Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - Channel Offerings - Getting Worse?

So what determines the channel offerings at the various properties? I notice they are not the same from property to property.

Today's offerings: Seven sports channels, EIGHT news channels, yet no Lifetime, Bravo, or MTV. What are women supposed to watch at this hotel? And no MTV at a property adjacent to a large university? We're not pandering to male business travelers, are we???????

Really annoys me when I can't watch my favorite shows. Some people actually do want to escape reality at the end of a long work day.

Really annoys me when I can't watch my favorite shows. Some people actually do want to escape reality at the end of a long work day.

I agree. I find Comedy Central is getting harder to find and that is pretty much the only cable station I watch on a regular (nightly) basis.

before it was trying to shame props that haven't installed flat screens......... now it's channel selection offerings............ what's next, no closed captions?
...... no foreign subtitles? ..............

So what determines the channel offerings at the various properties? I notice they are not the same from property to property.
Today's offerings: Seven sports channels, EIGHT news channels, yet no Lifetime, Bravo, or MTV. What are women supposed to watch at this hotel? And no MTV at a property adjacent to a large university? We're not pandering to male business travelers, are we???????
Really annoys me when I can't watch my favorite shows. Some people actually do want to escape reality at the end of a long work day.

Today's offerings: Seven sports channels, EIGHT news channels, yet no Lifetime, Bravo, or MTV. What are women supposed to watch at this hotel? And no MTV at a property adjacent to a large university?

We're not pandering to male business travelers, are we???????



We're not stereotyping are weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee??????? :rolleyes:

I would agree that sports offerings are often overkill and there should be room for some other programming, however, this is an indiviudal property decision, not Marriott's HQ.

Your solution lies with your two feet marching down to the front desk and complaining.

As a side note, I was at the Pittsburgh Hyatt Place, which is a nice property, esp. on points, and not only did they have a surplus of sports programming but the idiot GM had deleted, no not a cable channel, but the public televison station for Pittsburrgh, itself!

Now, this station, WQED, is not some podunk station as it does some pretty good original programming as a result of its proxmity to science oriented universities and the like, but to delete a city's public TV station from the mix!

I complained and was quite a bit points richer for the experience, although I had to catch a re-run of the Abraham and Mary: A House Divided documentary series on PBS on another station when I got home.

PS -- My wife likes watching the news and weather channels among other programming, by the way, and rearely watches the programming specifically geared to women.

before it was trying to shame props that haven't installed flat screens......... now it's channel selection offerings............ what's next, no closed captions?
...... no foreign subtitles? ..............

Well not sure how cable works in Thailand, but here in the US nearly every cable provider in the country provides these channels as part of their standard cable lineup (not basic). Thus, it boggles the mind that Marriotts in the US can't as well.

I would much rather watch the shows I want to watch on a CRT TV then watch shows I don't want to watch on an LCD/LED/Plasma TV.

in Thailand, we get CNN, BBC, FOX, HBO (5), MAX along with 7/9 sport channels (including 5 live NFL games/week) along with a mix of ABC/NBC/CBS programming so I suggest a std mix.........

Well not sure how cable works in Thailand, but here in the US nearly every cable provider in the country provides these channels as part of their standard cable lineup (not basic). Thus, it boggles the mind that Marriotts in the US can't as well.

At least I haven't seen the creepy TSA PSA in a while!

Channel selection very often depends on the service provider who is also providing the on-demand movie system to the hotel. It is usually spelled out in the contract between the hotel and on-demand vendor what channels will be provided and only the vendor can add or delete channels to/from the line-up. Less basic cable channels means more potential on-demand purchases and more revenue for the hotel and vendor.

Most FS Marriotts offer the following channel lineup:

Local Network Affiliates (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS)
Headline News
CNN
Fox News
CNBC
The Weather Channel
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN Classic
ESPN News
ESPN University
The Golf Channel
Discovery
TLC
A & E
HBO (Although I am seeing less hotels offer a premium channel)
Disney
Nicklelodeon
Telemundo


I am not a sports nut by any means, and I think 5 to 7 channels of ESPN is overkill. I would much rather watch Pawn Stars or Storage Wars. When I travel alone and these channels are not offered, I still never purchase a movie. When traveling with Mrs. OU812 and little OU812 and MTV or Lifetime or similar channels are not offered, I am more likely to give in and buy a movie.

Regards,

RIP...

I agree in that sometimes, Marriott lacks essential sports channels. For instance, I was not able to watch the NHL finals a few months ago since they were on the VS network/NBC Sports.

Quite frustrating.

If I have to eat another burger at the Champions sports bar, I may cry.

Very few hotels are trying to pander to any group, men or women; rather they are playing based on the carriage rights from (normally) satellite providers.

The per channel pricing can be awfully high so a lot of hotels just pick the cheapest channels. At lot of upstart networks (think NFL network in June here) will push out attractive pricing to get picked up in hotel rooms via sat providers. My knowledge dates from the late 90's when we did HSIA in a lot of hotels so perhaps socrates can provide a bit more current info.

Marriott doesn't pick the channels.............the hotel owners do and to your non-ability to watch your NHL game, to borrow a phase you should be very familiar with, WHO CARES

I agree in that sometimes, Marriott lacks essential sports channels. For instance, I was not able to watch the NHL finals a few months ago since they were on the VS network/NBC Sports.

Quite frustrating.

If I have to eat another burger at the Champions sports bar, I may cry.

On the one hand, poor channel selection may just encourage people to stream stuff from services like Netflix (I've certainly done it when there was nothing to watch due to limited channel selection), which leads to glacially slow internet for everyone. On the other hand, if hotels invested more in their bandwidth, over time the limited channel selection may become less of an issue.

I noticed the abundance of sports channels 4 years ago when staying at the Marriott Chicago MagMile, and sadly since then it's become the norm. Most every time I stay at a Marriott, I find an annoying block of close to 10 sports related channels, and very few channels of content.

I do think it's important that each hotel offer a decent selection of kid friendly channels. There's nothing worse than being in a hotel with young kids and not finding anything to keep their interest, whether it be late at night or in a situation where you just can't leave the room.

At least as an adult, you can find something else to do if TV is a poor option :)

So what determines the channel offerings at the various properties? I notice they are not the same from property to property.

Today's offerings: Seven sports channels, EIGHT news channels, yet no Lifetime, Bravo, or MTV. What are women supposed to watch at this hotel? And no MTV at a property adjacent to a large university? We're not pandering to male business travelers, are we???????

Really annoys me when I can't watch my favorite shows. Some people actually do want to escape reality at the end of a long work day.

What are "women" suppose to watch?

REALLY? I watch the sports channels and I am a woman. I wouldn't watch those channels you want for any reason LOL! I will watch HGTV and Food, but don't whine if I don't get them.

I think the question should have been "what am I suppose to watch"? Quit assuming you represent ALL women!

What are "women" suppose to watch?

REALLY? I watch the sports channels and I am a woman. I wouldn't watch those channels you want for any reason LOL! I will watch HGTV and Food, but don't whine if I don't get them.

I think the question should have been "what am I suppose to watch"? Quit assuming you represent ALL women!

^

Marriott doesn't pick the channels.............the hotel owners do and to your non-ability to watch your NHL game, to borrow a phase you should be very familiar with, WHO CARES

Please do us a favor and stop trying to derail every thread into a plethora of garbage.

What are "women" suppose to watch?

REALLY? I watch the sports channels and I am a woman. I wouldn't watch those channels you want for any reason LOL! I will watch HGTV and Food, but don't whine if I don't get them.

I think the question should have been "what am I suppose to watch"? Quit assuming you represent ALL women!

You're cool.

One of my favorite JWs (Mexico City) changed it's lineup recently and no longer offers US broadcast channels (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX). This was one of the few things keeping me here vs the FS Marriott in Reforma. :td:

I don't see it as pandering to either female or male travelers, as much as it's how much $$ does the property want to spend for the channel line-up. I'm appreciative of the ones that spend more/offer more channels (including in HD).

I have found that the channel line-up other than sports or CNN/BBC overseas can be quite limited, which can be frustrating. Or if there is a television show or movie that might be interesting, they dub it vs. subtitle.

Cheers.

Well I mentioned the channel issue to the guy at the front desk this morning as I was purchasing something from the snack area. He totally agreed with me and told me they will be getting some new channels (he wasn't sure what), and he comped my snack. That was nice.

I'm not so much interested in more channels, just a better variety. Not so sure I agree with your statement about not pandering to certain groups. One hotel at which I have stayed, which is connected to a renowned medical facility, has loads of Arabic and Indian channels. I would suspect this is because of the large numbers of foreign doctors who frequent this facility for conferences, etc.

I don't know that I would call it 'pandering' as much as trying to meet the needs of regular guests that might stay at a property, such as you mentioned w/ the medical facility. I know at the AMS Marriott they offer English-speaking channels (with yes sports), but also Dutch, German, French, Indian & Arabic channels. The ones I have a problem with are those that the only English-speaking channels are either BBC/CNN or sports, as sometimes I like to unwind before going to bed & watch a tv show/movie, and neither sports nor news is that conducive to sleeping.

I also agree that I'd like to see more of a variety of channels, but again it's probably dependent upon what the provider offers to the property/price tags. Obviously sports is a big thing, but as the US properties also offer the basic network affiliates I can usually find something non-sports or news to watch.

I like the properties that actually pay for HD channels!

Cheers.

Sharon, I have to agree with you on the HD channels. So many of the rooms have such nice sets now, and to know the reason that it is fuzzy is the lack of HD coming in to it.

I am male, and I like sports. However, I also agree that I want to see a lot more non-sports programming. If just the "standard basic cable" channels.

I would be happy.

I don't know that I would call it 'pandering' as much as trying to meet the needs of regular guests that might stay at a property, such as you mentioned w/ the medical facility. I know at the AMS Marriott they offer English-speaking channels (with yes sports), but also Dutch, German, French, Indian & Arabic channels. The ones I have a problem with are those that the only English-speaking channels are either BBC/CNN or sports, as sometimes I like to unwind before going to bed & watch a tv show/movie, and neither sports nor news is that conducive to sleeping.

I also agree that I'd like to see more of a variety of channels, but again it's probably dependent upon what the provider offers to the property/price tags. Obviously sports is a big thing, but as the US properties also offer the basic network affiliates I can usually find something non-sports or news to watch.

I like the properties that actually pay for HD channels!

Cheers.

Sharon, I have to agree with you on the HD channels. So many of the rooms have such nice sets now, and to know the reason that it is fuzzy is the lack of HD coming in to it.

I am male, and I like sports. However, I also agree that I want to see a lot more non-sports programming. If just the "standard basic cable" channels.

I would be happy.

Yes, I find this so funny too. They spent the money to update the sets to digital and they are still feeding analog signals to the rooms. Someone really sold them a bill of goods! If they aren't going to update the distribution system to feed digital there was no need to replace the TVs. Granted the sets need to be updated before the distribution system, but some it's been more than a year.

As long as we are talking TV, why can't/won't they set the TVs to set the aspect ratio to adjust based upon programming? Stretching SD to fill an HD screen is just plain wrong!

Yes, I find this so funny too. They spent the money to update the sets to digital and they are still feeding analog signals to the rooms. Someone really sold them a bill of goods! If they aren't going to update the distribution system to feed digital there was no need to replace the TVs. Granted the sets need to be updated before the distribution system, but some it's been more than a year.

As long as we are talking TV, why can't/won't they set the TVs to set the aspect ratio to adjust based upon programming? Stretching SD to fill an HD screen is just plain wrong!

Roger,

I think I read somewhere that as part of its demand of its properties to upgrade their facilities so as to better attract the public, IHG required many of their franchisees to update their faciliteis and rooms and one of those requirements was installing flat screen TVs. I believe that this probably is written into many other chain contracts when the franchise comes up for renewal.

I don't expect that the requirement that they carry HD channels be written into such contracts except for perhaps boutique and lifestyle properties, but from the franchisor's perspective, the very fact of having a new sleek flat panel TV in the room lends to it an air of being current or dare I say au courant!

I have noticed that Residence Inns seem to get more channels than FS Marriotts and Renaissances. While it is personally not my favorite hotel chain, I do hear some of my co-workers come back to report that "XX Residence Inn got two HBOs AND Showtime" or "X RI gets ESPNU and College Sports South." I know people pick their hotels based on different criteria (I prefer one with a nice fitness center), but if having a larger channel selection is important, maybe try a RI next time.

Yes, somewhere I believe there is a Wall of Shame post about properties that still have CRT/tube TVs. I still maintain putting HD sets in the room but only analog signals feeding them is silly. Just like restaurants (and other places) using a PA system designed for voice to play music... JUST WRONG!

Philadelphia Center City Marriott, NO HBO !! Girlfriend pissed after we endured 4 hours of traffic and rushed dinner to watch the True Blood season finale. Actually called the FD after a trip around the dial and was told HBO "wasn't offered".

To be fair, they have nice TV's with a great Picture in Picture channel guide that I've never seen at a Marriott plus many extra channels including multiple Showtime & Cinemax channels.

And the internet speed was decent enough to work a fuzzy HBO GO movie.

Just throwing it out there, no HBO is odd although I've seen that at SHS's too in the past...

Just give it to me in HD, please. It's 2012.


Seriously.

I'm looking at the channel lineup in the FS Marriott I am currently in. Most all of these channels are available in HD. But most are not in HD here in the hotel.