No more HD Distant Networks?

[TNGTony]

SyndEx is short for "Syndicated Exclusivity". When a TV station in a TV market buys a program to show in that area, they buy the exclusive (as in to exclude anyone else) rights to show that program in that market. Stations pay a premium for this exclusivity.

Dish Network can import a superstation as defined in the law (WWOR, WPIX, WSBK, KTLA, KWGN---no other station is or can be a super station. WGN and WTBS are no longer super stations. WGN has a national channel separate from WGN9 and WTBS no longer exists, it's WPCH now).

The local station has the right to tell Dish Network, "We own this program that is also shown on the super station you are importing. Please block that program in from showing on that station in this TV market."

By law, Dish has to honor that station's request. Dish could just black out the offending program in that market the same way they do sports channels (a completely different story there). However Dish chooses the block the entire channel from being sold in a market if they cannot come to a deal with the local station making the Syndex request.

 

[redelephants]

Are they being turned off or not?

 

[Bobby]

The 12th isn't over yet.....

 

[Peter Parker]

SyndEx is short for "Syndicated Exclusivity". When a TV station in a TV market buys a program to show in that area, they buy the exclusive (as in to exclude anyone else) rights to show that program in that market. Stations pay a premium for this exclusivity.

Dish Network can import a superstation as defined in the law (WWOR, WPIX, WSBK, KTLA, KWGN---no other station is or can be a super station. WGN and WTBS are no longer super stations. WGN has a national channel separate from WGN9 and WTBS no longer exists, it's WPCH now).

The local station has the right to tell Dish Network, "We own this program that is also shown on the super station you are importing. Please block that program in from showing on that station in this TV market."

By law, Dish has to honor that station's request. Dish could just black out the offending program in that market the same way they do sports channels (a completely different story there). However Dish chooses the block the entire channel from being sold in a market if they cannot come to a deal with the local station making the Syndex request.

That is correct.I could split hairs and mention that there is still an OTA WTBS in Atlanta but it has no connection to the old superstation or the current WPCH. It is my opinion (and nothing else) that DISH may fear more Syndex requests if the superstation package becomes more attractive and one way this could occur is by putting it in HD. Another major concern may be the additional bandwidth required to do this at a CONUS location.

 

[johnwadams]

My DMA only has an ABC station which Dish has tossed into my DMA in SD. Prior to now, they did not carry it . But they are using the Memphis CBS, NBC, and FOX for this "new" DMA but in SD only. Now, if you are in the Memphis DMA you would get them in HD and if i "move" to Memphis, I would get them in HD since I am under the Memphis spot beam. So, why not save some transponder space and only spot beam the ABC station to us and allow us to have the other 3 in HD using the Memphis spot beam while blocking the ABC station from Memphis.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Well here it is 6:25 am on 1/13/11 and I still have my west coast networks. What's up?

 

[Tom_P]

This will be a sad Playoffs and a terrible Super Bowl for me, I will have to deal with Fox PR and our local Beer Medalla ads covering half of the screen, also returning for commercials 15-20 seconda after the game had resumed... I thought that was part of the past..... I was more than willing to pay the premium price for the HD but they asked $13 for the SD the same I was paying for the HD, so I told them that if they get the HD again don't even call me, just activate them again..

 

[redelephants]

Well here it is 6:25 am on 1/13/11 and I still have my west coast networks. What's up?

Me too.

 

[Tampa8]

9:30AM EST and still on. Now they are just taunting us with false hope.....lol

 

[MikeD-C05]

Maybe since it is past the Up-link and change day at DISH , they will wait till next Wednesday to pull them?

 

[Pinchhitter]

9:30AM EST and still on. Now they are just taunting us with false hope.....lol

Me too.....mine are still up as of this moment. They did charge me for the month on the 11th.

 

[ahearst]

Just received a call from Sobongo/AAD telling me the HD distants will definitely be yanked at midnight tonight. I told the rep I'd cancelled my subscription a week ago.

 

[kikenovic]

Mine are gone now. Perhaps they are deactivating users one by one.

At this point I'm happy if they pull the plug on the SD after my year is over.

The other option is to obtain an extra receiver, setup a second account with E*, locals only. If I'm not mistaken, based on "The List" there are still a lot of options on the EA, but only two on the WA (and both are in SD), and off course we don't know when E* will remove all the Conus locals forever (SD or HD).

If they decide to keep something Conus, it seems it will be only for RVers.

 

[Teehar]

Very strange goings on...The 3 HD AAd channels I sub to are still on and I just got charged for a new month of them.

 

[makman]

AAD has never been quick on the uptake. You can still go to their website and it offers the HD channels.

 

[bacchus101]

Nice. Sobongo cancelled me, in saying they would no longer be offering HD channels after the 12th. They called me. I told them I didn't want their SD channels and to close my account. Today, I get the gift of a charge to my credit card.

Long story short, ask for a supervisor and when they say he is in a meeting (sketchy) offer to stay on the line until he is out of said meeting. Say you have all day and will tell jokes to pass the time.

Refund offered.

 

[bacchus101]

Very strange goings on...The 3 HD AAd channels I sub to are still on and I just got charged for a new month of them.

The person I spoke to said, "they are not in the dark yet"

 

[redelephants]

Nice. Sobongo cancelled me, in saying they would no longer be offering HD channels after the 12th. They called me. I told them I didn't want their SD channels and to close my account. Today, I get the gift of a charge to my credit card.

Long story short, ask for a supervisor and when they say he is in a meeting (sketchy) offer to stay on the line until he is out of said meeting. Say you have all day and will tell jokes to pass the time.

Refund offered.

That is pretty funny. I will have to remember the joke offer in the future. Good stuff.

 

[Tampa8]

Long story short, ask for a supervisor and when they say he is in a meeting (sketchy) offer to stay on the line until he is out of said meeting. Say you have all day and will tell jokes to pass the time.

Refund offered.

Lol, typical New England sports fan humor......

 

[dbajaer]

Never lose faith, what happens if Dish gives some room on 129 and lets the HD Networks live...The 110 is a problem for anyone that just wants to use two satellites, some day the bulk of HD will be sent via 129!