DISH Network May Remove RFD-TV

eacalhoun

Pub Member / Supporter
Original poster
Pub Member / Supporter
Jan 20, 2006
581
12
Morganton, NC
I am an RFD-TV fan and got this in my email today --


TO: All RFD-TV Viewers

FM: Patrick Gottsch/RFD-TV President

RE: Please Contact DISH Network



It is with great sadness that I must bring to your attention that February 14 may be the last day that DISH Network chooses to broadcast RFD-TV.


After 9 years on DISH, our affiliation agreement expires, and so far, DISH has chosen not to sign a new agreement with RFD-TV.


This is unbelievable. This is shocking.


Despite every effort on RFD-TV’s part over the past year to try to renew and expand the current agreement to keep RFD-TV on DISH Network for many more years to come, one relatively new person at DISH, who obviously does not understand and/or has no respect for rural America, has blocked these efforts and done everything possible to undermine our obtaining a new agreement. Earlier today, RFD-TV received new demands from this DISH representative that, among other things, would have required RFD-TV to now donate $500,000 per year to the DISH Team Summit. Ridiculous.


In good faith, RFD-TV has offered everything it has available to stay on DISH Network, including “free” carriage of RFD HD and RURAL TV to add more rural programming to DISH, stock in the company, and major marketing support for DISH through all our rural partners.


RFD-TV needs your help, and we need it now.


There are good people at DISH Network that need to be reminded how valuable and important RFD-TV’s rural programming is to everyone in your home, and what you will do if RFD-TV is taken off DISH. At this time, I ask that you e-mail and/or call directly the following to express your own opinion on this matter:


Charlie Ergen DISH Co-Founder & Chairman (303) 723-1010 Charlie.Ergen@dishnetwork.com
Dave Schull DISH Program Director (303) 808-7228 Dave.Shull@dishnetwork.com






It is my sincere hope that enough DISH Network customers will contact Charlie and Dave immediately, and that they will then intervene and solve this problem. Obviously, there is not much time, but it can be done. DISH customers matter. Over 30% of DISH’s subscribers are “rural” homes. To kick off the only rural channel on DISH after 9 years is insane.


RFD-TV will survive. RFD-TV/RFD HD has long-term carriage agreements in place with every other distributor in the U.S. – DIRECTV, Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Cable, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS TV, Bresnan, Charter, Mediacom, Brighthouse, and over 600 independent, small rural cable companies in small towns located throughout the country. If DISH Network chooses to become the only company not to carry RFD-TV or RFD HD, you may have to consider one of these other options in order to stay a viewer of RFD-TV, and our 92 wonderful independent programmers. Hopefully, you will not have to switch, but have no doubt, RFD-TV will survive this challenge.


Further updates or news on this matter, if needed, will be on the RFD-TV - Rural America's Most Important Network web site’s home page. You may also e-mail me your comments at my direct address below. Thank you so much for your support.


Patrick Gottsch
Founder & President
RFD-TV / RFD HD / RURAL TV
Patrick@rfdtv.com
 
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Great.

A must have for wifey and one of the only stations keeping me from ditching Dish for another provider. If this goes through I'll have no choice but to switch to FIOS. Thanks for posting this as I was mulling a dish upgrade to get the new HD.

Edit: consider my e-mails sent, wishing Dish good luck in sorting out the current problems with their satellite(s). Makes no difference to me if they listen or not, dropping RFD-TV leaves me no choice.
 
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Never watched it and don't plan to in the future. Not going to miss this channel if it goes away.
 
I find it a little shocking that Dish wants RFD TV to give them $500,000 for Team Summit. Where does all that money go? The attendies all pay $250 or more to attend the show which is nothing more then a dog and pony show for Dish Network.
 
Never watched it and don't plan to in the future. Not going to miss this channel if it goes away.

I have only watched when at my inl aws in IL. My Father-in-law is a farmer and LOVES that channel. The only true farming channel in existence that I know About.
 
I know there are a lot of customers who could care less. I am one of those people who never watch it. As for being a Dish retailer in Iowa I am upset. We have a lot of customers that will be very upset that this channel goes missing. In our area customers wont call Dish, they'll call us and complain about it missing and expect us to fix it. I hope this gets resolved or I'm going to lose customers.
 
I know how some feel: Dish could drop MTV, VH1, BET, PALLADIA and I wouldn't blink.

I can't think of a single channel that everyone wants to watch. But until we get a la carte programming we should all be on guard for this sort of cr*p (not really knowing the actual story in this particular case). This time it's a channel that I watch, next time it'll be one that you watch.
 
I've never even heard of this channel but I'm watching it now. Auction is on and this guy sounds like he is singing. I'm recording it because I could listen to it all day.
 
I like the Big Joe Poker show, Hee Haw and also the shows about the classic tractors. :)

I'm not a farmer -- but I love the classic country shows and the train video shows. Per the country shows, RFD-TV makes a good attempt at filling the void that TNN (The Nashville Network) left some 10-15 years ago after it morphed into what is now Spike.
 
So who will still be around? Dont underestimate Dish yet. I don't forsee there only being one satellite provider available in the future.
 
Perhaps the RFD-TV folks should talk to the Free DBS folks.

Not that I support Charlie & Co's practices, but it certainly doesn't sound like Dish is terribly interested in the RFD product. I wonder if Dish would require an exclusivity clause in a future contract with RFD?

This is a bit of a rant, but I'm getting tired of all the duopolies (monopoly x 2) in the U.S. Cable has a monopoly in most markets, and satellite is a duopoly in these markets. I'm very hopeful that the Free DBS venture is successful and evolves (or encourages others) to offer more flexible pay packages like the 4DTV providers.

Years ago I chose Dish because I felt they were the best of my subscription TV choices. They have fallen from best of three to "least bad" of the three.
 
Just sent this to Mr Shull with a CC to Mr Ergen

Dear Mr. Shull:

It came as a shock to read on the Satellite Guys website that Dish is planning to drop RFD-TV on 2/14. My family was seriously considering switching to your service when our contract at Directv ends next month in large part due to your visionary approach to adding HD services. In fact I was hoping you might even add RFD-TV as an HD offering. But if you do in fact drop RFD-TV, I will need to rethink.

Please reconsider and keep RFD-TV.

Sincerely,
Charles Ebbighausen
 
I'm not a farmer -- but I love the classic country shows and the train video shows. Per the country shows, RFD-TV makes a good attempt at filling the void that TNN (The Nashville Network) left some 10-15 years ago after it morphed into what is now Spike.



I totally agree, and it was one of the reasons why I chose Dishnetwork over Charter. I especially like the Marty Stuart show. I have sent the e-mails asking that the channel not be removed. I suspect many rural Americans watch this channel.