Nightly news program?

$68 a Month For Basically One TV News Program?

• Last year I picked up Direct TV to watch pretty much only one in-depth news program (Fox News) and an occasional football game. The news program is not available on the basic plan. $68 seems like a heck of a lot of money for one channel. Any way to avoid paying these charges and still acquire Fox News.? I am a senior on a fixed income. Would appreciate any tips (besides the obvious one).

• Answer:

  Yikes !!! Sounds an absurd amount for just a single channel of ANY description. I pay that for the UK equivalent (via Sky TV) - and it includes the usual (basic) 'premier' channel (Football) - add ons (News and Documentaries) - an extra Football channel (ESPN) - all 35 or so 'free to view' channels covered by the TV licence (a separate £10 per month paid to the BBC) AND telephone, internet services. And I'm not too happy with it. Because - I still feel the Salesman who 'signed me up' a year ago MISLED me as to what the 'premier' football channel actually included. Sky (part of Murdoch's International News Corp) seem to specialise in luring subscribers into fixed term contracts (usually 12 or 18 months) - offering initial 'special deals' - in a confusing array of 'packages' - precise details of which are skimmed over. Eg - I now find my 'premier' football channel (+ ESPN) @ about £27-50 per month doesn't even cover all English Premiership matches - some are now only shown on another 'package'. Subject to 'upgrading' and extra cost, of course. My News 'add-on' includes FOX NEWS - a rather 4th rate, laughable bunch of bananas - with a stream of nonsense from half-baked biased pundits, such as Glenn Beck, O'Reilly and Hannity. I would be shocked and amazed if this is the 'in-depth' news programme you are referring to. For $68 per month I'd expect some highly specialist - expensive/restricted News service, available only to active journalists who need special links with AP, Reuters etc - and/or Ivy League Uni pundits signed-up to comment on current events. Such might be available - or not. Nothing would surprise me as regards the extent to which Murdoch's media empire would extend/sink in 'signing up' the ILL or MIS-informed. I can't help as regards 'other ways' in the US - but hope the fore-going help in some way. : ((