# Basic Cable

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 16, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008 "2002-12-16T03:30:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/1 "2002-12-16T03:30:04Z")

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Why are there more commericals on basic cable than on brodcast TV concidering that you have to pay for basic cable and broadcast is free?

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/2 "2002-12-16T06:22:21Z")

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I don’t understand your question. I’ve watched a local station that could be seen on basic cable or picked up for free via antenna. The broadcast content was identical, though the cable version was about 1.5 seconds slow.

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**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/3 "2002-12-16T06:34:26Z")

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I would guess he’s probably talking about percentage of comercials on a program that’s on a non-premium cable channel vs. percentage of comercials on a broadcast channel.

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**Author:** ![Vidking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@Vidking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vidking)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/4 "2002-12-16T06:37:49Z")

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The basic cable networks do have more commericals because they get lower ratings and have to make money.They are probly more exspencive to run. I don’t like what Amc has done though they now edit movies.

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**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/5 "2002-12-16T06:40:07Z")

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I believe it is due to more people watch brodcast networks, which means commericals get more views on those channels. Basic cable needs more commericals because less people watch those channels and thus companies will pay much less for the commericals, which means the network has to cram more in.

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**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-cable/143008/6 "2002-12-17T00:42:44Z")

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So the money we pay to watch cable or satilite tv doesn’t count for much then?