Open letter to Flow re Cable TV

Fri Aug 15, 2014

Editor, I believe that Flow is reviewing the Cable TV Channel line-up (and content) consequent to public outcry and protests. In this regard, I should like to make the following observations in the hope that they would be helpful:{{more}}

o Flow should reconsider the rationale for the many channels offered in the subject areas mentioned hereafter: news, cartoons and church.

o From information belatedly made available, Flow is offering a basic package comprising some 77 channels at a cost of $74.75, and “six optional packages and movie line-up,” – five (5) at an additional cost of $25 each and one at an additional cost of $35. The majority of these channels and their content are foreign and meaningless to me and to a substantial number of their customers, judging from the public outcry and protests. Some examples include: Gayelle, Hype TV, Synergy TV, LMN, Gone Viral etc.

o I have examined the basic package and of the 77 channels offered, I find only 12 that I would classify as good. These are: 150 CNN, 160 BBC World, 180 TNT, 204 Cartoon Network, 230 National Geographic, 234 Discovery, 236 Discovery Civil, 238 Discovery Science, 240 A & E, 248 History, 258 TCM, 274 ESPN Caribbean. In short, for every one that I would classify as good, there are some six channels that I would classify as not good.

It seems to me that Flow’s position is that customers must take “the chaff with the wheat,” but such a position is clearly not acceptable. I would suggest that Flow cleans up the basic package by deleting the “chaff” channels and then offer customers a clean and meaningful basic package at a $35 per month. Customers can then supplement their “TV diet” from the “optional packages and movie line-up” according to their taste and inclination.

Castine Quashie