen with them.
I came here for years reading and enjoying many of the topics so I thank you all for that. I see no reason to return now that I can no longer watch TCM. I wish you many blessings.
Ba mhaith liom tú sláinte , is mian liom go maith leat , agus galore sonas .
Ba mhaith liom tú ádh ar do shon agus cairde ; cad a raibh mé in mian leat níos mó?
Raibh do sólás a bheith chomh domhain mar na n-aigéan , do Trioblóidí mar solas mar a cúr .
Agus is féidir leat teacht ar , suaimhneas milis intinne , nuair a bhí riamh is féidir leat roam .
Ohhhhh...........I am sorry to read this, Patti. You are truly one of the nice ones here.
Can you get FIOS where you are? They are outrageously expensive, but as of yet, they have not stolen any of my channels.
What is this world coming to.
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I had to laugh. Earlier I dissed Bette Davis in another thread-- asking who she was (tongue in cheek). That is the 12th commandment-- Thou Shalt Not Use the Goddess Bette's Name in Vain. The 13th commandment is Remember to Honor Virginia Weidler's Talents (that's an easy one).
It would also be nice if we could remember Lori and her campaign to get a boxed set of her fave, John Garfield.
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Yep. I think the 11th commandment around here must be: Thou Shalt Not Diss TCM, No Way, No How, Not Ever.
Lydecker
Give that man a cigar. And then let's make up some tee shirts with that saying on it, three to start at least.
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DISH just dropped TCM and other Turner channels!
in General Discussions
Posted
Quite right that CNN is now garbage. Its emphasis is on entertainment, like most of the other 'news' channels. Cronkite is probably spinning in his grave.
Interesting article. I'm very, very happy that the cable owners are finally noticing their s-c-h-m-u-c-k (who knew that the auto censor knows Yiddish?) customers, who until now happily overpaid for the privilege of their hallowed subscriptions. I can buy an AWFUL lot of Column A and Column B channels for $200.
Yes too on the monopoly lie. Deregulation was supposed to cure that, but all that pontificating was more lies, since the cable owners are in bed with the politicians. We the public (okay me) never believed my much reduced cable bill was going to skyrocket.
Oh well. I love when every dog has his day.