Another post about Cablevision after all July 3, 2008

I know that I said a few weeks ago I would no longer post about Cablevision and what channels they should add but haven’t added yet.  But today at Johnny Dollar’s Place, I learned some very positive news.  There was a link to an online article from the staff at Broadcasting & Cable that said Cablevision will be adding 15 HD channels at the end of the month:

The new HD channels include Nickelodeon, WE tv, AMC, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, Fox News Channel, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and FX.  They will come online over five days starting July 28.

Cablevision’s press release says “The full list of new HD channels will be announced when the services become available later this month.”  There are still five channels we don’t know about.  Maybe ESPNEWS HD is among them.  And maybe Fox Business Network will finally be added in HD and SD simultaneously.  We’ll see what happens later this month.

7/5 UPDATE: Please disregard the automatically generated possibly related post that’s titled “I give up with Cablevision!”  I have no idea why it shows up or why you can still read the text of it in the RSS preview.  I’m sorry it’s even there.  Five hours after I wrote that, I was all calmed down, deleted it, and wrote this post in its place.

Tim Russert: 1950-2008 June 13, 2008

Alex Wong/Getty Images file; used in MSNBC.com link

I was surprised, shocked, and saddened to learn about a half ago that Tim Russert has died of an apparent heart attack today.  He was 58.

Tim was a great man, a giant in broadcast news, and one of my broadcasting inspirations.  In July 2004, as I was beginning my run at WGBB, I bought and listened to the audiobook for his book “Big Russ & Me,” about his love and appreciation for his father.  I listened to it again with my dad two months later, as we drove to Penn State, my sister’s alma mater (she was a senior at the time), to watch a Nittany Lions football game against UCF (the University of Central Florida) at Beaver Stadium.  Flooding along the Delaware Water Gap – as a result of the remnants of Hurricane Ivan – forced us to turn around on I-80 near the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border and drive home, giving my dad and I an opportunity to listen to more of that touching book.

My condolences to Tim’s wife Maureen Orth, his son Luke, his extended family, and his father, the original Tim Russert: Big Russ himself.

Up and down feelings about Cablevision June 4, 2008

5 1/2 hours ago, I called Cablevision and asked a customer service representative if any new channels would be added within the next few weeks.  The rep said “no,” which resulted in me lashing out at her, venting my frustration that all my optimism for channels being added in the future was for nothing and that I hate Cablevision.  I then hung up, wrote a frustrated post here, and called DirecTV.  I told one of their reps what had just happened with the Cablevision rep.  I was seriously considering, on knee-jerk impulse, to get DirecTV for my room because they had so many channels that I wanted that Cablevision will [seemingly, at the time] never add.  I didn’t buy a package, though, wanting to go over with the idea with my parents.  My mom didn’t like the idea, saying it was a “frivolous” one.  My dad would probably feel the same way.

As time passed, my frustration wore off.  So, I deleted my frustrated post, called Cablevision back, spoke to a different rep, and apologized for lashing out.  This rep was more optimistic, said that the earlier rep shouldn’t have just said “no,” and filled out an inquiry on my behalf that I would like Fox Business Network added to the lineup.

Long story short, I’m not switching to DirecTV.  I’d like to, but I just can’t do it.  My patience with Cablevision can be tried at times, but I need to remain patient and, above all, calm.

So, I apologize to those of you that were here earlier and saw me so angry.  Don’t worry, that post is long gone.

11/19/09 UPDATE: FBN has finally come to Cablevision!

My latest Cablevision update May 6, 2008

I got a notice in the mail from Cablevision that said the following:

In conjunction with continuously making technological improvements to our services, the following is important to review:
… Digital cable boxes will be necessary by 6/3/08 for each television set in your home on which you wish to continue receiving TLC, A&E, E!, Sci-Fi Channel, truTV, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, C-SPAN2, QVC, and OTB/RAI (new channel location 74).
C-SPAN is now available to the Broadcast Basic level of service on channel 77.

I then called Cablevision to speak to another customer service rep.  I asked if this change coincides with the addition of new channels.  She said yes, but that won’t happen right away.  Here’s where the feelings got mixed: I told her about what the rep I spoke to last Wednesday told me about Time Warner and Cablevision working together to have the same channels.  She denied that.  So much for that theory.  However, she asked if there was a specific channel I was requesting.  Of course, I told her Fox Business Network (FBN).  She said hey were getting a lot of requests for FBN and BBC America.  She suggested I go to Cablevision’s suggestion box to make any requests, adding that all suggestions are taken seriously.

Here’s hoping I finally get the channels I want without having to switch to another provider.  Wish me and my fellow Cablevision subscribers luck.

UPDATE: I made my channel requests in the suggestion box.  The list included FBN, FBN HD, and FNC (Fox News Channel) HD.

7/3 UPDATE: Yesterday, Cablevision announced they will be adding 15 HD channels at the end of this month.  I posted about it here.

11/19/09 UPDATE: FBN has finally come to Cablevision!