Is this what we want?

We’ve been asking for it for decades…let us pay for only the content we want to view.  Add to that, anytime, anywhere.  Slowly, we are getting it...kind of. 

This past week, NBC Universal announced plans to launch a comedy web-subscription service for a few dollars a month.  When available, it will join other small bundle offerings by Sling TV and CBS.  We’ve been warned that we could end up paying more than we currently do as cable subscribers. 

Today, as a Verizon FIOS customer with a TV/Internet bundle that “gives” me 320 channels and 50/50 broadband speeds, I pay about $110/month (excluding a small contract discount and fees/taxes).  I also have Netflix for $7.99/month.  For me, the NBCU comedy offering is not appealing.  But, I’m not the target market. If provided the ability to choose, I, as a media consumer over the age of 50, would buy the broadcast channels (including their live coverage of sports), ESPN and its sister channels, CNN, and CNBC.  That’s it.  I would keep Netflix and maybe add HBO Plus.  How much would that cost me?  I’d have to think that it would be less than what I pay now, but I’m not so sure.