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I hate to say it, but local broadcasting is on the ropes. 2023 ended up being a negative year for local broadcasters for several reasons. Long channel blackouts on DIRECTV, DISH, and others impacted their revenue. ATSC 3.0 was dealt a big blow when LG decided to stop supporting it. And of course, the writers' and actors' strikes impacted network affiliates as the fall TV season more or less didn't happen (unless you were a fan of reality TV and game shows.)
And now, it would seem that there's a push among pay TV companies to make local channels optional. DISH already allows some subscribers to opt out of local channels. They're able to do this because, unlike DIRECTV, they continue to offer an over-the-air antenna adapter for their products. DIRECTV is said to be pushing for the same sort of thing, allowing customers to opt out of locals in exchange for a drop in price.
Folks, I'm not a lawyer and broadcasting law can be extremely dense. But I'll tell you all I can based on what I understand. There seem to be two laws in play here. The first, the Cable Act of 1992, changed the way that cable TV companies and local broadcasters interacted. In the 1980s, local channels had the right to demand that cable operators carry them, but they couldn't profit in any way. Cable companies then developed the technology to replace channels on broadcast TV, and broadcasters retaliated. The Cable Act of 1992 allows broadcasters a choice. They can demand a cable company carry them, or they can give the cable company a choice but have the freedom to charge for carriage.
Obviously every broadcaster out there opted for choice number 2, and carriage fees rapidly surpassed commercial revenue as the biggest source of income for broadcasters. Losing these carriage fees at this point would be a huge problem, but as far as I can see it, it would be legal.
Satellite TV companies in this country are governed by a law called STAVRA. Its predecessor, a law called STELA, was created to allow satellite companies to offer locals in the first place. The FCC doesn't allow broadcasters to send their signal beyond their local areas. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit, by definition, are outside the local area, right? Right. So this law carves out an exception by which broadcasters can send their channels up to the satellites, provided that satellite companies provide strict access control to keep those channels visible only in their home markets.
Along for the ride in these bills is the provision that satellite companies must negotiate for carriage and can't just take it for free. So, if a contract isn't reached with a broadcaster, the broadcaster has the right to demand a blackout. We've all seen these things before.
I don't think it would take an act of Congress to let DIRECTV and DISH ditch locals. The companies could offer local-free plans as long as they didn't go against existing contracts. This could mean a gap of several years where channels disappeared one by one. That wouldn't be very good for consumers, so I would expect that DIRECTV would allow opt-out locals only when all the contracts allowed it.
It's worth pointing out that (as far as I know) cable companies would still be required to offer local channels unless the law that governed them was changed.
Without support from satellite companies, local broadcasters might not be able to make it. Local broadcasting is incredibly important for giving high-quality news and weather coverage. Just because it's possible for average people to record something and put it on Instagram doesn't mean people will get honest reporting. It's way too easy to distort people's perception of an event. We need local broadcasting and reporters with integrity to help uncover the truth of the stories of our day.
Unfortunately, we've already seen that large broadcast groups have centralized their news coverage, and without enough income, more broadcasters will do this. It's great that technology allows companies to produce all their newscasts in one location, but it means there isn't enough "boots on the ground" coverage, and there aren't enough local reporters digging for new stories.
In this generation, we've seen the almost total disappearance of small local newspapers, once the lifeblood of journalism. If we lose local television stations as well, it would definitely be to our detriment.
I'm pretty sure that we won't see local channels disappear in 2024. But it's an equally fair bet that the overall health of broadcast companies won't get any better, either. This kind of uncertainty could drive people away from locals. After all, network programming is available on streaming now. It's all the local content that isn't. There are streaming news channels available for many cities on Pluto, The Roku Channel, and other streaming apps. They're generally limited to major cities and are produced in a central location away from most of those cities.
I know that local news can be dreary and boring sometimes. It's actually good if you live in a place where not much happens. But there's always something cooking, and generally if your local news seems boring, it's not that there's nothing happens. It's more likely your local broadcasters don't have enough money to investigate the problems. That problem is only going to get worse if cable and satellite companies allow more people to opt out of locals.
I do understand that it makes business sense for these companies to look into it. I also understand that your local channels are probably a third of your cable or satellite bill and it would be nice to get that money back if you don't watch (or watch with an antenna.) But it's a slippery slope that ends with no local coverage at all. When that happens, it's pretty much impossible to bounce back.
The post Will pay-TV services drop locals in 2024? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
And now, it would seem that there's a push among pay TV companies to make local channels optional. DISH already allows some subscribers to opt out of local channels. They're able to do this because, unlike DIRECTV, they continue to offer an over-the-air antenna adapter for their products. DIRECTV is said to be pushing for the same sort of thing, allowing customers to opt out of locals in exchange for a drop in price.
Is this even legal?
Folks, I'm not a lawyer and broadcasting law can be extremely dense. But I'll tell you all I can based on what I understand. There seem to be two laws in play here. The first, the Cable Act of 1992, changed the way that cable TV companies and local broadcasters interacted. In the 1980s, local channels had the right to demand that cable operators carry them, but they couldn't profit in any way. Cable companies then developed the technology to replace channels on broadcast TV, and broadcasters retaliated. The Cable Act of 1992 allows broadcasters a choice. They can demand a cable company carry them, or they can give the cable company a choice but have the freedom to charge for carriage.
Obviously every broadcaster out there opted for choice number 2, and carriage fees rapidly surpassed commercial revenue as the biggest source of income for broadcasters. Losing these carriage fees at this point would be a huge problem, but as far as I can see it, it would be legal.
The satellite side of the fence
Satellite TV companies in this country are governed by a law called STAVRA. Its predecessor, a law called STELA, was created to allow satellite companies to offer locals in the first place. The FCC doesn't allow broadcasters to send their signal beyond their local areas. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit, by definition, are outside the local area, right? Right. So this law carves out an exception by which broadcasters can send their channels up to the satellites, provided that satellite companies provide strict access control to keep those channels visible only in their home markets.
Along for the ride in these bills is the provision that satellite companies must negotiate for carriage and can't just take it for free. So, if a contract isn't reached with a broadcaster, the broadcaster has the right to demand a blackout. We've all seen these things before.
Locals on satellite could go away
I don't think it would take an act of Congress to let DIRECTV and DISH ditch locals. The companies could offer local-free plans as long as they didn't go against existing contracts. This could mean a gap of several years where channels disappeared one by one. That wouldn't be very good for consumers, so I would expect that DIRECTV would allow opt-out locals only when all the contracts allowed it.
It's worth pointing out that (as far as I know) cable companies would still be required to offer local channels unless the law that governed them was changed.
This would be a real mistake, the way I see it
Without support from satellite companies, local broadcasters might not be able to make it. Local broadcasting is incredibly important for giving high-quality news and weather coverage. Just because it's possible for average people to record something and put it on Instagram doesn't mean people will get honest reporting. It's way too easy to distort people's perception of an event. We need local broadcasting and reporters with integrity to help uncover the truth of the stories of our day.
Unfortunately, we've already seen that large broadcast groups have centralized their news coverage, and without enough income, more broadcasters will do this. It's great that technology allows companies to produce all their newscasts in one location, but it means there isn't enough "boots on the ground" coverage, and there aren't enough local reporters digging for new stories.
In this generation, we've seen the almost total disappearance of small local newspapers, once the lifeblood of journalism. If we lose local television stations as well, it would definitely be to our detriment.
But will it happen?
I'm pretty sure that we won't see local channels disappear in 2024. But it's an equally fair bet that the overall health of broadcast companies won't get any better, either. This kind of uncertainty could drive people away from locals. After all, network programming is available on streaming now. It's all the local content that isn't. There are streaming news channels available for many cities on Pluto, The Roku Channel, and other streaming apps. They're generally limited to major cities and are produced in a central location away from most of those cities.
I know that local news can be dreary and boring sometimes. It's actually good if you live in a place where not much happens. But there's always something cooking, and generally if your local news seems boring, it's not that there's nothing happens. It's more likely your local broadcasters don't have enough money to investigate the problems. That problem is only going to get worse if cable and satellite companies allow more people to opt out of locals.
I do understand that it makes business sense for these companies to look into it. I also understand that your local channels are probably a third of your cable or satellite bill and it would be nice to get that money back if you don't watch (or watch with an antenna.) But it's a slippery slope that ends with no local coverage at all. When that happens, it's pretty much impossible to bounce back.
The post Will pay-TV services drop locals in 2024? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
7 Replies
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882 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n43A0sNukCg
Direct YouTube Link - SpaceX Seeks to Conduct 450 Starship Launches a Year in Texas!
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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5 views
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
68506 Replies
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2671310 views
Marques Brownlee
Time for another AWESOME video from Marques Brownlee!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scwlR0QHGOk
Direct YouTube Link - The NEW Tesla Roadster: My Honest Reaction
The official MKBHD Website!
The MKBHD Store
0 Replies
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5 views
iJustine
Time for another AWESOME video from iJustine!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m44iKsdN1-Q
Direct YouTube Link - NVIDIA RTX Spark launch party!!!
The official iJustine Website's Website
Buy her book!
0 Replies
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17 views
For quite a while now, people with a VIP211k have been losing their recordings on their activated external HDDs... even when there's nothing physically wrong with HDD. I believe this is an intentional and underhanded tactic that Dish is pulling in an attempt to force users away from the VIP211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
They are obviously regretting that they ever let users have a "non-dvr" dvr in the first place. You would think they would be happy charging you a $40 one time fee... and then be happy letting the customer be the one responsible for HDD failures.
Dish clearly hates the 211k bitter-clingers. This recording deletion problem is intentional (IMO), and I think it is just one more tool that they are using. Hopper and a 2-year agreement... that's what they want you to have. Think about that... a 2-year agreement... with a company $30 Billion in debt (that's with a B). What happens when all that debt causes them to drop the channel that may have been your whole reason for having Dish in the first place? Guess who's stuck with a service that no longer suits their needs... for the remainder of the 2-year agreement.
On top of that, they don't want you to install it yourself. I purchased and installed all my equipment myself. That used to be common. Now, they lie to me and tell me that my dish must be updated to use a Hopper. Funny thing is... they don't even know what dish I have because they didn't install it, and I didn't tell them. If you ask what type of dish/LNBs the hopper needs... good luck getting an answer. All they know is that whatever you have needs to be upgraded by an installer.
It is quite apparent to me that they care much more about staying in their box, than they do working with the customer. That's too bad, because it hasn't always been that way. It's like they are totally unaware of the current business environment that they are trying to compete in.
I have been a customer since 2010. I will be cancelling my service before the next period. Yeah, I know, my $1,200 a year won't make a difference to them. It just seems like they have forgotten who needs who, especially when you consider the competition in today's streaming world. But hey, they will have succeed in forcing me off the 211k.
168 Replies
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7500 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Has anyone subscribed to NBA League Pass for 2026-27 and try to link their account to NBA.com to stream League Pass? I purchased it for 2026-27, and when I linked, I got a message saying success, but then I receive an error that my linked subscription does not include the preseason games for NBA League Pass. Is that how it has always been? I know satellite doesn't have the preseason games on the NBA League Pass channels, but I thought that I was able to stream the preseason once I linked my account on NBA.com?
2 Replies
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87 views
Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
143 Replies
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1468 views
Nah, you just don't understand how ignore works, which is why you made your own NFL thread thinking there wasn't one
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
530 Replies
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18127 views
Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat. 
WTF… …What the Foxbat!Remember folks... just like DNS... its always Foxbat.
S
wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming youWTF… …What the Foxbat!
I know. Here's what Scott has in store for me if I get out of line:wow what a kick in the balls!!! the wife blames you when things don't work now scott's blaming you
S
OMG to freaking funny
You're no fun.
I thought I would come here and find lots of complaints about the update to the dish anywhere mobile app, but am not seeing any. It used to look just like the desktop webpage. Now you can no longer filter by sports channels or movie channels. Plus that they made it look like a big button telephone and you see fewer channels in the screen which requires more scrolling. Yes I realize you can look at sports then select which sport you want to look at, I just liked being able to see all sporting events in the guide with all other channels being filtered out. Am I alone in the wilderness on this?
7 Replies
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160 views
Supporting Founder
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Apple has finally released their Apple TV 4K with built-in Siri and a microphone so it can respond to your queries even if you don't have the remote. It also increases in price, to $299. I had been planning on updating my current Apple TV 4K streamers, but that's $600 for the two of them, and that's a pass at this point.
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
At $299, it had better come with 256 GB of Storage, Gigabit (or better) Ethernet, the latest HDMI tech and standards, and one year of free Apple One. But it probably won't…
Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K. New Siri AI and hands-free control. Stunning picture and immersive HomePod surround sound. Works with your Apple and smart home devices.
www.apple.com
20 Replies
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336 views
S
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
they all do that anyways.. ever notice your cell phone slows down when you come up for an upgrade..
. apple's been making money off of software and not hardware for a while
You should have looked in the APP STORE instead.
