# Ultimate ala carte



## lee635 (Apr 17, 2002)

Over the years, there has been much discussion here on the pros and cons of ala carte programming as opposed to buying channels in packages. I am thinking that Netflix is pretty much as ala carte as it gets. Even if you could purchase individual channels from Dish or Direct, you still end up paying for programming that you may not watch. Whereas with netflix, you are only paying for the shows you actually watch. I wonder if this is one important reason why netflix is cheaper than say HBO?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Not really true though...

You pay Netflix a set fee per month whether you rent/view anything or not... and some might argue that since a portion of your rental fee contributes to their expanding content then you would be always funding the acquisition of content that you will never want.

Which is why I hate that argument people make of "paying for things I don't watch"... because you can apply that selectively however you want really.


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## photostudent (Nov 8, 2007)

Actually I understand Netflix pays for content based on how many downloads a particular show gets. I do not know if that would define it as ala carte but no one is subsidizing what others watch. A pretty good system I think.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

lee635 said:


> Over the years, there has been much discussion here on the pros and cons of ala carte programming as opposed to buying channels in packages. I am thinking that Netflix is pretty much as ala carte as it gets. Even if you could purchase individual channels from Dish or Direct, you still end up paying for programming that you may not watch. Whereas with netflix, you are only paying for the shows you actually watch. I wonder if this is one important reason why netflix is cheaper than say HBO?


No point in discussing any pros to ala carte programming. It has failed and would fail again. If you want less channels at a higher price...go ala carte. It's a nonstarter.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

photostudent said:


> Actually I understand Netflix pays for content based on how many downloads a particular show gets. I do not know if that would define it as ala carte but no one is subsidizing what others watch. A pretty good system I think.


Sure they are. Netflix is a flat-rate service whether you view 0 or 1 or a dozen movies, and regardless of which movies you view.

If you view no movies, then you completely subsidized the service and got nothing for your money. Granted, it is your choice... but it is still a truism.

Also... like any other flat-fee for service... some part goes to profit and some part goes to paying the cost of doing business and some part goes to improving the service. The part that goes to improving service might very well get spent on obtaining the rights to a movie that you didn't watch, because others indicated they would watch it if available.

Netflix would only be a-la-carte IF you only paid specifically for each program you viewed and only each program that you view.


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