Grandfathered National PBS Channel - Gone

md_paul

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Oct 3, 2003
578
169
Maryland
Help! I have a very upset wife and two kids!

My two young children always watch the PBS kids programming the National PBS channel offers that our local PBS station does not.
Until 2 weekends ago, I still subscribed to, and could view the National PBS channel (Dish network channel 249). We have had this channed for almost 8 years, and as I understand, were grandfathered to continue to receive it even after Baltimore locals became available to us. Two weeks ago, I "Dished-Up" two receivers, and changed my programming to the DVR Advantage package with HD and the AT250 bonus pack. While attempting to make the account changes, the original CSR made a mess of our programming choices and DVR fees including cancelling our National PBS channel.
Once I discovered the programming and account mess by viewing my account online, I called another CSR who managed to set everything correctly, but could not re-activate the National PBS.

I next contacted ceo@dishnetwork and attempted to have dish reverse their error in de-activating the channel on my account. Instead, the ceo staff person contacted their waiver department and then told me I didn't qualify for the channel since there was a local PBS offerred in my market. I stated I did not want to "re-qualify" for the channel. I just wanted Dish to reverse their error in deleting it. I always understood that I would lose grandfathered status if I cancelled the channel, but not if Dish accidentally turned it off. She said that I should have lost the national channel at the time locals became available. She said the grandfathering didn't apply. Does anyone know if this is correct? Is there anyone out there that is still receiving this channel? Is there any online documentation to support the grandfathered receipt of this channel?

- Paul
 
md_paul said:
I always understood that I would lose grandfathered status if I cancelled the channel, but not if Dish accidentally turned it off. She said that I should have lost the national channel at the time locals became available. She said the grandfathering didn't apply. Does anyone know if this is correct?
Yes, that is correct. Once Dish Network served Baltimore with MPT, you should have lost that feed of the national PBS. There isn't any "grandfathering" of any sort; you should have lost the channel back in 2001.
 
Yes, that is correct. Once Dish Network served Baltimore with MPT, you should have lost that feed of the national PBS. There isn't any "grandfathering" of any sort; you should have lost the channel back in 2001.

That stinks. Up until Dish lost the legal battle, we still had the National Network feeds we qualified for prior to the availability of Baltimore locals. I even specifically asked if I would lose the New York and California channels when I added local Baltimore programming to our account years ago. At that time, I was told that because I already had qualified for and had the National networks, I could keep them until I cancelled them. The CSR told me that if I cancelled, I could never re-instate them.
 
Help! I have a very upset wife and two kids!

My two young children always watch the PBS kids programming the National PBS channel offers that our local PBS station does not.

- Paul

This still shows PBS Kids avaliable on MPT.

http://www.mpt.org/

Kids programming is available on the regular channel in the AM.

http://www.mpt.org/schedule/

Better yet, if you can hook up an OTA antenna, your kids can watch MPT Kids & Family all day on the MPT digital sub-channel.

http://www.mpt.org/schedule/home.cfm?channelselected=sd2&thisday=2007-3-14
 
Last edited:
Sure enough..

Hook up a OTA antenna and you will find 4 digital PBS sub-channels including PBS in HD. That is much better than what you were getting before and after the cost of the antenna, it's free!

I will bet you will find lots more surprises OTA than that as well. To find out exactly what this all means, go to www.antennaweb.org to find out more.
 
Same thing happened to me when I canceled the Superstations.... I even wrote Dish and got no response and multi-CSRs told me the same story that I couldn't get it back....

The worst thing is that I can get the 4 networks from AAD with the RV Waiver but I can't get National PBS from either Dish or AAD.

Yet, D* still offers the 4 networks and National PBS with the RV Waiver....

We lose yet again with E*.....
 
Sure enough..

Hook up a OTA antenna and you will find 4 digital PBS sub-channels including PBS in HD. That is much better than what you were getting before and after the cost of the antenna, it's free!

I will bet you will find lots more surprises OTA than that as well. To find out exactly what this all means, go to www.antennaweb.org to find out more.

Unfortunately, my home is located in a valley near the MD/PA line. We get little to no OTA reception here. There are large hills between my house and the broadcast antennas that are about 35-40 miles away. This is why our address originally qualified to receive distant network feeds before Dish offered Baltimore DMA channels.

When I entered my address at antennaweb.org, it only showed that I should be able to receive 3 analog channels (2 - ABC Baltimore MD, 8 - NBC Lancaster PA, and 43 - Fox York PA) When I click on the "Show Digital Stations Only" I receive the message "There are no digital stations predicted to serve this location."

-Paul
 
md_paul said:
That stinks. Up until Dish lost the legal battle, we still had the National Network feeds we qualified for prior to the availability of Baltimore locals. I even specifically asked if I would lose the New York and California channels when I added local Baltimore programming to our account years ago. At that time, I was told that because I already had qualified for and had the National networks, I could keep them until I cancelled them. The CSR told me that if I cancelled, I could never re-instate them.
And that is very true. However...

PBS was always different, according to the law. That is one reason it was left while the big four networks were cut-off.

If your local market offers a PBS channel, then the national feed was to be turned off. It happened to you six years after it started.
 
Its the way life goes but I am in the same, ordeal...If I go to antennaweb it is so wrong it is not even funny. It says that I can only get one abc channel period analog or digital. Well guess what I can't get that channel even with a very big antenna and booster. So there are errors of course. However I can get about 4 other channels however snowy. That are not even showing on that web site.....Anyway I lost nation PBS also....but I get two(2) from dish with my local channel pack, one out ot GA, and one out of TN. A little background I live in the very last western town in NC. My locals come out of TN except the one PBS out of GA, since I am considered in the TN market. I would prefer NC PBS, that dish does carry, but won't give to me since I am in a TN market. So I have to get it off of a snowy OTA antenna on a 30 foot tower with a booster and still snowy. Just the way it is and belive me being an installer for dish I have tried everything, still to no avail.
 

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