Not arguing it's expensive, but again, I don't see any conspiracy here.

Maybe cause you work for Rogers and don't want to rock the boat, so to speak. I believe there is a conspiracy (makes life fun to be different), I have stated this before but I guess on a different board. FPTV wanted linkage, which means if you want RTP you MUST get FPTV also but the CRTC did not approve this. So what I believe happened is FPTV and RTP struck some sort of deal whereby they would price the channel at a certain level that would not be detrimental to FPTV (meaning people wouldn't dump FPTV and get RTP, which is what they would do if RTP was the same price as RAI! ;))

I also suspect there is a bigger audience for RAI in Toronto than RTPi!

This I would say is Wrong but my fellow Portuguese-speaking members here can confirm this one way or the other. The 4 largest ethnic populations in Canada are as follows (not in any order):

Chinese
South Asian
Italian
Portuguese

Now seeing as how Portuguese is on this list, and I am pretty sure the majority of the people live in either Toronto or Montreal (proven by where FPTV is available), then how can you say there is not a big audience for RTP in Toronto??

On the matter of FPTV sucking, this is the latest CDN ethnic channel that I have heard this about. Seems none of the CDN channels are any good and not worth subscribing to. I have heard similar remarks about Fairchild TV, Talentvision, ATN and Odyssey (I can vouch for this channel- its CRAP!). We are just now FINALLY seeing a boat load of 3rd language foreign channels being approved but due to the stupid CRTC rules, certain ethnic groups (Chinese, South Asian, Italian, Spanish & Greek) are forced to subscribe to these inferior Canadian channels in order to get access to the foreign ones. If REAL competition were allowed then I am fairly certain that these CDN services would probably not survive very long, which is why they are being propped up by the CRTC using these damn rules. OH how I wish Dishnet were legal in this country! Over 100 channels and with the exception of a few, most are DIRECT from the country of origin, no middlemen (i.e. ethnic service) standing in the way.

My final word is this- if your channel is available FTA like RTPi, then go that route, don't even bother with cable or satellite. Why complain about the channel's price or it not being available on BEV or whatever when its available FREE TO AIR!?! Get the equipment and sit back and enjoy!

Maybe cause you work for Rogers and don't want to rock the boat, so to speak.
Nope, not in the least. :) Never have, never will. Well, I guess there's always a chance...but it's not in the gameplan.

However, Rogers is my provider, and this discussion is about Rogers, so I'll defend them. If I were a sat customer, and they offered it for $14.95, and if I subbed to the sat forums, I'd be saying the same thing about BEV, or StarChoice, or whomever.

nathan, I would suggest giving up. My experience is that you can't reason with someone who argues that company should give their product away or sell it below cost.

People on these forums complain about Rogers not having a truck at their house in 10 minutes or having 500 CSR's and techs on hand if there is a problem or they want HDTV, PVR's 500 channels and a million dollar website but god forbid you should have to pay for it!

Why would Rogers or any other program provider give away a service for free? They are a business, and in the business of trying to make a buck by selling programming. Sheesh, yes , they are dispicable because they aren't giving programming away for free.! Maybe every business should give away their products for free, wouldnt that be great!

Nope, not in the least. Never have, never will. Well, I guess there's always a chance...but it's not in the gameplan.

Sorry, by the tone of your posts I thought you worked for them but I guess I was wrong! No disrespect meant, just trying to liven up the debate a little.

I agree with Hugh, you can't please everyone. Why complain about the channel being expensive and in the same sentence mention its available FTA?! If its FTA then why are you complaining?

Oh well, enough said on this topic.

Sorry, by the tone of your posts I thought you worked for them but I guess I was wrong! No disrespect meant, just trying to liven up the debate a little.
It takes a bit more than that to offend me. Although someone accusing me of working for Rogers *COULD* be considered quite the insult. :)

In my posts, I generally defend Rogers from a purely business point of view, again, I don't frequent the sat forums, so I don't really get the chance to talk about anyone else. But admittedly, I think I have a pretty solid track record of defending them where others might not. :)

I think the point here is that $14.95 is almost a third of what I pay for my cable bill. I would agree that a $2.95 price point would satisfy most. But what do I know, I'm just a consumer.

I think we should all call Rogers and file a complaint with the CRTC about this monopolization of rogers. I am very upset. I don't have a problem paying for a service that they offer but when the equivalant service in several languages is offered for less than 1/3 the price i feel like we are taking it where is hurts... Call, complain... I already have, don't just sit back and take it. :mad:

ahh, Nightcat read the thread. Why not just go FTA if you object to the price?

Unofficial word today is that starting Feb 1st, 2006...Rogers will lower the monthly price of RTPi by 25% (to approx.$11/month).

I guess the Portuguese complaints were heard at Rogers.

On top of that....for the month of June, RTPi will be on a free preview because of Portugal Day.

Charging 15$ a month for a foreign channel is too too much.
Anyways, I would like to point out the one month long story of dark picture on Rai International. Since the new year, Rai Intl's picture has become darker than usual, becoming yet darker when a white object appears on screen. This issue is intollerable. Many complaints have been made to both Rogers and BEV but they say that there isnt their fault but Rai's signal fault.
Anyone has had this issue?

Waiting for a possible solution to Italy's Public Broadcaster picture problem
AN.

The price for RTPi is now the same (approx) as the price in the US on DISH

4 + 5 (access fee)= $9USD which is about the same as the 11 charged now by Rogers.

However in the US you can ALSO get Globo ($14.99) plus RTPi ($4)= 18.99USD (no access fee)

If only it were that good in Canada