Current TV

by Pam Cole, Editor

Oct. 27, 2005, 8:30 p.m.

So I spent 20 increasingly frustrating minutes on the phone with Comcast this week just trying to find out if Current TV was available in my area. For some reason, the customer service rep was reluctant to even tell me if it was available after I explained that I wasn't trying to order the channel, I just wanted to know if I could. After giving my name, address, phone number, and the last 4 digits of my social security number to two more customer reps (one of whom claimed to have never heard of Current TV even though I explained that I could see the listing on my TV, channel 287) I finally found someone who reluctantly informed me that Current TV was part of the Digital Deluxe plan, as if that should answer all my questions.

After determining that I am, in fact, a Digital Silver subscriber, I learned that, for an additional $3 a month, on top of the $100.08 I already pay, I too could watch Al Gore's version of reality. Welcome to the scam of cable television .( Well, I did get a coupon for $20 off a purchase on the home shopping network in this month's bill.)

This really broke my heart because I am so hyped about Current TV right now. I am planning to film my very own "pod" submission, because it's the best opportunity for a beginning filmmaker I've ever heard. If it wasn't for the bad customer service experience I had with Comcast, I might actually fork out the extra 3 bucks. But now I'll wait until my pod premieres on the network to sign up for more cable.

Check out the next edition of SSR for the scoop on Current TV. Coming Nov. 19.

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Past Editorials:

Coretta Scott King
Breaking Ground
Happy Holidays
Current TV
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