CEO Of 21st Century Fox Thinks People Aren't Really Asking For A La Carte TV Channels

There are two subjects that seem to keep TV execs in complete denial: cord cutting and the demand for a la carte TV packages. Both are very real (and, frankly, the increase in the former is somewhat driven by the latter), but to listen to cable execs it's just not happening. Not happening. La la la la, they can't hear you, not happening. The latest such example is from Chase Carey, CEO of 21st Century Fox, who insists that any such demand "is a farce" which some might see as a slight improvement from that time he called it a "fantasy," but not by much. So why is it "a farce?" Well, because Chase Carey knows better than you what you really want. And you want bundles because they're just that awesome.

"The bundle is still a great proposition for the consumer when you compare it to the a world of $5 lattes and cell phone bills,"

First of all, we've been hearing variations on the "what a good deal compared to the $5 latte" argument in a variety of industries, and it's almost always bogus. It's clearly an apples and oranges comparison here. No one forces you to buy the blueberry muffin, the "adult contemporary" CD, plus three smaller cups of coffee you'll never drink just to get that latte. Also, frankly, the $5 latte is the result of actually giving consumers what they want in a competitive market. The same cannot be said for the TV market. At all.

Here's a general rule of thumb modern businesses: if you're working on giving people what they actually want, that's probably a good thing and bodes well for your business. If, instead, you force them to deal with a bunch of crap they don't want -- and then mock them for suggesting a better product, you're not long for this world.

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