With all of the recent discussion about how cable networks have lost their niches and have become all alike, it leads me to one question. Why? Is it ratings? That doesn't seem to make sense. Why would people want to flip through multiple channels just to find the same shows? The thing that was nice about the networks being unique is that people could choose a channel that had a certain kind of programming that they liked. If networks are going to keep up this trend of airing all of the same programming, why not just merge a bunch of channels into one network. Seems like kind of a waste to keep all of these channels if so many of them are basically the same.

You hit the nail on the head......every channel is starting to look like its neighbor on the remote.

You hit the nail on the head......every channel is starting to look like its neighbor on the remote.
I finally got the Sleuth channel last year. I remember reading that they had a lot of classic shows when they started. The only thing on there now are reruns of USA Network shows. What's the point of even having it?

It seems like sports, religious and shopping channels are the only ones immune to what's been dubbed "network decay" or "channel drifting".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_drift

Of course not all channels are terrible. Turner Classic Movies has been around for over 15 years and is still pretty much what it was back when it was created. The Game Show Network still primarily shows game shows. Soapnet still primarily shows soaps, although it will be gone in 2012. You can also still get some music videos on MTV, VH1 and CMT, in the morning. I do hate what has happened to networks like A&E, Bravo and TLC.

It seems like sports, religious and shopping channels are the only ones immune to what's been dubbed "network decay" or "channel drifting".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_drift



True that the sports, religious and shopping channels so far are immune from this and chances are for sports and shopping it will remain that way for a long time to come.However the religious channels...once the older viewers start to die off, we could see some changes there if networks like TBN starts to reach that younger demo in other words this could mean less Jesus and more politics being discussed and/or having the preacher/host looking more like someone in the band Blink-182 ( think Jay Bakker, Jim & Tammy's son ) than your grandfather. Then again one can debate that.

Channels are so similair because there is hardly any competition anymore,especially among Pay-TV stations.I've mentioned this before, but only a few very big companies run the majority of American television nowadays.Why should lets say Viacom who own maybe 30+ stations want to compete against themselves.That's why you see the same stuff shown over and over again on many different stations--who are really basically the same station,just with different names.There should be some kind of law limiting these big companies to owning no more than lets say a maximum of 5 stations,but there's not.

And as far as the shopping channels,they are not even channels just 24 hour advertisements.

I don't really watch Cable Tv now either, I pretty much stick with Youtube and Hulu and other websites to watch Episodes of TV Shows from the 70s, 80s and 90s now that I can no find on TV! I have a found a lot of 70s TV Shows on YouTube! You can find lto of Classics on there and Hulu

Do any of you remember when you first got cable? It was the fall of 1980 when my Hometown (Redford, Michigan) got cable. I remember being promised two benifits I would receive if I signed up for service. First, I would receive a far greater variety of programming, with "Specialty" Channels geared to one's individual tastes, be it Movies, Vintage Sitcoms, Vintage Dramas, Westers, Science-Fiction, Sports, you name it. Second, since you had to PAY for these Channels, you were promised fewer Commercials (At the time, one would see 8-12 minutes of Commercials per hour of programming). When they arrived to hook up my Home I was like a Child on Christmas Morning! I thought I was in Heaven, no more days of "Nothing worth watching on TV Tonight!" If I only knew what would happen instead. :(

I've been without Cable for five years now. I was paying $65.00 a month when I decided that it simply wasn't worth paying to watch stale, commercial-infested programming and "Cut the Cord". I then re-allocated that money to purchase programming on DVD. My signature bears testimony to what that money can purchase over five years. I calculate by the end of this year I'll have over 30,000 Titles on DVD, at the rate I watch them it will take me over two decades to watch all of them! :D

THowever the religious channels...once the older viewers start to die off, we could see some changes there if networks like TBN starts to reach that younger demo in other words this could mean less Jesus and more politics being discussed and/or having the preacher/host looking more like someone in the band Blink-182 ( think Jay Bakker, Jim & Tammy's son ) than your grandfather. Then again one can debate that.

Is this why INSP aka The Inspiration Network is showing sitcoms like The Brady Bunch and soon Happy Days? Sure, I like those shows, but they're for Nick at Nite instead!

I finally got the Sleuth channel last year. I remember reading that they had a lot of classic shows when they started. The only thing on there now are reruns of USA Network shows. What's the point of even having it?Sleuth airs a lot of USA shows but I would still like to get this channel because they air The Guardian and USA doesn't.

When I got Dish network, I thought about getting the superstation package. After looking at what they all show, I changed my mind. They all show the same block of shows. I was excited to get Cloo (Sleuth), and was hoping to see programs like "Perry Mason", but showing "House?" I wish they would have shows that are not currently in production. I don't even watch that channel, very disappointing.