Message from Lynne Costantini - President, Business Development:
Monday, March 4
Your support of TheBlaze over the past week has been overwhelming, unprecedented and greatly appreciated, thank you! However, our work isn’t over yet.
I used to work at a large cable operator, so trust me when I say this could take a while! Before TV providers will add a channel to their lineups, they want to know there is an audience for the content and that the channel has great programming that lots of people want to watch on television. TheBlaze has both and you are doing a great job delivering this message.
We want to continue to reinforce this message and make sure TV providers know that you're willing to make your voices heard until they launch TheBlaze. Together we can make our shared values available to more people on television.
We know TV providers are starting to pay attention based upon their responses on social media. Here's some of what they are saying on Facebook:
DirecTV – "We are always in discussions with programmers about which channels to add to the DirecTV lineup, but have no plans to add TheBlaze Network at this time. Thank you."
Time Warner Cable – "Thanks for your input. As you probably know, we’re constantly evaluating new networks for carriage on our lineup…"
Cox – "We are always looking for new channels that add value for our TV service. I have forwarded your request for TheBlaze for you."
Suddenlink Communications – "Thanks for voicing interest in TheBlaze. We’ll share your feedback with the team responsible for evaluating possible channel additions."
RCN – "We appreciate you letting us know what channels you would like to see in our lineup! You can submit a channel request on our website. Each request that is submitted is sent to our Marketing Department for consideration."
Cablevision – "Thank you for your inquiry. We will pass along your request for TheBlaze channel to our programming department for consideration."
AT&T U-Verse – "No update for now. Thanks for stopping by!"
Some TV providers have set up special sites to accept requests to add TheBlaze to their lineups and others have blogs where they encourage customers to have conversations with them about their television experience. Please take a moment to visit and tell them why adding TheBlaze to their lineups is important to you:
And the media is paying attention too. Here are links to some great articles written last week about our Get TheBlaze campaign and its progress:
Only a few of them have reached out to us to continue carriage discussions. The good news is that Comcast, DIRECTV and Time Warner Cable/Brighthouse have expressed interest in having further conversations about TheBlaze in the coming weeks; and a number of smaller cable and telco companies across the country have called to find out how to launch TheBlaze -- Blue Ridge Cable, Celect Communications, Bay Country Communications, Darien Communications, ACTV, Cablevision of Marion Country, Cass Cable TV, MCTV of Ohio, to name a few.
This week we are asking you to let them know why you want TheBlaze. Please continue to email, call and post messages to your TV provider's Facebook and Twitter pages. This week our messaging is all about "I want TheBlaze because....". Fill in the blank and tell them why it's important to you to have TheBlaze on your channel lineup.
Thank you for your dedication and support!
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow