Some Honesty From Scripps: Money Trumps You

Finally, some honesty from Scripps on the ILoveFoodNetwork blog. It happens in their latest post. In it, they say they “[think] you deserve a straightforward, honest update on what’s going on.”

Well, hell, so do all of us Cablevision subscribers! So, bring the truth, Scripps!

“We continue to believe we are being fair and reasonable in our negotiations with Cablevision.”

My comment: So clearly you’re acknowledging that it’s YOU who’s not agreeing to any deal, and it’s YOU who’s not letting us have our programming.

“Our other distribution partners have willingly accepted the rates we’ve set for our networks. Everyone except Cablevision.”

My comment: Glad to know every single other partner has accepted your demands and that you can’t compromise with ONE—I repeat, ONE—partner.

“The only homes that can’t see Food Network and HGTV are the approximately 3 million Cablevision customers.”

My comment: As noticed by others in that blog’s comments section, it’s telling that they use the word “only” when referring to the amount of people who they yanked the programming from. Kind of gives you the feeling that they’re not sweating too badly at the thought of losing viewers from this group.

Well, got to hand them credit: They’re being truthful to us for a change. And here’s the truth: Cablevision has not met their demands, and so WE get punished.

As I’ve repeatedly stated: I am no fan of Cablevision. I think their customer service is deplorable, and I think they are a greedy company. However, Scripps has shown just how callous and how deceitful it is willing to be in order for it get more money during a recession despite its boasts of their own financial health. As such, I urge you to contact Cablevision and tell them NOT to play ball with Scripps.

I also urge Alton Brown to defect to PBS. My wife kindly asks the same from Giada. Imagine: Lydia followed by Giada. America’s Test Kitchen followed by Alton Brown? Fantastic.

Boasting About Performance Does Not Help Scripps’ Cause

I’ve said this before (in one of my long epic posts), but let me say it here, loud and clear. Scripps, boasting about your performance and growth (as you do in your latest post) does not help your cause. It increases the perception of your greed.

Elsewhere on the ILoveFoodNetwork blog, Scripps was quick to dispel the notion that they’re experiencing any sort of financial turmoil:

“Scripps is not experiencing financial difficulties. Scripps Networks is an extremely well-run company with our networks performing well despite the challenging economy.” (source)

Scripps has a serious empathy problem. I don’t know a single person who isn’t having financial hardships. I also know of very few companies who are performing well despite the recession. Especially media companies. So my reaction (and I imagine the reaction of many people) to Scripps boasting about their performance and how much their financially thriving is that this is NOT the time to be asking for more money and screwing over viewers by pulling their channels.

Let’s put honesty aside for a second. And why shouldn’t we? Scripps has already shown that honest isn’t on its priority list with the way they said the channels were “dropped.” (Remember, they were in fact, pulled by Scripps themselves.) From a PR standpoint (and since Scripps is so interested in having us fight their battles for them), they ought to be talking about how a slight increase will enable them to continue to produce and develop the programming we have come to love. Sure, Cablevision is being dishonest about how Scripps wants them to bail them out of their financial difficulties. But I submit that many people know Cablevision is not your source of honest information. Let THEM deliver the low-blows, Scripps. Meanwhile, play the Everyman of cable companies: Hey, you’re doing your best, but times are tough, all you’re looking for is a little fairness.

Again, I don’t advocate this on a pure level. Only the level of Scripps has obviously demonstrated that it really values spin over facts (it’s a for-profit company, so we shouldn’t be surprised).

I repeat my thesis: Scripps has played this wrong almost every step of the way. The fact is, they probably DO deserve a raise. (Again, Alton Brown alone is worth it in my opinion, though my wife is partial to Giada.) But they’ve squandered that by gambling, and sputtering, and spinning things the wrong way.

Dear Scripps: Here’s an idea.

More posts are up over at ilovefoodnetwork.com. One of them contains links to some of the Food Network chefs’ facebook/twitter pages. Why? So we can see what THEY say have to say about this whole situation. You can imagine how awesome those commentaries are. Just brimming with fresh insight and controversy. And by “brimming with,” I mean completely “absent of.” But, hey, whatever.

Their latest post is what really interests me. In it Scripps announced that “Food Network is teaming up with WPIX-TV in New York and WTXX-TV in Hartford, Conn., to bring Cablevision subscribers the unprecedented culinary competition Super Chef Battle: An Iron Chef America Event on Sunday, January 10th from 8-10pm ET.”

Now, on one hand I can appreciate that they’re doing this for us. I really can.

But on the other hand, it’s even more aggravating. This whole time they’ve been mourning the fact that us Cablevision customers are in the middle of it and can’t watch any of our favorite programs. Well, let’s remember who the hell put us in the middle. Scripps (parent company of FN and HGTV) did. THEY pulled their damn programs and are the ones asking US to send eCards and call Cablevision. So this is the SCRAP that’s tossed to us? Wow. ONE SHOW. The commenters on ilovefoodnetwork.com already revealed who won by the way. I won’t spoil it. But it won’t take you long to find it.

I’m trying not to be selfish about this, though. Instead, I stepped back and I thought about what they’re doing with this little “here’s one show you can watch” thing. And it made me wonder:

If Scripps really cared about us not being able to watch our favorite programs, and if they really WEREN’T about the money, and if they really do want to send a message to Cablevision that it won’t be undervalued and that they’re not afraid to fight… then why, during this outage, wouldn’t they put all of their programming online? I mean, come on, if they really care about us, why not? Why not work out something where Cablevision customers who can’t watch Food Network or HGTV email them and they get a special unique password? Or, hell, just leave it open for all to see?

“Because then EVERYONE would get to watch it for free,” someone in the audience asks.

OK, but not really. How many people in Kentucky (or anywhere) who are paying for cable or satellite are going to cancel their service because Food Network shows are up online temporarily? Pretty much none, I’m guessing.

I’m sure there are some valid concerns about taking such an action. My guess is that those concerns could be addressed. But even if it can’t be every show, so what? The point is, it’s entirely possible that Scripps could put some programming online and make it available to its customers. I mean, how great would that be: “Dear Cablevision customers: Sorry we pulled our programming off Cablevision. We did it because Cablevision are cheap bastards. But, you know what? We’re not putting you in the middle of this and making you fight our fight. Rather, for everyday Cablevision continues to be cheap bastards, you can come to our website and watch all of your favorite shows FOR FREE. And the best part is: Many of you who have Cablevision are also online through a bundled service. That means you get to watch OUR show FOR FREE using THEIR SERVICE. We understand that you’d rather watch TV on your actual TV. So, please, send them an eCard or call this 800 number.”

How great would that be?

See now if they did something like that, I might actually think that they give a damn about us (the people who made them so popular, by the way).

But, hey… maybe I’m just naive.

In the meantime, folks, don’t forget: You can watch ONE Food Network show on WPIX. There’ll be commercials of course. After all, Scripps wouldn’t want to miss the chance of making a buck. Especially when the ad rates will be nice and high, it being an “unprecedented” show, and all. Not that they’re greedy.

So, hey, enjoy your one show, everyone! And remember: Scripps cries itself to sleep every night because YOU are in the middle of this awful, awful situation. They toss and turn and turn and toss and pull out their hair, “IF ONLY THERE WAS A WAY TO DO SOMETHING FOR OUR VIEWERS, IF ONLY THERE WAS A WAY TO BATTLE CABLEVISION WITHOUT PUTTING OUR VIEWERS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!”

Maybe someday they’ll figure a way out of such a conundrum. Maybe.

The ILoveFoodNetwork Blog: How To Say A Lot Without Saying Anything

If you’re looking to learn how to say a lot without saying anything, then head on over to ILoveFoodNetwork.com and take a look at their new post.

It’s titled “Food Network and Cablevision – You Deserve Answers.” Therefore, you might think you’d get some answers. However, you won’t get them. Though, I will hand it to Scripps (Food Network’s parent company, and the folks who are behind ILoveFoodNetwork.com) and give them some credit for being right about something: We DO deserve answers.

Frankly, I have to wonder why they even posted this. It’s almost as if one post is worse than the last one. Prior to this latest was one where the posted a video of Food Network president Brooke Johnson on CNBC. For the first 30 or 45 seconds, she said her well-rehearsed piece spot on. Then she stammered through the rest, dodging simple questions about what their customers are worth and what is they want before they put the programming back on the air.

This latest post, though, is a parody of itself. For instance, take this. A section begins with this:

Many fans…are asking if Scripps Networks (Food Network’s parent company) is just being greedy.

OK, fair enough. That’s actually not my major problem. You may deserve a raise. But the way you’re going at it, as far as I’m concerned is awful. But, yes, some of us maybe wondering if you might be a little greedy. So how do you answer to such charges?

Over the last several years Scripps and Food Network have invested heavily in developing the new shows and talented chefs you love. The success of this investment is reflected in the record ratings achieved in 2009 – Food Network’s highest ever.

Well, first of all, that has nothing to do with greed. All your saying is that you’ve spent money on developing new shows. Perhaps these are shows and personalities that are now earning you a ton of revenue? There’s an old adage: you gotta spend money to make money. (Unless you’re a Food Network watcher with Cablevision, in which case you have to spend money to not get a damn thing.) That’s exactly what you’re doing. Like any business, you’re taking your revenue and you’re using it to make more products to sell. Then you move on to talk about your high ratings. What the hell does that have to do with anything? And by the way, guess who’s responsible for those ratings. We are! The very people you’re alienating.

Their pointless answer goes on to say:

The rates Food Network receives from Cablevision and other cable and satellite operators pay for this investment and are reflected in what you watch on air. Some of you may ask, “What about advertising?” Ad revenue helps Food Network keep the lights on, pay employees and covers other operating costs. In the first three months of 2010 alone, Food Network will be bringing viewers 150 hours of new shows and specials.

Be careful. You may be tempted to say “Ah ha! They answered the question! They’re not greedy! They need the rate increase to pay for the development in new shows.” But, no, they didn’t say that at all. They said that the rates “Food Network receives” (that’s present tense) pay for that investment. Hell, they even say they’ve got “150 hours of new shows and specials” in the “first three months of 2010 alone.” Well, so, if you’re producing that much on the 25 cents per subscriber rate you’re currently getting, there doesn’t seem to be much of a problem. Anyways, Scripps, that’s not the reason you’ve been giving everyone for us. You say you want more money because your ratings are not commensurate with the rates. You pointed out, you rank 76th in rates, and yet you’re in the top 10 channels watched. So let’s not muddle the issue by bringing up Research & Development.

And as for your answer to the “What about ad revenues?” question, you’ve essentially answered our question: It pays for all the overhead of your operation…PLUS OTHER COSTS.

So if you’re currently producing 150 hours of BRAND NEW shows and specials PER QUARTER, and you’re able to pay employees, keep the lights on (how many businesses are able to do that nowadays?), etc, then it really does beg the question: Why did you yank the programming in the name of more money? At first I didn’t think your desire for a higher rate was motivated by greed at all. But now, I think it might be!

Once again, I stand by my two assertions:

1. Scripps plan to use as pawns is backfiring and they are exposing themselves are possible the most or equal of two evils.

2. If Food Network and HGTV don’t appear back on television by midnight tonight, I begin calling Cablevision and urging them to not play ball. Hey since we’re all jerking each other around here, why shouldn’t we little people get in on the action, too?

Food Network and Cablevision – You Deserve Answers

Are you sick of being played by BOTH Scripps and Cablevision?

Cablevision is greedy, their customer service is deplorable, and apparently, they’re not exactly big on the whole negotiation/compromise thing. That’s the truth, and it’s not much of a surprise. But what about Scripps?

When attempting to view the Food Network or HGTV on New Years Day, most people (like my wife and I) were shocked that it was no longer there. And like most people, we went online to find out what had happened. It didn’t take long for us to learn from Scripps (the owner of FN and HGTV) that those channels had been “dropped.” We did what I imagine many people did: We called Cablevision demanding they put the channels back on the air and get back to business.

My wife found the Scripps websites, ILoveFoodNetwork.com and ILoveHGTV.com. There, Scripps posts “updates” on the ongoing situation. At first, this seemed like a pretty good idea. Now, I believe those websites will turn out to be one of a few big mistakes. As a result of those sites, something came into focus for me, as well as almost every single other commenter on that site: Scripps is playing us just as bad as Cablevision—correction: worse. Here’s what I mean:

• Neither Food Network or HGTV was dropped by Cablevision. It was PULLED by Scripps because Cablevision was not where Scripps wanted them to be in the negotiation process. Indeed, Scripps themselves have said that many times that those channels did not have to be pulled, and that channels are often allowed to stay on the air (via short-term extensions) even though contracts are not complete. However, according to Scripps, this only occurs “when the two parties are engaged in productive negotiations and there has been substantive agreement between them” (source). Likewise, on CNBC, Food Network president, Brooke Johnson, was asked why Scripps didn’t just let the stations continue to air while Scripps and Cablevision worked out a deal. Johnson said that they didn’t allow that to happen because, traditionally, “there are no extensions unless you’re in really productive conversations…”  SO: Is Cablevision an unfair or just plain bad negotiator? Sure, could be. Are they greedy and cheap? Sure, could be. But let’s get it straight: SCRIPPS pulled their own programming.
• Perhaps you got a nice warm feeling inside when you found the website ILoveFoodNetwork.com. Perhaps you thought, “Oh good. Someone cares about us. Someone cares what we think.” Well, face it: Scripps is using its Food Network and HGTV viewers as pawns. Weeks ago, Fox was also struggling to reach a deal with Cablevision. Rather than wait til they pulled their programming then claim they were “dropped” to tell us about it, Fox actually got the word out ahead of time while their programming was on the air. Yes, they encouraged viewers to contact Cablevision and encourage them to play nice. But they did it ahead of time, which gave viewers the opportunity to consider and investigate the situation. Scripps made little to no effort to let its viewers know about the impending shut-off of its programming. Yet, they (Scripps) claim that “Scripps Networks has been trying to have productive negotiations with Cablevision for more than six months, but to no avail” (source). So face it, for a half a year as negotiations stalled out, Scripps didn’t really give a damn what you or I thought about their plight. Instead, they pulled their own programming, THEN told us it was “dropped,” and set up a website, hotline, and an eCard service so that we could “Help [them] get HGTV and Food Network back on the air.” In other words, we are getting gamed; we are getting played.
• Make no mistake, this is about money, and we will likely lose. Scripps is unhappy because their prior deal with Cablevision gave them 25 cents per subscriber. That ranked them (according to Brooke Johnson) about 76th of the top 80 cable channels. And yet, as far as viewership goes, they are in the Top 10. Does that mean they deserve more money? Arguably, it does. However, viewers like us need to understand that by demanding more money, Scripps is putting Cablevision in a position where it will likely pass the rate increase along to us. Look at the financials of both companies. Numbers such as those are up for interpretation, but I think many people would agree that Scripps is actually doing better than Cablevision. What’s more, we’re trying to climb our way out of a recession. Scripps is free to try to get the best money for its services. But right now we’re in a time when people are unemployed and struggling, and businesses are downsizing and shuttering. If Scripps gets what it wants it will either come from our wallets, or it will take a toll on an already struggling Cablevision. Meantime, Scripps isn’t struggling. They just want more money. Hey, that’s their right. But let’s not sugarcoat the context and consequences.

If it seems that my axe to grind is mainly with Scripps, it’s because…well…it probably is. But then, Cablevision has always been, in my mind, a poorly run company with terrible customer services and high rates. Our only alternative around here, Verizon FiOS, is no better (or it’s worse considering the contracts). So, really, the bar is set fairly low for Cablevision. And I do blame them for their apparent (or alleged) unwillingness to negotiate. Honestly, more than six months? Really? That’s pathetic that a deal couldn’t be reached.

Scripps, however, is the company who provides comforting programming during these economically and politically trying times. We are at war, we are worried about our jobs (will we keep it, will we find a new one), we are worried about how to pay the bills. Can we afford to buy a house? Should we rent? Where should we live? How can we eat well on a budget? In many ways, there’s no better time for the programming of the Food Network and HGTV. Alton Brown teaches how nearly everything in the kitchen should be a multi-tasker, and how most fancy tools are unnecessary and overpriced. Other shows teach us how to prepare healthy and tasty meals quickly and for only a few dollars. In the meantime, HGTV educates us about affordable areas to buy in. They show us what first time homebuyers should do. They even have shows for renters. Ironic then, that they have been the ones to take advantage of us. They have played with the facts, and they are counting on OUR ire to be THEIR ammunition.

I am not looking to tell anyone what to do. I can only speak for myself. Cablevision never had any of my loyalty. I’d have dropped them in a second if there was any other (decent) alternative. But Scripps did have my loyalty. However, their actions (pulling their programming without any warning to its viewers, which manipulates us into fighting their battles) have resulted in a total loss of loyalty of all things Scripps. So unless FN is restored TODAY (this is Tuesday morning, January 5th), Scripps CAN count on me making my voice heard to Cablevision: I will be urging them to NOT negotiate with Scripps, and encouraging them to drop the programming completely.