Would you cancel your pay TV service if local broadcasters added more digital subchannels this year?

As far as content...

I receive both the Green Bay and the Wausau channels. I like two things about this setup. First, I recieve certain "out of market" games that I can not get from Green Bay affiliates when the Packers play at home. Second, network TV is only network TV during prime time and weekends. In other words, CBS 5 in GB is the same as CBS 7 in W from 7-9AM and from 7-10 PM on weekdays, plus from about noon-10PM on weekends. During non-network times, programming can be quite different, especially with syndicated reruns of favorite shows.

OK, as for subchannels, I receive a 24/7 local weather channel out of GB plus a regional "Accuweather" channel out of W. I get Retro TV in both markets, but programming is different, so it is like having 2 choices. I difinitely like the CW and MyNetwork TV out of GB better as they are both HD, but there are times of the day when programming is different and we watch good movies on the W channels. This TV is only available in Wausau, and it is a very good subchannel. The movies are generally "B" grade, but there are a lot of bigger stars and they are usually decent to watch. Wausau also has 2 other subchannels not available here. Central Wisconsin OTA viewers can see NBC Universal Sports and Untamed Sports. Universal Sports mainly shows olympic types of sports...Skiing, gymnastics, skating, ping pong, etc, while Untamed Sports is all hunting, fishing and boating. While these are both lower grade sports, they can be quite entertaining at times, and gives programming not normally seen on free TV or pay TV.

I would love to see a 24 hr news channel and FSN North, but I would also love MeTV (a lot like Retro TV but with more shows I grew up with) and I would love to see PBS World. PBS could then split to 2 channels with a single sub-channel each and could show channels in 480p widescreen. This would involve quite an investment on PBS's part, so perhaps showing PBS HD during primetime and night plus PBS Kids during the day could be the main channel and have a single subchannel in 480p for morning and daytime create and evening PBS World. This would provide a better picture quality and more diverse programming than PBS currently shows (a lot of reruns).

I would think there could be great demand for a TLC type of subchannel. We already see syndicated shows from several years ago. I can watch "Deadliest Catch" and "American Choppers" on MyNetwork TV, so why not a subchannel including those plus "Overhaulin", "Ice Road truckers", "Mythbusters", and others from a few years ago?

Oh, I almost forgot...there is a Wausau station that I have not received in about a year now. Channel 46 is Ion, and had 4 channels in total. One was religious, one was for women, one was for men, plus that had Qubo for little kids. I don't know if that is still broadcasting, but Qubo was great for our kids when I could get it.

Bill

I would love to see more subchannels here in Green Bay. The problem I'm having with the subchannels as they are now is that a lot of them have the same content....really old television shows. That's great and all, but there's only so many times I can watch Bonanza. Get some fresher syndicated programming and we'd be in business. I'd second the 24 hour news channel (a mainly network show while 5 or 10 minutes an hour for local content) Also, I think FSN-Wisconsin on a subchannel would sway a lot of people that they don't need cable, but I really don't see that happening in the near future.

There really isn't a selection for me on this poll as I already get over-the-air television. But yes, I would like to have more sub-channels. I enjoy WBAY's weather channel, WPT's Wisconsin channel, and WBAY's retro TV. Since I don't really know what all is available, I can only give a broad request. A 24 hour news channel, a Discovery or National Geographic type channel, an all sports channel, a family friendly programming channel (like Disney).

Unfortunately Sean, you are pretty much maxxed out in Wausau. Your major broadcasters already carry a couple of subs each. In GB, however, there is room for improvement. I would only want to see a single sub on each channel though to keep HD as HD.

By the way, I have had no problems with my Dish DTVpal DVR. It is made for OTA viewing only and has 2 tuners so either you can record while watching or you can record two shows at once while not watching. The guide is not quite as functional as TIVO (no name based recording and no rerun skip), but that is due to TIVO patents and not a lack of ability on Dish's part.

We could not live without the DVR anymore. It is wonderful!

Bill

If the channels added interested me and they added a reasonable number (maybe 8+) I would consider it.