Channels and Programming

[rhalten]

Of course it's Comcast. In Atlanta they interrupt at :25 and :55 with news from a local station -- the SAME 3 minutes of news every half hour (but different commercials).

C'mon, Comcast. This is your forum so don't play dumb. You make enough off our monthly payments that you don't need to sell spots that interrupt programming.

Is there any explanation besides greed?

[westsideschl]

A couple of years ago I contacted Comcast customer service about why a breaking news channel such as HLN (vs. using one of the more logical local public channels) was interrupted by Newsmakers and also the legality of choosing a channel whose content subscribers are specifically paying to watch and subsequently are missing. They didn't know who was responsible. Add the questionable use of frequent political guests who are self promoting their own agenda. The Seattle government cable overseers sound weak willed and uninformed when you ask them. I wonder if there is a legal recourse? Since they have now doubled the time taken to about 10 minutes each hour I wonder if I can receive a rebate for what I'm missing each hour.

[UHFhd]

Many Comcast Customers feel the same way I'm sure . We are just the only one's who have found this resource to post our discontent . One day Comcast may listen to there customer base .

            http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-and-Programming/Comcast-Newsmakers/m-p/968675#M11085

[Shar1168]

Will someone please tell me who is responsible for scheduling that extremely boring Comcast Newsmakers show at the end of certain programs--meaning that you don't know how the stories turn out?  Comcast blames this on HLN but HLN blames this decision on Comcast.  No matter who is responsible, once I see that a program has been interrupted at the bottom of the hour I quit watching because I know it'll interrupted just before the top of the hour and get in the way of finding out how the program ends.  That means I will not be exposed to the advertising.  Good.  Since the viewers who have complained in great number can't seem to get through to the programmers maybe affecting, even in a small way, the advertisers will.

[UHFhd]

     Added to the ongoing list of Comcast Customers who would like Comcast Newsmakers Terminated .

       http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-and-Programming/Comcast-Newsmakers/m-p/943619#M11089

[falada]

Totally agree.  These are puff pieces, and while I might be interested in some of the subjects, I'm not going to sit around hoping something that I want to see will turn up.  It's just another thing creating customer animosity for Comcast.

[erick0001]

I was hoping that it was not just my wife and myself. The "Comcast News Makers" must go! It is very annoying and a real nuisance to paying customers. HLN programming is constantly interrupted in the last five minutes of every hour to talk a whole lot about nothing, blah! blah! blah! have to research whatever it was that I happened to be watching just find out how the segment ended. Enough Comcast!!! Goodbye Suzanne!!!

[DuanBar]

How do we annoy and irritate our customers? -- I know, Let's cut off the last 5 minutes of a program they have been watching for an hour and prevent them from seeing the final outcome - We'll repeat one of those local Comcast Newsmaker stories in that last 5 minutes, over and over again. What a great idea! Whoever came up with this idea should have an MRI immediately - some of the brain cells are definitely rubbing together in the wrong way !!!

[JohnLakis]

Comcast has been ruining HLN for a long time now. It defies logic but don't expect change anytime soon. Comcast will say they want to "address your concerns" but its just empty words, talk without substance, lip service, jerking your chain, playing a lame customer service game and if anyone posts anything here that's too forceful Comcast moderators will delete it.

[ericusa]

It's bad enough that Comcast Newsmakers interruppts HLN now TWICE in the moring but they only have 3-5 stupid episodes that they repeat! Go AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rwharold]

I don't know what's going on, but I THINK our voices have finally been listened to. I've been watching CNN Headline News for the past 3 days and I haven't seen a single episode of Newsmakers. I think our prayers have finally worked. THANK GOD!!!!!!! Now we can have uninterrupted programming again!

[Donhas]

Why does the HLN channel allow Comcast newsmakers to take over the last 5 mins of a show? I'll never watch HLN again. Are you kidding? We watch an hour mystery, waiting to see how the mystery is solved, and Comcast Newsmakers cuts in on the end of the show???? The network doesnt even let viewers know what's going on. 5 mins later, you figure out that you're never going to see the end of that show. Comcast puts on these fillers EVERY 25 minutes??? Over and over and over and over... Incredible. In today's world of high speed technology and channel surfing, who do you think wants to settle in for 10 minutes per hour of boring filler?

[rwharold]

At least for the past week, Comcast Newsmakers is OFF THE AIR in my area which is Reston, Virginia.

[Donhas]

Good to know, but it's still on here in Los Gatos, California. Hard to believe.

[falada]

Our local-area interviewer is a blandly pleasant fellow who maintains a website for his real-estate business.  I wonder if people who recognize him in real life ever snarl at him.  I know I would ("newscaster attacked by eighty-two year old woman..."). 

Do you suppose the interviewees pay for their four minutes of fame?  Somebody is surely getting something out of all this, and it certainly isn't Comcast's customers.

[girt2]

Lucky you, that you no longer have to put up with Newsmaker!! It is still on in the Seattle/Tacoma area!!

[JohnLakis]

Comcast has been ruining HLN in Pennsylvania for a long time now. This stiff, boring, robotic lady who calls herself "Jill Horner" just wont go away! It defies logic but don't expect change anytime soon. Comcast will say they want to "address your concerns" but its just empty words, talk without substance, lip service, jerking your chain, playing a lame customer service game and if anyone posts anything here that's too forceful Comcast moderators will delete it.

[rwharold]

I guess I spoke too soon. I reported several weeks ago that Comcast  Newsmakers was off the air in my area Reston, Virginia. I had several weeks of NO broadcast of Newsmakers. It was pure heaven of not having to see that trash. Well today, I see that Newsmakers has been put back on the air. I can't believe it! I wish Comcast would listen to us and remove this stupid programming from the air permanently. PLEASE LISTEN TO US! REMOVE NEWSMAKERS FROM THE AIR PERMANENTLY!!!!!!!!!

[JohnLakis]

Comcast has been ruining HLN broadcast for a long time. It defies logic but don't expect change anytime soon. Comcast will tell you they want to "address your concerns" but its just empty words, talk without substance, lip service, jerking your chain, playing a lame customer service game and if anyone posts anything here that's too forceful Comcast moderators will delete it. Change will require a large outcry not just a handful of customers who are tired of being patronized and ignored...

[Sanddollar1981]

Comcast newsmakers belong on a public broadcasting channel, not interrupting a major news channel. What's worse is who they interview. In my area last year was a local political figure. She just got found guilty for fraud and misuse of her office.

HLN is a affiliate of CNN. I have read all of these comments from people like me and comcast seems to ignore it. I suggest everyone contact HLN and advise them comcast is doing this and it is chasing people away from their channel.

[spowers49]

The end of HLN Local Edition:

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/on-hln-the-end-of-local-edition_b123034#more-123034

[segnesa]

Yahoooooooo!

[medziatkowicz]

comcast will still run these stupid shows somehow. Why do they even call it headline news? It has more shows than news. It's like the weather channel. It has more shows that weather reporting.

[steppenwolf55]

Yay! We finally won, I guess...

[falada]

I'm not going to cheer until I can be sure Comcast is going to remove or move the segment.  But did anybody else think that  this, from the article (thank you so much for linking to it) was awfully funny:

"The loss of “Local Edition” may be in HLN’s long-term interest, but it may also affect viewers, who are losing an opportunity to see local newsmakers on a national network. If the segments get moved to smaller channels, they may continue, but how many people will really see them?"

Oh, yeah.  I'll bet a lot of complaints come in over this tragic loss.

[segnesa]

My guess is that the relatives of the people who anchor these shows will still watch...the rest of us can watch the ENDING of HLN shows.

[spowers49]

I wonder how long it will take until they're permanently removed? I'm in NJ and still notice the "Comcast Newsmakers" segments on HLN SD. HLN HD doesn't have the segments. 

[rwharold]

I watch HLN HD in my area Northern Virginia Reston, Virginia and Comcast Newsmakers is still on the air. The news release about ending Newsmakers Local Edition was posted on April 19th. How much longer do we have to put up with this useless programming?

[falada]

A segment appeared just this morning, western Oregon.  I've been pretty much avoiding HLN, especially because they add insult to injury by repeating the dreadful Nancy Grace two or three times in the course of an evening.  But these bloody bits of local nonsense are even more of a deterrent. 

[rwharold]

I don't know what's going on, but I've just watched CNN HLN for several hours and I didn't see a single issue of Comcast Newsmakers. I live in the Northern Virginia area Reston, Virginia. I "think" Newsmakers is FINALLY off the air. I hope!

[Susanismad]

It was on all week-end in Northern California.  When oh when will it end?  

[rwharold]

I guess I spoke too soon. I live in Reston, Virginia where Comcast Newsmakers was not on the air all day Monday. But today it's back on the air. Perhaps they were testing the market to see what it would be like with no Newsmakers. I sure wish they would remove it permanently! What a waste of time!

[JohnLakis]

Complain directly to Comcast and see what happens...Comcast will tell you they want to "address your concerns" but its just empty words, talk without substance, lip service, jerking your chain, playing a lame customer service game and if anyone posts anything here that's too forceful Comcast moderators will delete it. Change will require a large outcry not just a handful of customers. 

[rwharold]

I just placed a telephone call to CNN HLN in Atlanta. They told me that the news release that we all read on April 19th was a trure story. I've reproduced the link here: http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/on-hln-the-end-of-local-edition_b123034#more-123034 HLN told me that they don't have a date that it will take effect at this time. But it will happen I was told. So at least we have hope that it will happen soon.

[tewmolly]

Please take Comcast Newsmakers off of CNN Headlines. I can't stand it when it comes on. I am checking to see if Verizon carries such a program. I hate Comcast Newsmakers!

[spowers49]

I'm in NJ and I no longer see the Comcast Newsmakers cut-ins on HLN. 

[rwharold]

I live in Reston, Virginia and I too have not seen Newsmakers on the air today. Perhaps the HLN news release we all read last month has finally come true. If this is true, we can thank all of our efforts. Good riddance. I hated Comcast Newsmakers. It was pure trash and a waste of time.

[Susanismad]

It's gone, it's gone.  I got an e-mail today from HLN confirming that the programming has been changed and apologizing for the problem (especially) with the weeked mystery series.  I can relax.  Hooray.

[Susanismad]

Oh, by the way, it is gone from Northern California (Sacramento) comcast.

[tewmolly]

Happiness!! Comcast newsmakers is gone. I can now watch CNN Headlines without that annoying interuption. Thank you Comcast!!!!

[PC_Bigboy]

Well in the first place, HLN is more like TMZ TV (If not the old Court TV) than it is a true "News" outlet like CNN (Which IS a news outlet even though it's my outlet of choice ).  Plus HLN isn't exactly the ratings grabber like it used to be

Add to the fact that THE INVESTIGATORS & BODY OF EVIDENCE can also be found on TruTV (Along with FORENSIC FILES) if you DVR them (They come on fairly late at night depending on where you live)

Given all this, does it REALLY matter what channel NEWSMAKERS appears on?  Think about it.....

JMO.....

Cheers

PC

[chriswkbrd]

Why are you interrupting HLN with this junk you call Comcast Newsmakers!? This segment is awful and you're taking away from real news! I'm so over this company, I will be doing a switch in the very near future!

[angielisa]

I hate that too. I figured it out they don't interrupt on hln hd channel.

[chriswkbrd]

Actually they do, or at least in my area. I watch channel 835 HLNHD and that's where I've been seeing that nonsense.

[medziatkowicz]

I thought they stopped that a few months ago? Did they start airing it again now? I don't watch tv much anymore besides for sports and occasional news and weather. Nothing really good on. I guess the saying about 500 channels and nothing to watch is true.

[Lsepos]

I stopped watching HLN because of the newsmakers cutting the end of shows. I can't figure out the comcast thought process. Let's see how many people we can frustrate... If that was the goal, they succeeded.

[thbehn]

I will be leaving Comcast too. Comcast Newsmakers is a waste of time. I want to see HLM when I tune in to that HD station!

[chriswkbrd]

Well it's back again in the Atlanta area! I'm so sick of them force feeding us this cr@p they call news and cutting off the real news!!! I've already had it with Comcast and this is just about the last straw. I bought an HD antenna and get all the major local stations. I've just got to get a 20ft ladder so I can run the cable down the side of my house and to the main splitter so I can have the channels in all the rooms. I can't wait to turn my boxes in and save myself over $120 a month!

[falada]

Back again in Salem OR, too - the same vapid stuff as before.  One happy difference - these little feel-good interviews seem to show up only during the daytime, when there are no news or other shows I watch on MSNBC..  By late afternoon (here, Velez-Mitchell shows up at 4:00 and the Graceless Nancy at 5) they still haven't reappeared.  Touch wood.

[falada]

Oops - correction.  Meant to say HLN above, not MSNBC!