[ExDilbert]

I don't remember CFPL (and I'd assume CKCO) ever branding their local news as CBC.

CFPL wasn't a full CBC affiliate. It produced a lot of local programming and carried CBC news plus a wide selection of prime time programming from the CBC and US networks. CKCO was similar but with a full selection of CTV programming. I believe CFPL dropped the CBC affiliation on it's own but there may have been something else going on as the CBC either lost or cancelled all it's affiliate agreements within a few years and rolled out a lot of repeaters across Canada. It was a bad decision because ratings and advertising revenue dropped for both parties. That was compounded by the expansion of cable specialty channels and the rollout of satellite TV in the 1990s.

 

[laurienicol]

I would not watch steaming movies at all except for the fact I have to pay for WiFi to get the internet and email. The cable company throws in basic TV as part of the package, but I watch OTA TV (about 25 channels, many not on cable anyway). We discovered free music and sometimes chinese movies on YouTube. I have Amazon Prime for the free shipping, I have sampled the free Tubi but they are mostly old stuff. I don't even bother with my satellite dish much anymore except my wife watches her religious stations sometimes. PBS is much the same as I get OTA.
I am not looking forward to ATSC 3.0 because that is going to turn into a pay service in no time.
laurie in Ladner BC with 2 DB8e's and a 4 ft dish.

 

[NeilN]

And another price hike: Netflix raises prices on all plans in US

The company’s standard plan will rise to $15.50 per month from $14, while the 4K plan will rise to $20 per month from $18. The basic plan, which doesn’t include HD, is also rising to $10 per month from $9. Prices are rising in Canada as well.

 

[Mike Lang]

And another price hike: Netflix raises prices on all plans in US

I was just about to post that. Barely a year since the last hike.

 

[NeilN]

I expect Netflix is looking very closely at their churn numbers with each increase to try to maximize profit from that end of the business. It's going to be interesting if a bunch of content creators get together in the future and accuse them of skimping on production costs.

 

[ticky]

Give me Netflix and Disney+ any day over the mediocre, low-quality streams that Bell or Rogers offer with their on-demand products.

 

[bluedrongo]

I just received an email from Rogers saying I am eligible for the 12 months of Disney+promotion.
I'm wondering if it's worth subscribing, are there any good series? I'm not looking for super hero/Marvel stuff.

 

[ExDilbert]

Disney+ has lots of good content but a large part of it are Marvel and Star Wars movies and series. It's a pretty good deal at $12/mo or $120/yr when compared to Netflix and Crave, plus it's 4K at that price. There is a lot of kids programming as well. If Marvel, Star Wars and children's programming is not desired then it's most likely not worth it. For families with children, it's a great service but Disney has always been about family entertainment.

 

[nfitz]

There's other stuff that tends to be on Hulu in the USA. Personally I've been watching M*A*S*H with one of my kids, and rewatching Hill Street Blues for the first time in 40 years.

They have all the Fox library. And as Fox owns MTM, presumably all the old MTM material will slowly appear over the years.

They have all The Simpsons, and apparently recently added 20+ seasons of The Amazing Race.

 

[bluedrongo]

Thanks for the replies, it doesn't sound like I'd be watching much with it although I loved Hill Street Blues when it aired. What's the picture quality like, I'd think it would be pretty bad?
I suppose I could add it seeing as it's free for 12 months.

 

[ExDilbert]

We watched an episode of Hill Street Blues. The quality was not great but not annoyingly bad either. A lot of shows shot with NTSC equipment have been scaled up and remastered from the original tapes. Some shows that were shot on film have been remastered from the original film in HD.

 

[nfitz]

I thought Hill Street Blues looks great. It was all shot and mastered on film. It looks like they've gone back to the original negatives for each episode (as opposed to rebuilding each shot from the original shooting film), so it's not quite as great as it could be - but better than it was when originally broadcast.

The only time I've noticed anything is on the one-minute "Previously on Hill Street Blues" bit, where you can see the colours fluctuating - they must have used some pretty poor prints to create those back in the 1980s.

 

[ExDilbert]

I thought the quality was very good for a show from the 1980s, just not as good as some newer shows, especially those shot with 4K cameras.

 

[nfitz]

I thought the quality was very good for a show from the 1980s, just not as good as some newer shows, especially those shot with 4K cameras.

It's a lot better than many shows from the 1980s - as many were shot using NTSC video rather than film. Others were shot on film, but then edited on video, making it very expensive to rescan with 1080 or 4K scanners.

Compare Cheers (filmed) to Family Ties (taped).

 

[NeilN]

Why Netflix keeps cranking up its prices

And why its price is likely to keep going up.

www.theverge.com

Key paragraph:

While the price hikes sting for consumers, it’s safe to expect they’ll continue — especially for Netflix. Growth opportunities have stalled, and the company’s spending on content continues to grow. To keep up, Netflix has to either increase the number of subscribers paying for its service or ask its existing customers for more money. And right now, Netflix knows it can.

 

[Mike Lang]

Netflix gets clobbered on subscriber miss: 'The good old days may be gone'

The streaming wars are intensifying — and Netflix is bearing the brunt of the battle. Shares of Netflix plunged more than 20% in trading Friday after the company reported fourth quarter results Thursday that reflected weakening subscriber additions...

 

[NeilN]

While the price hikes sting for consumers, it’s safe to expect they’ll continue — especially for Netflix. Growth opportunities have stalled, and the company’s spending on content continues to grow. To keep up, Netflix has to either increase the number of subscribers paying for its service or ask its existing customers for more money. And right now, Netflix knows it can.

Looks like asking for more money is a go: Netflix Will Prompt Subscribers to Pay for Users Outside Their Households in New Test to Address Unauthorized Password Sharing (EXCLUSIVE)

Netflix will soon launch a test letting primary account holders pay an additional fee for users outside their households — a new attempt by the company to address illicit password-sharing.
...
With the “add an extra member” feature, members with Netflix’s Standard and Premium plans will be able to add subsidiary accounts for up to two people they don’t live with, each with their own profile, personalized recommendations, login and password — for less than the cost of a separate Netflix plan.

In the test countries, the cost for adding a sub-member is 2380 CLP in Chile, $2.99 USD in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN in Peru.

 

[ExDilbert]

Netflix password sharing is so rampant and easy to get away with that it is probably a significant portion of the subscription cost. It's even the butt of jokes on TV. Adding $2.99 per household for account sharing is an insult to people who don't do so. I refuse to pay Netflix's current prices.

 

[Digmor Crusher]

I think its optional, not every account will get charged that.

You won't pay for Netflix, but do you watch it? If so your part of the problem, maybe if everyone paid their fair share instead of stealing passwords then the costs wouldn't be so high. Not that their that high anyways, seems like everyone wants everything for free or at a cost that the providers would soon go broke trying to provide it. Not saying your either one, just asking.

 

[bluedrongo]

I find it interesting that some people complain about the price of Netflix but don't seem to mention Crave which ranges from 11.50$ to 23$ up to a whopping 29.90$ I have added the tax.
I just wish there was a way to subscribe to HBO without the rest.
Darn it, I just noticed that the prices I quoted were from March 2021. Likely cost more now.