Can I negotiate my Cable bill, I would like to pay less too?

Maybe I am an anomaly, because I am amazed about this Fox (News Corporation) and Cablevision dispute that has been unfolding publicly the last two weeks. With Fox pulling FX, and Fox channels from cablevision right before NFL football they effectively drew a line n the proverbial sand by restricting internet and television content for all customers in NJ & NY (Variety.com). That inst even the part of this entire negotiation that surprises me. It is how Cablevision has almost exclusively vilified the network for asking for more money on their next contract.

“It is outrageous and wrong for Fox to use baseball and football games to hold viewers hostage and extract tens of millions of dollars from Cablevision customers,” the Cablevision spokesman Charles Schueler said in a statement. (New York Times)

While the the fact that FOX is asking for a 100% ($150m)more then their current contract ($70m), It is hard for me to consider or give a Cable provider the benefit of the doubt in this fight. Especially considering CableVision is the same company that is restricting the 1st NY governor debates to exclusivity their broadcast this week. Leaving every other Citizen who doesnt have a cable contract with Cablevision ignorant of what is being said in a the Gubernatorial DEBATE.

"Verizon FiOS TV customers and millions of other viewers served by other providers across the state have essentially been blacked out of the debate, denying them their rights as citizens and voters, since Cablevision is the sole broadcaster of the event," (Michelle Webb PRnewswire)

That being read, I guess I can find the Irony in Cablevision Petitioning the FCC for forced binding arbitration. Especially being that Cablevision denotes

"Cablevision is willing to accept binding arbitration from an independent 3rd party to settle this dispute. We call on News Corp to accept binding arbitration, Cablevision.com"

I am not a fan of Fox News for obvious reason, yet I dont see Mr. Murdochs argument to be unreasonable with the amount for programing NewsCorp provides. Cablevison argues on their page that

"Cablevision has reached agreement with every other major broadcast station, including CBS, NBC, ABC and Univision. But News Corp is demanding more in fees for FOX 5 and My9 than Cablevision and our customers pay for all of the other broadcast stations combined!"

I refuse to believe that cablevision is being entirely truthful, because I couldn't imagine the amount they fork over to Disney every year for the right to transport ABC/Disney channels. while Fox has tried to make a stronger programing line-up everyear. In the last 10 years Fox has secured the rights to broadcast the College Football bowl championship until 2011 at the rate of $20 million a year for 4 games, AFC and NFC championship games as well as the superbowl for a little under 1 billion dollars a year at $4.27B (one billion more than CBS, NBC, ABC pay for their broadcast rights), the MLB NLCS & ALCS as well as the World Series is also exclusively broadcasting on FOX as well as some of the highest rated shows ever in TV history "

1. American Idol
2. House
3. X-Files
4. The Simpson (Longest running series in TV history)
5. Family Guy
6. Animaniacs
7. The OC
8. 24
9. Arrested Development
10. Nascar -left turn league(Came to the current prominence when Fox picked up their rights in the early 90's)
    

To name a few, and that doesnt include the programming Fox has developed on their other stations such as FX, or Fox News. Which has high rated shows such as

1. Always Sunny in Philadelphia (its not)
2. The League (Best Comedy on TV)
3. DVD on TV
4. Rescue Me (6 seasons)
5. Terriers
6. The Shield
7. Nip/Tuck
8. Sons of Anarchy (FX highest rated series ever 4.9m viewers per week)
9. Bill Orielly
10. Glen Beck
11. Tea Party (I blame you Rupert)
    

All of those points being made, I do question with the complaints surrounding the NLCS and football this weekend being blacked out this week of FOX affiliates. Why don't you all just use an anttena, do they not realize that fox broadcast over the air too? Some New Yorkers really are just f'n idiots, or lazy. Maybe you do deserve to pay more if you are to lazy to walk to your tv and plug in bunny ears if you want to see the games or shows. Yet Fox asking for $150m to broadcast their stations seems reasonable, however ridiculous that might sound. Because not once has my cable company allowed me to negotiate rates of what I believe is fair. Is their arbitration for that timewarner, cox, or suddenlink? Cablevision I just see is being unreasonable. Fox clearly has great programing or people wouldn't be so riled up about this issue. MLB, NFL, CFB, simpsons, nascar, can all be seen on fox, do that ABC, NBC, or CBS, SMH.
PAY THEM!