WISH-8 CBS affilliate in Inianapolis hurting consumers

[off a cough]

And DirectTV is not helping. While all the major locals come in as HD via the satellite, WISH-8 is the exception. The fact that CBS has the AFC games for the NFL has them holding consumers hostage, asking for much more money than DirectTV has paid other local affiliates for these rights.

I am considering a writing campaign to the NFL, CBS, and WISH. I am also going to complain to the other local news stations, to see if they want to stir up dirt on their competition.

Has anyone had any luck beating up on a greedy local affiliate? These guys are horrible, and this impass must break.

I mean, it's bad enough that CBS absolutely SUCKS at NFL coverage to begin with, with technical glitches, missed snaps due to programming promos, bad angles, and commentators who are just plain stupid. They are not worthy of an NFL contract to begin with, much less worth of more money to make the consumers of their product happy.

 

[Jimbo]

And DirectTV is not helping. While all the major locals come in as HD via the satellite, WISH-8 is the exception. The fact that CBS has the AFC games for the NFL has them holding consumers hostage, asking for much more money than DirectTV has paid other local affiliates for these rights.

I am considering a writing campaign to the NFL, CBS, and WISH. I am also going to complain to the other local news stations, to see if they want to stir up dirt on their competition.

Has anyone had any luck beating up on a greedy local affiliate? These guys are horrible, and this impass must break.

I mean, it's bad enough that CBS absolutely SUCKS at NFL coverage to begin with, with technical glitches, missed snaps due to programming promos, bad angles, and commentators who are just plain stupid. They are not worthy of an NFL contract to begin with, much less worth of more money to make the consumers of their product happy.

Gee, would you like NBC to do the AFC ?????

Jimbo

 

[hancox]

This is 100% the fault of LIN, the parent company of WISH. We have the same problem with our ABC affiliate, also owned by LIN.

 

[charper1]

And DirectTV is not helping.

I guess DirecTV should cave to what amounts to a ransom payment? DirecTV has no fault here.

 

[digiblur]

And DirectTV is not helping. While all the major locals come in as HD via the satellite, WISH-8 is the exception. The fact that CBS has the AFC games for the NFL has them holding consumers hostage, asking for much more money than DirectTV has paid other local affiliates for these rights.

I am considering a writing campaign to the NFL, CBS, and WISH. I am also going to complain to the other local news stations, to see if they want to stir up dirt on their competition.

Has anyone had any luck beating up on a greedy local affiliate? These guys are horrible, and this impass must break.

I mean, it's bad enough that CBS absolutely SUCKS at NFL coverage to begin with, with technical glitches, missed snaps due to programming promos, bad angles, and commentators who are just plain stupid. They are not worthy of an NFL contract to begin with, much less worth of more money to make the consumers of their product happy.

Do you live outside of this circle?

Service Area Map

 

[rad]

At least LIN has only one if his stations, in Austin LIN has two of them so no NBC now and when D* starts to expand their HD LIL coverage we'll also not have the CW. It will be interesting to see what will happen in 2/2009 and this is still not resolved.

 

[jetman]

Here in Buffalo, we have the same problem with our CBS affiliate, WIVB, also a LIN station. I know we're not privy to the negotiations between DirecTV and LIN, but I am somewhat curious as to what LIN is asking for vs what D* is offering. I'd hate to think that it's something like 25 cents per subscriber per month, because if that's the case I'd gladly pay it to receive CBS in HD...

Does anyone even know if negotiations with LIN are ongoing or are they stalled?

 

[off a cough]

Do you live outside of this circle?

Service Area Map

Nope, I live within the circle, SE of Indy in a surrounding county.

Interesting to learn about LIN. I am writing the NFL, I would suffer NBC to have the AFC games rather than be held hostage.

I appreciate the take on DTV, they've obviously paid everyone else's fees. I'm so ticked off right now I'm ready to show up at WISH news events and shout into live feeds.

Does the FCC still require annual license renewals, with opportunities for public comment? I can be a real arse when a company gets under my skin, I may even write the state atty general... he'll go after ANYONE if it helps his political career.

I already miss seeing Angela Buchman in HD.

 

[Mr Tony]

LIN broadcasting ranks up there with Sinclair as the anti-christ when it comes to givign their signal to Dish/Direct.

Easiest thing for people in a LIN market...put up an antenna. They WONT give the HD signal to Dish/Direct. And in some cases they flaunt it
WLUK-TV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Exclusion From Cable and Satellite Providers

WLUK is the only Green Bay-based major-network affiliate not to have its digital signal carried on local cable systems or DirecTV, a stance which dates back to an Emmis corporate directive which effected several other markets. Station officials, including Vice President and General Manager Jay Zollar, have vehemently and publicly defended their position on this matter, both in a policy statement on their website and in direct e-mail responses to viewers. WLUK maintains that cable operators require digital-cable service to receive its digital signal, at a "significant additional charge" to the subscriber, from which WLUK receives no compensation. However it is possible to view local HD channels on cable without leasing a cable box, if the HDTV's digital tuner is QAM compatible.

On November 21, 2006, DirecTV launched local high-definition channels to the Green Bay market. As of the end of the 2006, LIN Television has not completed negotiations with DirecTV to carry the channel. WLUK also removed references to availability of WLUK-DT on satellite providers from their HDTV FAQ, which had previously stated "DirecTV or DISH satellite providers have come to terms with WLUK… both companies offer an option that enables you to receive over the air HD signals from local broadcasters."

 

[digiblur]

Nope, I live within the circle, SE of Indy in a surrounding county.

Stop waiting on satellite feed negotiation. Pick it up OTA. Look at all of the other areas where D* and E* are missing one or two locals. They've been waiting for more than a year. Only way is OTA or "moving".

 

[Newshawk]

IMHO, the only way to get any pressure to bear on LIN is to complain to the network involved. It's a long shot, but if enough people complained, the network may consider pulling their affiliation with LIN due to LIN's not ensuring their market is completely served.

 

[ONUOsFan]

Nope, I live within the circle, SE of Indy in a surrounding county.

Interesting to learn about LIN. I am writing the NFL, I would suffer NBC to have the AFC games rather than be held hostage.

I appreciate the take on DTV, they've obviously paid everyone else's fees. I'm so ticked off right now I'm ready to show up at WISH news events and shout into live feeds.

Does the FCC still require annual license renewals, with opportunities for public comment? I can be a real arse when a company gets under my skin, I may even write the state atty general... he'll go after ANYONE if it helps his political career.

I already miss seeing Angela Buchman in HD.

While I agree with your sentiment, it's all business and it will get done when (if) it gets done. I finally gave up and got an OTA antenna when I realized I would not be seeing Colts games in HD. Really sucked that I got my D* installed on Masters weekend and had to watch the last two rounds of that in SD, though...

I do wonder some why it is that it seems like Cable and FIOS have no problems getting these channels in HD but the SAT companies don't (although E*'s issue may be more with capacity, I'm not sure). Maybe they just swallow whatever fees they have to swallow because they know they have to have those stations?

Interestingly enough, though, WISH was one of the first to roll out in HD on most cable systems around here, IIRC - I had cable back then and it seemed like WISH and WTHR (NBC) were the first, followed by WRTV (ABC) and WXIN (FOX).

 

[off a cough]

I have an HR-21-700 receiver, no OTA input. While I have plenty of inputs on my TV for an OTA antenna, I won't be able to record anything until D* offers a solution.

LIN can kiss my Hoosier arse. I hope their stock tanks and the guys responsible for this greed are unemployed for Christmas. I hope that they run a mile with sandpaper in their underwear and follow it up with a lemon juice bath. I hope that the Channel 8 building gets a sewage backup and Debbie Knox pukes on Anthony Calhoon's lap.

But mostly, I hope the NFL gets all of my repeated complaints over the next 18 months and tells CBS to take a flying f*** on the AFC games.

Have a nice day

 

[digiblur]

I have an HR-21-700 receiver, no OTA input. While I have plenty of inputs on my TV for an OTA antenna, I won't be able to record anything until D* offers a solution.

Don't get us started on D*'s idiots who thought it was smart to leave out the OTA on the HR21.

"Hey boss..hey...check this out! And you thought the HR20 was mondo cool with it not needing to scan the OTA, I've got a better idea! Let's just leave the OTA off! Everyone lives in HD LiL markets and they'll watch our HD feeds! No one needs OTA anyways!"

EDIT: Something confuses me though... if I were such a football fan that I needed this channel badly, I can guarantee you I wouldn't waste anytime at all hooking up a cable to my TV's OTA tuner.

 

[Tenacious-D]

Just found these forums in researching whether or not to drop cable and this thread hits home for me since I live in the Indy 'burbs. I want the Big Ten Network and additional HD content and Insight won't deliver that and they are soon to be bought out by Comcast.

So if I understand the situation correctly I will NOT have WISH/CBS in HD if I go with satellite. AND the new HD/DVR (HR21) that I would probably be issued does not have OTA included so I couldn't get my local CBS without an external antenna.

My questions:

1. Is it possible with the HR21 though to take the input from an external antenna and still record that on the DVR or does that go directly to the TV? That's a dealbreaker for me to record the Colts games and we watch a lot of other CBS shows (Survivor, Amazing Race, The Unit, etc.) but with little kids we need to be ablet to watch them via DVR on our schedule.

2. (In my best Seinfeld voice) What's the deal with all the "D*" and "E*" abbreviations?

Thanks,
Ten-D

 

[off a cough]

Just found these forums in researching whether or not to drop cable and this thread hits home for me since I live in the Indy 'burbs. I want the Big Ten Network and additional HD content and Insight won't deliver that and they are soon to be bought out by Comcast.

So if I understand the situation correctly I will NOT have WISH/CBS in HD if I go with satellite. AND the new HD/DVR (HR21) that I would probably be issued does not have OTA included so I couldn't get my local CBS without an external antenna.

My questions:

1. Is it possible with the HR21 though to take the input from an external antenna and still record that on the DVR or does that go directly to the TV? That's a dealbreaker for me to record the Colts games and we watch a lot of other CBS shows (Survivor, Amazing Race, The Unit, etc.) but with little kids we need to be ablet to watch them via DVR on our schedule.

2. (In my best Seinfeld voice) What's the deal with all the "D*" and "E*" abbreviations?

Thanks,
Ten-D

That's my concern, at this point. I can run an OTA antenna into my TV (and will do so this week), but I can't record that HD reception without the OTA input on the HR21. Stooopid DTV move. I can still record in SD, and I'm very tempted to build a PC-based DVR, anyway - if I can find an HD tuner card for a reasonable sum.

 

[digiblur]

That's my concern, at this point. I can run an OTA antenna into my TV (and will do so this week), but I can't record that HD reception without the OTA input on the HR21. Stooopid DTV move. I can still record in SD, and I'm very tempted to build a PC-based DVR, anyway - if I can find an HD tuner card for a reasonable sum.

I've seen other posts where D* is supposed to be coming out with a USB OTA for the HR21 to fix one of their mistakes.

 

[ONUOsFan]

I've seen other posts where D* is supposed to be coming out with a USB OTA for the HR21 to fix one of their mistakes.

You also have the option to insist on an HR-20 (which does have an OTA input and two tuners for it, and is still being made) and to not accept installation of a -21.

And please, don't even talk about AFC games going to someone else. You obviously haven't been watching NBC or FOX's HORRID coverage of the NFL. Yes, I have to get it OTA, but CBS is by far the best NFL coverage out there.

By the way, I've talked to one of the engineers over at WISH, and they're not any happier about their not being on D* than we are - it's not up to them. As said before, it's their parent company, and I'm not sure it's as simple as them just "dumping" LIN...

 

[Tenacious-D]

Ugh, missed another IU basketball game on the Big Ten Network. My updated questions for the Indy market . . .

1. IF I can get an HR20 when I order online, and then get WISH-CBS HD (8.1) via the OTA, will I be able to use the DVR to record shows/Colts games? Right now I can pick up WISH-HD via old-time rabbit ears behind the tv since I'm only 15/20 miles from downtown.

2. Also, when I use online TVGuide and set my location by ZIP code and select listings for "D* w/locals" it doesn't show WISH-CBS but it does show a CBS-HD East channel out of NYC IIRC. Is that actually on there?

3. If I go thru Circuit City dot com it looks like I can "buy" the HR20-700 for $299 (no $100 discount like online) and be sure that I won't get sent an HR21. Will D* still install it for free?

4. Any idea how long it takes them to install the system after purchase here locally? If I have to wait a month or more it may not be worth it since my primary reason for going satellite is to get the BTN games I'm missing.


Thanks,
Ten-D

 

[JAG72]

1. IF I can get an HR20 when I order online, and then get WISH-CBS HD (8.1) via the OTA, will I be able to use the DVR to record shows/Colts games? Right now I can pick up WISH-HD via old-time rabbit ears behind the tv since I'm only 15/20 miles from downtown.

Yes you will be able to record the OTA feed with the HR20.

2. Also, when I use online TVGuide and set my location by ZIP code and select listings for "D* w/locals" it doesn't show WISH-CBS but it does show a CBS-HD East channel out of NYC IIRC. Is that actually on there?

CBS-HD is there but you need to get a waiver from your local station to be able to receive it.

3. If I go thru Circuit City dot com it looks like I can "buy" the HR20-700 for $299 (no $100 discount like online) and be sure that I won't get sent an HR21. Will D* still install it for free?

As long as you work this out when you order your service from D*. Make sure it is included on your work order prior to them coming out for the installation.

4. Any idea how long it takes them to install the system after purchase here locally? If I have to wait a month or more it may not be worth it since my primary reason for going satellite is to get the BTN games I'm missing.

This really depends on how many people in your are a re having installs also. I have seen reports of people waiting a month for an installation and others have been installed within a couple of days.