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Comcast Premium Customers Lose Cinemax in Favor of Comcast-Owned Hitz

Phillip Dampier July 17, 2019 Comcast/Xfinity, Competition, Consumer News, Online Video 24 Comments

Comcast premium subscribers began seeing Cinemax dropped from their lineup this morning, replaced with Comcast’s own premium movie network Hitz.

The cable company announced back in May it was replacing AT&T/WarnerMedia-owned Cinemax with its own movie channel beginning this summer. Summer has arrived.

Hitz will save Comcast an undisclosed amount of money over what AT&T was charging the cable operator for the lesser-watched cousin of HBO. Cinemax was launched in 1980 to focus on movies, and so will Hitz. Comcast says its new movie channel will feature at least 200 major movie titles, all available on-demand, with fewer HBO also-rans. Linear TV viewers will see at least three versions of Hitz on their lineup, replacing five Cinemax networks. They are dubbed Hitz, Hitz2 and Hitz3. The new movie channel is included in XFINITY Premier, Super and certain other TV packages.

Cinemax fans who want the channel back will still be able to subscribe, but only on an a-la-carte basis for $12/month.

Comcast offers this FAQ:

What is Hitz?
Hitz is a new on-demand movie service that includes more than 200 titles from a variety of top studios. This selection will rotate over time.

Where can I find Hitz?
The easiest way to find Hitz is by saying “Hitz” into your X1 Voice Remote. Hitz can also be found in the Networks section of the On Demand menu. You can also see current Hitz movies in the On-Screen Guide – frequently near other movie services.

Why are you doing this?
Most of the movies on Cinemax also air on HBO. By offering Hitz instead, we’re delivering customers a better variety of content.

How can I watch Cinemax original content?
While Cinemax is no longer included in the adjusted packages, it is still available to purchase on its own for $12 per month.

Should I pay a different price now that I am no longer receiving Cinemax?
While Cinemax is no longer included in these packages, we believe the new lineup offers a better value. Most of the movies on Cinemax have also aired on HBO. By offering Hitz instead, we’re delivering a better variety of content.

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Chuck
Chuck
4 years ago

So you take away a channel with great original programming and new movies and replace it with a channel that list movies as if they’re live and when you click to watch it takes you to on demand to watch it, then the movies are all 20-30 year old movies? This is BULLSH*T!!!!

Rich chilinski
Rich chilinski
4 years ago

Comcast like me is looking to save money. To bad my bill doesn’t.o

RayP
RayP
4 years ago

I contracted with Comcast and the lineup included Cinemax. Comcast has reneged on the deal by not including Cinemax in the lineup. F Comcast. Hello YouTube tv.

Michael Kushner
Michael Kushner
4 years ago

I’m online now with a Customer Service person. They pump up the “value is greater, now” line almost 7 times in our conversation. I’m willing to spend $12.00 for the original content from Cinemax. I’m just not sure if I would get all the Cinemax Channels AND the Original content.

If I do sign up again, Comcast isn’t trying to pitch me for the extra cost of Cinemax. I’m asking for it and can’t get a straight answer.

Michael Kushner
Michael Kushner
4 years ago

After the longest 2 hours of my technical life, I agreed to the $12.00 ala cart programming change. But a tedious process, and what a waste of money. But the profits will increase per user for the leaders and managers now don’t pay for Cinemax.

Kim Hall
Kim Hall
4 years ago

This is BS ,Ive been charged for channels they’ve already billed me ,
I refuse to stoop to AT&T
They want the same amount,
(I called at&t and just had some
Kid say she was giving me a discount, but it normaly costs $
$ 300.00 sorry kid- i wont bite!)
just to take them away,
First BeiN sports ,Then MGM,
NOW THIS , if Comcast wants to take channels away they ought to discount
Im thinking of leaving COMCAST ,
NOT because of the MONEY ,but theyre LOSING
content & channels i liked .

R.A. Mingione
R.A. Mingione
4 years ago
Reply to  Kim Hall

Yes, if they’re gonna remove a premium channel, where’s the discount from my bill….i was into all their original programming from Banshee to Jett, the latter of which i now lose mid season (I ain’t gonna pay an additional $12)

Kim Hall
Kim Hall
4 years ago

How can you be the (2nd ?) biggest provider and lose Content !?
Sadly theres not many choices,
I’ll struggle through another month
Then leave, this sucks .
Ised be proud of having so many channels.
If they keep chipping away
I’ll be slipping away to Streaming.

shipdog7
shipdog7
4 years ago

I looked forward to the original Cinemax series they have. I was watching JETT….and cannot watch episode 6 because Comcast and Cinemax can’t agree on pricing. The Rep told me also about HITZ being the same as Cinemax. No way. I already have OnDemand service. If you give me EPIX as a replacement I would accept that. So Comcast will drop my monthly payment $12 as a result of no more Cinemax? No way. I have been looking forward one day to HITZ….(he said sarcastically).

David
David
4 years ago

Has anyone looked into filing a class action lawsuit since we contracted for Cinemax and they’ve taken it away without any financial adjustment.

Michael Moore
Michael Moore
4 years ago
Reply to  David

I filed an FCC complaint regarding losing Cinemax (it was included free in my 2 year bundled contract). In my complaint, I stated Comcast wanted to charge me an extra $12 a month for Cinemax even though my 2 year contract included Cinemax as part of the Premier bundle. Within a few days, Comcast Corporate called and informed me I would continue to get Cinemax for no additional $12 fee. Anyone screwed by Comcast, file an FCC complaint online at https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us.

Tim
Tim
4 years ago

Comcast needs to drop the $11.99 from my contract since I am no longer getting Cinemax. Hitz is garbage. I watch the original programming on Cinemax which isn’t available anywhere else. I signed a contract that included Cinemax. I don’t care if there is a clause that says the cable provider can make changes to my lineup as necessary. I am paying an astronomical cable bill that includes Cinemax. Funny how Comcast can’t deduct that from our bill. Greedy f*kers.

Doug
Doug
4 years ago

Time to walk away.. The cable operators know that customers like to buy by price, not necessarily amount. There is a reason why a “one pound” coffee can is no longer 16 ounces. There is a reason why ice cream is no longer typically sold in half-gallon bricks, but 1.5 quart tubs. Consumers don’t like paying more, and if they can be convinced to pay the same price for less, they will. The customers that are posting here are typical customers. Don’t think that streaming is your solution. The content owners know that younger consumers of media don’t subscribe to… Read more »

Liz Potter
Liz Potter
4 years ago

Really Comcast take away channels then charge to replace them. Yet there has been mention of reducing the package rate. This is a bait and switch trap. My bill is nearly $300.00 a month. Now you want more money for extra channels. You have gotten greedy and not worth the money.

Doug
Doug
4 years ago

The content owners can dictate terms on how their content is distributed to the customer. HBO and Cinemax are no longer available on Dish. Charter Spectrum has removed Cinemax from its Silver and Gold packages, too. The “bigger” bundles with premiums are no longer the bargain they were. AT&T (who now owns HBO and Cinemax) can, once a carriage agreement is up, change the terms of carriage. I am certain AT&T: Does not want to dilute their “Brands” by having them bundled for a discount on a tier. Has done the math to prove they will make more money by… Read more »

Stacy Wagner
Stacy Wagner
4 years ago

This is absolute nonsense. Things like this make it worth the time and effort to figure out which streaming sites I’ll need in order to finally cancel Xfinity and no longer have to deal with BS like this

Stacy Wagner
Stacy Wagner
4 years ago

You can add cinemax to your Hulu subscription for $10 which is $2 cheaper than xfinitys add on rate and even if it cost more I would pay it just as a f*ck you to Xfinity

Marian Kay Reaver
Marian Kay Reaver
4 years ago

Cinemax was part of My Contract.
I am Not happy about it just disappearing, nor is HITZ a Comparable Alternative.
Quite Disgusted By the Situation.
As for my Internet, For a Company to be able Intentionally Slow My Service, is Repulsive!!

Marooba
Marooba
4 years ago

Hitz2=hitz2=hitz3. Maybe trump will tweet Comcast.

Jason
Jason
4 years ago

Has anyone tried to get out of their contract due to this “bait and switch”?

Yvette
Yvette
4 years ago

You do NOT offer the same series and original programming. There is no comparison between STARZ and HITZ.. Oh and it’s very convenient that comcast OWNS HITZ. Time to drop cable all together.

Guest
Guest
4 years ago

I was just on the phone a long time, and they seem to be unaware of this issue. Is it only me? If you try to go to any HITZ channel, instead of taking you to watch the actual program, it will bring up a menu of movies instead. If I am in the GUIDE window, and go to a HITZ channel, I see what’s playing, and the only way to watch it is to restart from the beginning. What if I only want to watch the last 20 minutes? Has anybody figured that out?

Angela
Angela
3 years ago

Comcast xfinity is som garbage and need to redo the line up . No discounts for theses crappy ass channels this is ridiculous streamline time very disappointed

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