This was actually a big deal a few years ago ( http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2005/12/your_cable_bill.html http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2005/12/

This was actually a big deal a few years ago ( http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2005/12/your_cable_bill.html http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2005/12/your_cable_bil... ). The FCC thought it could create this requirement under its existing authority to regulate the airwaves, but the Supreme Court ruled that it would require a new law. The economics of cable (and satellite) aren't obvious: it really doesn't cost any more to offer 150 channels instead of 100. The signal for every channel the cable company offers makes it to your house, and the cable company's equipment filters out the channels that you haven't paid for. There's no reason to think it will cost less to get those channels filtered out one at a time instead of as bundles.