Most Users Want A La Carte TV, Don't Care About ESPN

More than 80% of consumers have at least some interest in being able to pick and choose individual pay TV channels, according to a new survey. According to a new study by DigitalSmiths (registration required), if allowed to choose their own individual pay TV channels, most users would choose ABC, Discovery channel, CBS, NBC, and the History Channel. The same isn't true of ESPN, the primary culprit when it comes to soaring cable bills, and a huge reason many people want more custom options and lower prices.

ESPN ranked 20th in the survey, with only 35.7% of those surveyed saying they'd want the channel included in their pick-and-choose TV bundle.

Discovery Channel (62%), History Channel (57.7%), Comedy Central (43%) and the recently much maligned The Weather Channel (39.9 percent) ranked ahead of ESPN in the survey.

Based on the results of the survey, Digitalsmiths' data suggests that users ideally want to pay, on average around $38 for a selection of about 17 channels. The survey comes as a growing number of Internet video options like SlingTV begin to offer users an allotment of "skinny" channel bundles.

Some large cable providers, like Verizon, have responded by offering their own skinny bundle options to consumers to try and prevent defections. However, when you look closely at these offers, an assortment of fees and device rental surcharges quickly erode the added value these options companies like Verizon insist they provide.