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Blaze TV - Gone

With all the junk programming available, VZ now decides to remove an information TV program. I cannot help but to believe this decision is more about politics than viewers. VZ publicly talks diversity but their action speaks of clear resistance to diverse views.

Reverse your decision and reinstate The Blaze.

Comments

sammy231

I am so angry that you have chosen to drop the Blaze TV from your lineup. For the last year, I have had salespeople from Altice outside my door on a regular basis trying to sell us their product, tempting us with very generous triple play packages. I turned them away because though Verizon's prices are exorbinant, I gritted my teeth every month while paying my over $150 billl, and almost wept as I examined the through the roof fees you tack on. But hey, it was a choice, and thankfully I still have the freedom to choose, so I chose to stay because Altice did not carry the Blaze network.

Now you have chosen to drop the Blaze, and have inferred in your oh so apologetic messages that it was due to contractual issues. But alas, my poor little progressive, I do not believe that claim,not even for a moment.The timing is too obvious, just as the Blaze merged with CRTV. Huh? This is just Verizon lining up behind Twitter, Facebook, and all the other progressive media outlets that are trying to silence the conservative voices. Well thank God we still have a capitalist economic system, and your decision to drop the Blaze allows me the freedom to drop you!

Good riddance to bad news!

Seeker1437

For those looking into this issue you can see official info here:

www.verizon.com/blaze.

Richey3

Verizon took The Blaze out of its TV line up as of 12/28/18 so starting 12/29/18 i'm starting to look for a new cable company who does carry The Blaze and i intend to drop VERIZON and go too the new company,With all the crap tv in thier tv line up they had the drop The Blaze i think the just want to silence the voice of Glenn Beck !!!

CRobGauth

The blaze charges $10/month for a subscription to their channel if you want to stream.

Its highly possible that the terms of their renewal didn't meet Verizon costs.

Blaze appears to only be carried by cablevision and some smaller cable companies.

Remember that cable providers pay for every one that has access to a channel regardless of viewership.
If Blaze was in a tier with low viwership, the cost may have been too much.

People complain about high prices yet want their channels.

The content providers are the ones who won't let us choose the channels we wish.

Kolt1

Please reinstate The Blaze. You offer no explanation as to why this channel was dropped and it seems politically driven. If not reinstated, I and others will drop Verizon!!!

TaxDawg

It doesn't take a genius to see they removed it because it got no ratings whatsoever. Add in how no one else has it cable wise....thank goodness they removed it. And I am a Republican.

Timmer1

The Blaze was one of the main reasons I signed up for FiOS, and now they have pulled it, alegedly for financial reasons. I want The Blaze back, and since they dropped it, I will be looking for another TV provider (unless they bring it back.)

The next time I tune into Channel 112 or 612, I expect to see The Blaze.

TaxDawg

Verizon will miss you and the other 5 people who watched it

Hammer_Bro

Well, just caught wind of the following:

1.) We periodically renew our agreements with TV content providers to be able to provide you with the programming available on FiOS TV.

2.) At Verizon, we put our customers first in all our content decisions. We aim to provide content our customers want at a fair price.

3.) Given that the cost of programming is the single biggest factor in higher TV bills, we carefully review proposals from content providers to be sure that their rates are in line with their viewership. This practise allows us to bring you a competitive rate for FiOS TV packages.

4.) As a result, we have decided to drop TheBlaze (Ch. 112 SD / 612 HD) from our lineup effective December 28, 2018. For more information please visit www.verizon.com/blaze.

5.) We know you have a choice for home entertainment and appreciate you choosing Verizon.

I didn’t even receive an e-mail about this (like in the situation with Disney v. Verizon) which leads me to believe that they just snuck this change in there. Interestingly enough, i searched for Al Jazeera because that was my historical contention back when. I said if they were going to have Al, they needed Blaze as a necessary counter-balance. However, i am not seeing Al in the lineup (or at least when i searched tonight).

I’m taking issue with point number 2. To be honest, i don’t hold that Verizon prioritises its customers - - i feel like they are last to know (like the parents) (laughs) 😉 It was the same thing with TWC, Hallmark, FUNimation, Tennis, RFDTV although after the clamour they decided to restore Tennis Channel. Additionally, they do not provide a fair price by any means. We are paying close to $200 and always have the spectre of them removing our favourite channels.

As for point 3, i could be wrong, but, i have a hard time believing that they really take all this time to “carefully consider”. I have the feeling it is a group of high-powered corporate execs, they present the minutes, and cut to the quick i.e. “Blaze viewership has been down for the last three quarters - - and boom! Gone. But, what i would like to know, and i have stated this in the past with respect to FUNimation, are they accounting for DVR stats? Maybe not everyone can always watch the channel, but, they will DVR it.

With respect to point 5, i am glad that they acknowledge we have a choice, which, coincidentally, i have a feeling many people will be exercising very soon (laughs)

Concluding, this news, right on the proverbial heels (so to speak) of the Disney debacle does not portend good things for this company. If in fact it does implode, i guess there is always DirecTV - - problem is, i find myself in a stalemate. I do not desire to go with satellite and Altice (Cablevision re-branded) will probably still fall short of my expectations. Some will argue for YouTube TV, however, keep in mind, YouTube is owned by Google, a highly unethical company. Would just be nice if Verizon could keep its customers satisfied!

Regards, H.B.

P.S.- It will be interesting to see if Verizon holds the line by canceling the Disney family of networks as fast as they canceled Blaze Cat Tongue

Guess i’m going to be on the phone with Verizon’s Central Complaints Dept. Monday, then again, due to the holiday, they might not even be there, i guess i will find out soon enough.

TaxDawg

Why would Verizon hold the line for the Blaze like they do with Disney? One has millions of daily listeners. The other has maybe 10 daily watchers

Jenny110

Considering dropping Verizon because of no more blaze. Should be more options not less!! Lots of other ways to get programming besides Verizon and many less expensive...

Hammer_Bro

Why would they hold the line you ask? For uniformity, of course. If they claim that they are attempting to reduce cost by ridding themselves of exorbitant networks, seems to me that Disney would fit that bill quite good.

You further explain,

"the other has ten daily watchers."

Is it ten? Are you quite sure that it is not eleven, maybe even twelve? 😉

Nelson211

I notice Verizon keeps removing content without a bill reduction. I also notice the content usually leans to the right. Maybe it is time for a change. Obviously our hard-earned $220/month means little to Verizon.

Nelson211

How about a bill reduction when you remove a station which I watch frequently. Verizon took away Bloomberg, Disney, and now Blaze TV. What is next to go? Perhaps they will remove Fox News, as it doesn't coincide with their left-wing viewpoint? There are other carriers/cable and phone. Time for a switch seems nearing.....

CRobGauth

Channels get removed (especially low viewer ship ones) to help even out costs.

new Disney deal is going to cost more. Can't say that dropping blaze will offset Disney costs, but will help.

Hammer_Bro

CRobGauth, so, we meet again (sinister laugh) 😉

You explain,

"Channels get removed (especially low viewership ones) to help even out costs.

new Disney deal is going to cost more. Can't say that dropping blaze will offset Disney costs, but will help."

Perhaps by that same token, they should drop MSNBC as i'm pretty sure their ratings are in the proverbial toilet (laughs again)

CRobGauth

Doesn't look like it:

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/27/msnbc-fox-cable-ratings-number-one-1075872

https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/november-2018-ratings-msnbc-is-a-top-5-cable-network-and-is-drawing-more-total-viewers-than-cnn/386033

The fact that only one other major cable company carries Blaze should be an indication of its ratings.

mbse4@msn.com

I am still seething over the removal of The Weather Channel, but I was willing to stay the course as Verizon carried The Blaze - now that too is gone. Verizon, as other cable companies, are becoming extinct by their own devices. The millenials are not choosing cable. We are moving to Hulu, SlingTV, Netflix, Roku etc where we will be choosing and buying our own content. Anything we enjoy watching on Verizon, they rid us of - mostly intellectual TV. There are hundreds of stations we receive we have NEVER, EVER watched - nor will we. Verizon is pushing its remaining customers out the door. My mother left them over The Weather Channel debacle. My children - millenials - don't watch or have cable TV. If The Blaze does not return, it may be time to get my television content elsewhere.

oi-sze

See complete Verizon TV lineup,... place The Blaze where it belongs considering the viewership numbers and quality of programming. Definitely way above average. So, claim that Verizon can't carry all channels is correct but the choice to remove above average The Blaze instead of dozens if not hundreds meaningless ones they still carry is the wrong part. Also, quite obviously politically charged as why else would provider remove News/Info channel that has huge audience and quality-but for intolerance.

Federalist1961

VerizonFios is slowly but surely burying itself. It's customer service is non-existent. The programming decisions like eliminating the Blaze and CRTV from Mark Levin is wrong. Verizon's take-it-or-leave-it approach with content vendors is no different than its approach to customers. Unfortunately, the 50+ crowd like me are a dwindling number. Young folks don't purchase these cable contracts. So, good luck Verizon. You are killing the golden goose!

Morristown50

Terrible choice to remove one of the more thoughtful channels on FIOS. You keep dozens of stupid, mindless channels. You are contributing to the dumbing down of America.

CRobGauth

Do you know what viewership numbers are for thsi channel?

And remember, it is not just the numbers. But cost per viewer.

If The Blaze has double the numbers of another channel but cost 5 times as much, which makes sense to drop from a business perspective?
And the fact that most cable providers do not carry this content should say something as well IMHO.

Hammer_Bro

Rob-

Yes, because i'm going to lend tremendous credence to politico and adweek both of which lean politically left. By the way, the p. piece makes it sound so significant that they have surpassed Fox News - - big whoop. Anyone with sense knows why that is (if it is actually true in the first place) it is the elephant in the room nobody desires to talk about: the foolish decision by Murdoch's sons to oust O'Reilly. So, it's not that MSNBC is really performing stellar, they are still [expletive deleted] it's just that Greg Gutfeld is not enough star power to carry the day for Fox. By the way, that is not to be taken as an insult by Greg.

He's doing the best he can, but gosh darn it, he's only one [1] person.

Anyway, thanks for playing, but, better luck next time.

Regards,

H.B.

qjill

Does anyone know if the Blaze is still being offered in the "custom" TV packages? We wanted to switch to one of the "news" packages, but dont want to sign up for a 2 year contract if they can just eliminate channels.

Luicee2

I will just give you the benefit of the doubt that you are just assuming you know the Blaze’s ratings...

MSNBC, CNBC, and yes, even CNN fall below them...

i don’t see MSNBC or CNBC being dropped. this move is purely political.

cutting Disney would save money,

theBlaze runs on a shoestring budget..they cannot be super expensive to carry this is a political move, with the election cycle warming up

it’s also a bigoted one, just like when FIOS dropped RFDTV the same week they okayed a second channel for HD with them...now THAT was a cheap station!

they handed it off to Logo which failed, rather quickly..and had to change its programming to royalty free reruns inside of six months.

going from a rural network to a LGBTQ+ targeted one was pure prejudice.

before theBlaze became a network, they tried to buy Al Gore’s network when he put it up for sale... he sold it to Al Jazeera. For less than theBlaze bid. Way less.

and then, Al .jazeera stiffed him on the agreed price...by $65M!

instand Karma anyone?

now, when theBlaze gets its network going, hits it’s stride, merges with a competitor, and seems primed to become a full fledged media outlet, FIOS pulls the plug.

they can cry poverty all they want, but they kept the pricey Disney...I waited until the very last minute to renew my current contract, because I was unhappy with the service, a service I have had almost a decade, less than 50 days ago, I renewed, after specifically asking if theBlaze would be in the channel lineup.

i know companies have fine print.

if I can find another broadband speed in the area that equals FIOS, I am paying the penalty and being done with a decade of FIOS, DONE!

Luicee2

Um, if that were true, there are dozens of channels with less viewers than the.blaze.

MSNBC, CNBC for starters..and most nights that beat out CNN as well.

talk about saving money!

UTMan

OUTRAGED OF GLENN BECK BLAZE CHANNELS REMOVED. I WILL BE SEARCHING OTHER OPTIONS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE WATCHING THE BLAZE.

Tomdadof7

I two will be switching from Verizon the blaze offers a lot of great content

SyossetCustomer

My family is disgusted that VZ has dropped BlazeTV and are looking to switching to SlingTV or DISH network where BlazeTV is available for only $5. We were looking forward to the merger with CRTV bringing in tons of new content to the channel on Fios. My family is now looking at dropping all services from Verizon including phone and internet. We are paying $225/mo for outdated internet speeds, overpriced boxes and DVR that are more than a decade old and a phone that nobody uses. Removing The Blaze after cutting a multi-hundred million dollar deal with far-left Disney is the final straw.

Verizon FiOS lost over 150,000 customers last year and now you're going to lose even more. Optimum also just sent me a personal ad telling us they now have 1 gigbit internet service available in my area for $5 less than Fios. They also brag that their fiber internet goes directly into your house and their wi-fi service is superior to Verizon's.

One thing we are considering is getting both a Directv Now and SlingTV subscriptions for cheaper than what a Fios TV subscription costs. DirecTV offers HBO for $5 and SlingTV offers BlazeTV for $5.

cobalt1

I hate the computer but i love my verizon tv. I also like 2 programs on blaze wich i dvr.glen at 5pm and then news and why it matters. I would pay verizon extra for this chanel. steve g

RoadKing57

Even though Comcast/XFINITY offered a better price, we chose to stay with Verizon. A very big reason that we didn’t switch was because Verizon carried TheBlaze and OAN. In fact, the Comcast sales guy hung up on my wife when she asked about it.

The timing with regard to BlazeTV being dropped right after merging with CRTV is very troubling to us. Attributing financial and contract issues to this change seems disingenuous and our confidence of staying with Verizon is greatly diminished.

rover-lover

What a week of announcements from Verizon FIOS! Not only did they drop WUSA 9 (DC's only CBS affiliate), but they dropped the recently reorganized Blaze network. Timing says a lot as this comes directly on the tails of a recent announcement that Glenn Beck and Mark Levin have joined forces on this network, offering another anlternative to MSNBC, CNN, and the other mainstream networks. I've had to install a terrestrial antenna to receive CBS and, you know, the picture quality may actually be superior to FIOS. Makes me wonder if the cable cutters don't have something!

SyossetCustomer

It's going to be a great feeling calling up Verizon and telling them to cancel all of their services (phone, TV, internet). No more paying for a phone line I don't use. No more paying $25-$30 month for an old-fashioned DVR box using Tivo technology from 20 years ago. No more **bleep** regulatory service line fees and taxes of $50 a month. No more $65 a month equipment fees for boxes that I haven't updated in over a decade. No more 2-year contracts. No more planned price increases advertised as 12-month or 24-month discounts. Buh bye Verizon. You lost a couple hundred thousand customers last year maybe you can lose a million this year.

I looked the other way on Verizon's bad business practices because at least I felt they were giving me conservative news content that other companies were denying their customers. Now that they won't do this anymore I have no reason to tolerate all the bad behavior of Verizon and I can warn everyone online about all the decietful things that Verizon does in their billing and service agreements.

I had Verizon FiOS since day one. I was one of the first subscribers in the country to FiOS internet and TV and they're days away from losing me permanently to their competitors.

Epicetus

I am planning to exit FIOS as a TV provider.

Luicee2

That's the point i was making!

MSNBC, CNBC have LESS viewers!

One would have to assume that less viewers equal less interest and value.

They remain, and the Blaze is cut?

I don't for one second believe that those loser channels cost less to air than theBlaze did. I do for one second believe this is purely politcal, and i am outraged that after over a decade of taking my $$$... and We have the Highest premium package, and always have... that Verizon has decided, what we need to see politcally.

This is the same thing as Facebook deciding what pages' posts we see, or Twitter and Instagram "de-platforming" those who they disagree with politically and yet claiming venue status to avoid lawsuits...

Those are free, but we pay for Verizon... and to rob us of one small different voice is just reprehensible.

Luicee2

Thanks! I had no idea Sling offered theBlaze for $5!

And i had no idea about another Gigabit service out there!

We were already looking at Amazon & Hulu's merged Showtime and HBO channels... since VZ cut them out of our Premium packages while keeping the price the same...

Thank you so much for the options!

Luicee2

Same here! Had the PRemium package 12 years - as soon as FIOS came to our area we switched over..

We had had DISH, then DIRECTTV + DISH... We missed a few channels DISH carried but the variety of News on VZ made us happy to overpay for terrible service.

This, the week after CRTV merges with theBlaze... is going to be worth paying the disconnect fee.-- sadly 50 Days after re-upping for 2 years...

The_Sandstress

I honestly can't believe you took Blaze TV off and leave something like VICE on....what was the actual cost for allowing it to be on the lineup?

The_Sandstress

Did you ever watch it?

Alert

I am so dissappointed that Fios dropped The Blaze. It makes you wonder if their deal with Disney included dropping this programming. There was no warning like they gave us with the Disney deal. Just a note on the TV screen the day of. We have contemplated cutting the cord and now we will do so. We bought a firestick so bye bye FIOS. I hope others decide to do so. Disney in exchange for Blaze is not worth it.

OmnipotentQ

Terrible channel. I say good riddance! It's gone because ratings were low no other reason. If anything Verzion would love to keep them in the lineup given all the right wing procorporate nonsense they pump out.

Hammer_Bro

Q explains,

"It's gone because ratings were low no other reason"

Hmmm.... Then perhaps by that standard they should also remove some of the foreign language stations as i would highly doubt they would have such high ratings either....

Verizon-retired

I guess under the guise of some "made up conflict" that taking BLAZE off as a voice of conservatives and those us who don't subscribe to the liberal media outlets, like "NEWSY" another like TYT on RNN.... is another atempt to silence voices that do not fall under mainstream media guidelines.... I retired from Verizon 2015.. from the looks of things, the company still needs adult supervision.. you are all incapable ... I plead with you now to please put the BLAZE back on ASAP... this will adversilly affect your bottom line... remember 50% can & will boycott/cancel all the service you provide... thats not a threat... its a promise

OmnipotentQ

@Hammer_Bro wrote:
Q explains,
"It's gone because ratings were low no other reason"
Hmmm.... Then perhaps by that standard they should also remove some of the foreign language stations as i would highly doubt they would have such high ratings either....

That's comparing apples to oranges. They probably need to have a bunch of channels in different catagories. They remove the channels with lowest rating per category not necessarily overall.

Sammy14221

I never watched Blaze TV and I am a conservative. Glen Beck has made a fool of himself during the past three years and drove off many potential viewers. Never forgot when he stuck his face in a bowl of Cheetos mocking the president. What kind of news is that?

drreiki8

Why did Verizon jettison Blaze TV; It's Political Censorship. Verizon Corp Donates Millions 2 DEM Candidates and 2 Planned Parenthood. Glen Beck is strongly ProLife while Verizon supports Planned Parenthood & Radical Feminism. The Blaze gets higher ratings than Fake News CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, CSPAN, BBC yet they never consider removing Liberal News Outlets. Why not remove CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, CSPAN instead; you'd save even more money. Verizon wants 2 silence Conservative Voices. I believe that the Verizon Executives who made this stupid, biased, Political Decision must identify themselves. Let's Get the Names of the EXECUTIVE responsible for this Decision and ask who they voted for; and which party did they Donate. If Verizon wants to save money LET THEM FIRE THE EXECUTIVES That made the DECISION to REMOVE/CENSOR BLAZE TV. About 50% of Americans voted for Trump; So Silencing Conservative Voices is an Act of Political Censorship; and a STUPID ONE at That. I personally believe that 10% of Conservative Voters will drop FIOS TV, for another cable or Satellite Company to get BLAZE TV for $5 a month. Why can't VERIZON FIOS TV keep the BLAZE as a Pay Only Channel for $5 a month. They CAN, but It's a POLITICAL DECISION 2 Censor Conservative voices. I DON"T BELIEVE YOU should pay FEE to Verizon FIOS 4 Cancellation becaues they broke their Contract with me, by Politically Censorship; Cancelling My Favorite Channel without option to pay an additional $5 a month to get BLAZE.......

CRobGauth

How many other providers carry Blaze?

Its not only the cost per subscriber that cable providers have to pay, but there is a fixed cost to connect to content providers.

Verizon (like other providers) know how many people watch every channel.

It becomes a business decision based on viewer ship and cost.

With Verizon being a smaller cable provider, they must not have enough viewers to justify the cost.

Most cable provider contracts allow them to delete channels at their disgression. And it does not constitute breech of contract.

Blaze is available for individual subscription BTW.

Hammer_Bro

Q explains,

"That's comparing apples to oranges"

Well, if the argument is in line with "lower viewership", seems to be analogous to me... I could be wrong, however, are there many who speak Chinese? Yet, i believe we still have an International station in that regard.

Hammer_Bro

Rob explains,

“know how many people watch every channel…”

Are they accounting for DVR stats?

You further explain,

“Blaze is available for individual subscription BTW.”

The problem with that logic is we are already paying an exorbitant amount with Verizon to have the extra channels that they seemingly keep taking away. To add another subscription service on top of the costly Verizon bill is adding insult to injury, or, at least in my opinion.

Hammer_Bro

Verizon-retired explains,

" liberal media outlets, like "NEWSY"..."

Do you know definitively that they are liberal? The times i have watched them it didn't seem like they were pushing an agenda, however, their presentation style is just sooo boring. Blaze had much more of a dynamic presentation.

CRobGauth

I can't say for sure, but would assume yes as show ratings are account for both live and +7 viewing.

As for paying, others have stated they may switch to a provider that charges $5 to have Blaze.

Was just mentioning they can stay on Verizon and pay for a subscription as well.

CRBerridge

I'm a little late to the game in noticing that BlazeTV was removed by Verizon. I was glad to see Verizon offer BlazeTV. It was one of the reasons I decided on the package that I have. I'm disappointed to here that Verizon has dropped them. With BlazeTV merging with CRTV, the content was only going to get better. Verizon really needs to reconsider this decision. I'm sure Blaze Media was requesting nothing close to what Disney is requesting to carry their channels. Keep in mind that Disney is trying to do there own thing with their movies and such, so it only makes sense that they are going to request an extravagent amount for their channels.

Bring back Blaze Media!

corx

I have to wonder why verizon keeps MSNBC with such low viewership but dropped TheBlaze. A comparison would be nice

CRobGauth

The fact that all major cable systems carry MSNBC (who beat fox last Nov) should mean something.

And it is not just ratings. Its how much they want to charge per subscriber.

USRepublic1

They got rid of the Blaze because the report REAL news. How dare they! Real news with real facts, unacceptable!! They get rid of the Blaze but CNN goes on and on and on.

RayJay2

Your 100% Correct! This is a move by a company whose views are completely liberal!

RayJay2

And Mark Levin!

im With you, definitely thinking of dropping FIOS!

Einstein2

Actions like this may have me looking to other cable TV providers when my two year contract is up in about seven months. Possibly they should’ve given via words an option of even paying another five dollars a month for a single channel viewers may have taken it.Not much difference between 140 or $145 a month.

CRobGauth

How many other providers carry this channel?

There is probably a reason it carriage is limited IMHO.

It is not as simple as offering to carry a channel for an extra fee.

One the content provider has to agree.

Two, there are fixed costs to the cable provider for the connectivity to the content provider.

And that is not cheap.

That is one of the reasons that channels get dropped. The fixed costs provide a starting point plus the per subscriber costs.

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