I may be a little late on replying to this issue but I would like to put in my two cents worth.

I think all of you make valid points about the Olympics, NBC and FPB. I am one of those customers who has a lot of interest in the Olympics. They only happen every four years (two years now) and I think it is a pretty cool two weeks. I do not understand all the winter sports or their rules which is one reason I would have loved to have had the opportunity to watch them.

Having said that I understand that the FPB had a decision to make. But I don't think it was their decision to make. I believe the decision should have been made by the customers. A simple survey asking the customers if they were willing to pay the increase would have been a better solution.

Some may say that that too would be a cost. But putting a simple survey into their billing envelopes or a survey online would have been very cheap and given the customers the feeling that they had control over what they were watching. Based on the results from the survey they then could have made a decision and at the same time keep their customers happy as they claim they try to do.

Let's be generous and say that 100 customers would watch significant extended coverage of the Winter Olympics. That means FPB would be spending $500 on each customer to provide them with that.

Well let me tell you I'd be royally ticked-off if the FPB was using *my* money to give so few customers extended coverage of the Biathlon or Curling events.

I mean no offense to anyone who enjoys these events and I don't wish to diminish them as valid sports. I just question why the rest of us should pay for so very few to get extra coverage.

Don't try to be so cute, SORC8427. I know the people on the board and know many employees. So, I know how the plant board is operated.

The entire coverage sucks. Commercial interest has ruined the game coverage. The rest of the world already knows who won the gold medal, but because NBC chooses to air what they deem important at prime time, LONG after the particular events have been completed, everyone has to wait.

Those of you who have a beef with FPB, you don't understand the things they do or why they do it. You have to be on the board to understand why they have to do certain things and the purpose. Anyone can find faults with FPB if they don't know what's going on or don't serve on their board. Give them a break, folks! Sure, there's going to be times when they must raise their rates, but that's all because they are trying to advance their services and maintain the happiness of their customers. They really do try to satisfy their customers, so don't critisize until you serve on their board and/or "walk in their shoes".

FPB is a member of the National Cable Cooperative which negotiates on behalf of providers like the Plant Board and the one in Glasgow KY.

Some negotiations are handled directly by FBP, some through the Cooperative.

I was unaware that NBC tried to get more money from FPB. So yes, I did not have the complete info. I agree you have the right to be mad but not a FPB. You should be mad a NBC. They are being greedy. If FPB had agreed to pay them then the costs would have been passed down to the subscribers. This is how business works (remember when oil prices were super high and milk was too?).

We have seen this greed more and more often both here and away. HGTV and Food were recently pulled from the NYC cable provider because their parent company were being greedy and asking for too much money. Unfortunately, a large cable company like that has more bargaining power because they serve such a large audience. FPB does not have this power so they are at the mercy of these large media companies.

People seem to want to have their cake and eat it too. They complain about not having the programming and then they complain about paying for it. You simply can't have lots of programming and not pay for it. The saying "there is no such thing as a free lunch' comes to mind. The FPB just can't magically absorb these costs.
So if you are mad contact NBC, MTV etc. and let them know. The FPB has 2 choices 1). pay them more and pass the cost down or 2). Refuse to pay to keep the costs to subscribers down.

from another article here at the S-J:

"In other cable news, Higginbotham said customers won't be able to view all of the winter Olympic games hosted in Vancouver.

NBC has demanded an additional $50,000 for the plant board to have full access to the network's Olympic coverage, he said. The plant board refused to pay and viewers won't have access to events on CNBC or USA channels."