I’m really thinking about getting cable or satellite. I can’t believe I’m still only on network television. It’s getting to be a drag just finding clips on the internet. I feel like I’m missing out on too much.
I’d like the History channel, and Comedy Central, and CSPAN… I want to watch politics and political comedy. Frontline was great last night, and we have two public television stations, but I want more.
Here in Ted Turner media home Atlanta, we don’t get the Cartoon Network or CNN on network television.
Here’s what we’ve got on network TV, the way I break it down:
- 8 - WGTV - Athens-Atlanta, PBS Public Broadcasting
- 30 - WPBA - PBA/PBS Atlanta Public Broadcasting
- 2 - WSB - ABC
- 46 - WGCL - CBS
- 11 - WXIA “11 Alive” - NBC, good weather
- 5 - WAGA “Fox 5″ - Um, FOX
- 36 - WATL “The New WB” - Formerly Fox, now the top Warner Bros. affiliate
- 17 - WTBS - Atlanta Turner Broadcasting (sitcom reruns, movies, Atlanta Braves games)
- 69 - WUPA - CW network Atlanta?? Weird history. Owned and operated by CBS, I remembered it as UPN.
- 4 - WUVM - Low-powered - Azteca America
- 26 - WANX - Low-powered - Prism Broadcasting Network - ACN Jewelry sales
- 14 - WPXA - Ion (formerly PAX tv) - also weird history - everything from paid tv to Christian Religious.
- 57 - WATC - Various Christian networks - Christian Religious
- 63 - WHSG - TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) / JCTV - Christian Religious
It looks like I could get Comcast cable tv and internet and phone for the same price I’m currently paying for BellSouth “Now the New AT&T” (arrgh) phone and DSL.
Or may DirectTV would be better? Or DISH Network? Please comment if you have recommendations or warnings.
brokr on 
1:41 pm on May 21st, 2007 1
I’m on digital cable, but I’ve got a friend who has DirectTV (she lives far enough out in the country that there is no cable there) and another who had DISH but is now on cable. Our shared experiences suggest that the strengths and weaknesses of each system pretty much balance out. All have their own unique bugs. What you really want to look at is a) who can give you all of the channels you want, and b) who is going to give you the best deal. Of course the situation in your area could be different. Not all cable companies are created equal.
3:01 pm on May 21st, 2007 2
We had digital cable and switched to Dish Network. My advice to you is DON’T get Dish Network. We hate it. The service sucks and the cost while originally supposed to be similar is not. I’m switching back to digital cable as soon as possible.
2:26 pm on May 22nd, 2007 3
I’m glad I’ve got digital cable. The level of programming is far superior to anything on network TV — especially the National Geographic Channel, the History Channel, the Science Channel, and BBC America. And one of my favorites, Turner Classic Movies.
2:39 am on May 23rd, 2007 4
Rather than piddling away the precious hours of your life watching brain-rotting Tee Vee or trying to choose the best deals for televised mind pablum perhaps you should consider KILLING YOUR Idiot Box entirely and instead spend all that wasted time experiencing the real world. Just sitting for an hour watching a REAL wren building its nest is better than watching a two-dimensional contrived hour of Animal Kingdom.