Dish to Drop Weather Channel?

[MikeD-C05]

Today's washinton post sums it up. The tide is turning on carriage.

In cable, it’s survival of the fittest as channels drop from the bundle
http://wapo.st/1HO68zE

I think it is funny that after the explosion of a lot of new channels in the 90s , we will now be contracting and dropping channels. Because all the various channels are showing the same crap( reruns, informercials, and very little to none original content) spread out over all of them. I hope that they start on DISH with the Viacom channels- I never watch- and work there way down till our prices start dropping. It would be so cool to see the 90s pricing return. So in the future if these various cable channels want to survive they will either come up with original must see tv or they will be dropped . Now if DISH could see that it isn't just the programming prices we are bitching about, it is the outrageous and numerous DISH Fees that have proliferated over the years. How about going back to $5.00 for each additional receiver and a smaller $5.00 dvr fee? Hey, a return to decent prices for both programming and the FEES might be what saves DISH from losing even MORE subs this year. After all they lost over 79,000 subs last year after adding some positive additions the two years previous. DISH might really consider doing some price cuts and re-start the Price wars with the competition. After all it was their low price strategy and NO DVR fees that got them a ton of subs back in the day with the 501/510 Pvrs were in vogue. Charlie might better think about this as an option, if he wants to survive as a tv provider that continues to grow instead of contract.

 

[dishrich]

Does anyone else think that $17.00 for an extra 722k on your account sound ridiculous?

Here's another reason why I think it's ridiculous...as you probably know, the 612 HD-DVR's do NOT have PIP or tuner swap like the 622/722's have. OK, fine, they are cheaper, so I suppose you have to give up something. (besides the obvious separate prog outputs, which are completely useless for me)
BUT, if you do the same comparison on the SD versions of these same receivers, the $10 512 DOES have both of these features, just like the $17 522/625 ones do! So for the SAME $10 charge, you CAN get an SD receiver that has these same features, but NOT on the same HD version - STUPID, STUPID!!

Sad thing is...I may very well be considering dumping my Ho's & going back to 722k receivers - between some of the Ho's latest issues, (particularly like loosing the HDD's in BOTH of my HWS's within 2 months of each other!) & after seeing their so-called "improved EPG" as CES this year! (it looks very similar to D*'s EPG, which is NOT a compliment!)
Never had ANY issues with my 722k's or the single 612 I had for over 2 years - they just simply worked for the satellite TV service they were intended for. (as opposed to see how many new apps & other crap they could try shoving onto them each month & breaking 2 other things in the process...) I could care less about PTAT, apps, Netflix, whole house automation, etc...although I would kind of miss the Ho transfers.

 

[mike1977]

I think it is funny that after the explosion of a lot of new channels in the 90s , we will now be contracting and dropping channels. Because all the various channels are showing the same crap( reruns, informercials, and very little to none original content) spread out over all of them. I hope that they start on DISH with the Viacom channels- I never watch- and work there way down till our prices start dropping. It would be so cool to see the 90s pricing return. So in the future if these various cable channels want to survive they will either come up with original must see tv or they will be dropped . Now if DISH could see that it isn't just the programming prices we are bitching about, it is the outrageous and numerous DISH Fees that have proliferated over the years. How about going back to $5.00 for each additional receiver and a smaller $5.00 dvr fee? Hey, a return to decent prices for both programming and the FEES might be what saves DISH from losing even MORE subs this year. After all they lost over 79,000 subs last year after adding some positive additions the two years previous. DISH might really consider doing some price cuts and re-start the Price wars with the competition. After all it was their low price strategy and NO DVR fees that got them a ton of subs back in the day with the 501/510 Pvrs were in vogue. Charlie might better think about this as an option, if he wants to survive as a tv provider that continues to grow instead of contract.

$5.00 dvr fee...I'd like to a $0.00 dvr fee. Paying for a machine to write to a hard drive is ridiculous and a ripoff! I already am paying electricity for it to do that!!! There should be free basic level for dvrs...go through guide...select record to record a show. Want the extra features..THEN maybe have a fee to use them

 

[ChadT41]

$5.00 dvr fee...I'd like to a $0.00 dvr fee. Paying for a machine to write to a hard drive is ridiculous and a ripoff! I already am paying electricity for it to do that!!! There should be free basic level for dvrs...go through guide...select record to record a show. Want the extra features..THEN maybe have a fee to use them

There is a free option... It's called a non dvr. If you want the extra stuff, like the ability to record, you pay for it or you don't, and don't have it. It's a simple thing, but dvr is not necessary by any means to watch television. Not even to record... VCR... No monthly fee.

 

[dare2be]

Complain to the content owners. I'm sure the DVR fee is written into their contracts with the MVPDs to license the ability for their content to be recorded. Same with the additional outlet fees.

 

[Yespage]

$5.00 dvr fee...I'd like to a $0.00 dvr fee. Paying for a machine to write to a hard drive is ridiculous and a ripoff! I already am paying electricity for it to do that!!! There should be free basic level for dvrs...go through guide...select record to record a show. Want the extra features..THEN maybe have a fee to use them

It isn't just a digital VCR. It is capable of scanning all of the programming for you and recording programs you want to watch, regardless of the channel. It does so in HD, you can pause and rewind live television. This wasn't around 15 years ago.

Now if DISH could see that it isn't just the programming prices we are bitching about, it is the outrageous and numerous DISH Fees that have proliferated over the years. How about going back to $5.00 for each additional receiver and a smaller $5.00 dvr fee?

And maybe if we pretend there is no inflation and go back to rates from 10 years ago?

Hey, a return to decent prices for both programming and the FEES might be what saves DISH from losing even MORE subs this year. After all they lost over 79,000 subs last year after adding some positive additions the two years previous. DISH might really consider doing some price cuts and re-start the Price wars with the competition. After all it was their low price strategy and NO DVR fees that got them a ton of subs back in the day with the 501/510 Pvrs were in vogue. Charlie might better think about this as an option, if he wants to survive as a tv provider that continues to grow instead of contract.

Funny thing is, the price of Dish is getting high and I looked around a couple weeks ago and no one came even remotely close in an apples to apples comparison. So if people are leaving Dish, it is more likely due to the promo deals with other providers, not the fees (unless you are a power user, but even then you can't be doing that much better elsewhere).

 

[navychop]

Here's another reason why I think it's ridiculous...as you probably know, the 612 HD-DVR's do NOT have PIP or tuner swap like the 622/722's have. OK, fine, they are cheaper, so I suppose you have to give up something. (besides the obvious separate prog outputs, which are completely useless for me)
BUT, if you do the same comparison on the SD versions of these same receivers, the $10 512 DOES have both of these features, just like the $17 522/625 ones do! So for the SAME $10 charge, you CAN get an SD receiver that has these same features, but NOT on the same HD version - STUPID, STUPID!!

Sad thing is...I may very well be considering dumping my Ho's & going back to 722k receivers - between some of the Ho's latest issues, (particularly like loosing the HDD's in BOTH of my HWS's within 2 months of each other!) & after seeing their so-called "improved EPG" as CES this year! (it looks very similar to D*'s EPG, which is NOT a compliment!)
Never had ANY issues with my 722k's or the single 612 I had for over 2 years - they just simply worked for the satellite TV service they were intended for. (as opposed to see how many new apps & other crap they could try shoving onto them each month & breaking 2 other things in the process...) I could care less about PTAT, apps, Netflix, whole house automation, etc...although I would kind of miss the Ho transfers.

You want to move from Hoppers to older VIPs over, in part, HDD failures? I'm pretty sure your chances of HDD failure will be higher with the older ViP equipment. Older HDDs.

 

[primus420]

I really do enjoy TWC. I would be fairly upset if it is removed...

 

[jrh1985]

I really do enjoy TWC. I would be fairly upset if it is removed...

So do I. They did awesome the last 2 nights with the Severe Weather. I hope there's some way TWC can convince DISH to keep them and also add WN for days that the coverage isnt there on TWC.

One thing/question regarding WN. I'm not sure it's always live. Tried watching it online last night couldn't tell.

 

[whitewolf8214]

IMO I think all providers need to drop the Weather Channel and send them a Message!!

 

[ChadT41]

IMO I think all providers need to drop the Weather Channel and send them a Message!!

I would love that idea, but not limit it to just TWC. Any over priced channels, especially low viewed ones. I am an ESPN fan, but $6 is rediciulous, especially when USA had more viewers and only charges something like $0.76

 

[Hall]

Maybe TWC will make the same promises that they made Directv but didn't keep....

The Weather Channel is set to return to DirecTV after a three-month dispute between the cable programmer and the satellite broadcaster, but not without some major concessions.

To get back on the 20 million-subscriber service, Weather Channel has agreed to reduce reality programming by half on weekdays; return instant local weather...

“Our viewers deserve better than a public dispute and we pledge to reward their loyalty with exceptional programming and more weather focused news.”

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/wea...ogram-lineup-to-return-to-directv-1201154262/

The Weather Channel is returning to DirecTV with a significant compromise that affects all of its viewers: it promises to focus more on the weather.

The biggest change to its programming will affect all Weather Channel viewers, not just DirecTV subscribers. It said it will reduce its reality programming by half on weekdays. That means fewer airings of TV shows like "Coast Guard Alaska" and "Hurricane Hunters."

David Kenny, the CEO of channel parent Weather Company, apologized for the disruption and vowed to reward viewers with more weather-focused news.

DirecTV chief content officer Dan York acknowledged the dropping of the channel was "frustrating" for consumers, but added "their patience was ultimately rewarded with a better deal and a better product."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weath...l-cuts-reality-shows-in-directv-deal/7472653/

 

[mike1977]

There is a free option... It's called a non dvr. If you want the extra stuff, like the ability to record, you pay for it or you don't, and don't have it. It's a simple thing, but dvr is not necessary by any means to watch television. Not even to record... VCR... No monthly fee.

Whatever. I'll never be convinced a dvr should have a fee because I had one called a Replaytv Showstopper that had no monthly fee.

 

[ChadT41]

And I could once pay $1.10 for gas, and didn't have to pay a fine if I didn't have medical insurance. Welcome to today.

 

[dare2be]

Operative word: "had". Content owners are now up in it with DVR fees.

 

[Jim S.]

Whatever. I'll never be convinced a dvr should have a fee because I had one called a Replaytv Showstopper that had no monthly fee.

And there are plenty of satellite receivers with recording capability, and most of them even have encryption card slots. Dish should be required to let you use their encryption cards in your own equipment the way cable companies are. (If the content providers don't like it, let them fold. This is supposed to be a country of equitable and rational laws, not a theocratic dictatorship.)

 

[Bobby]

Nobody is 'required' to have Dish as a provider. If you are unhappy, you simply need to go somewhere else...

 

[TNGTony]

Content providers and equipment providers were "uncoupled" for cable by law. One is not required to get the cable companies' equipment to get cable any more. What Jim S was saying is that the same or similar rules should apply to satellite providers. I tend to agree, though one would have a hard time finding a better DVR than Dish. But there are DVRs out there that don't have monthly fees if you buy the equipment outright. You just can't use them on Dish or DirecTV

 

[dare2be]

And there are plenty of satellite receivers with recording capability, and most of them even have encryption card slots. Dish should be required to let you use their encryption cards in your own equipment the way cable companies are. (If the content providers don't like it, let them fold. This is supposed to be a country of equitable and rational laws, not a theocratic dictatorship.)

I've been calling for equitable FCC rules regarding CableCard for both cable and satellite for a while.

 

[mike123abc]

Content providers and equipment providers were "uncoupled" for cable by law. One is not required to get the cable companies' equipment to get cable any more. What Jim S was saying is that the same or similar rules should apply to satellite providers. I tend to agree, though one would have a hard time finding a better DVR than Dish. But there are DVRs out there that don't have monthly fees if you buy the equipment outright. You just can't use them on Dish or DirecTV

Or at least be able to buy a Dish DVR and no longer have fees...