BLACKOUT

[RT-Cat]

Well, the fight between one of my local channels and Dish network has gotten to the point where the channel is gone.
Interesting to read the Email from the station I received and what Dish has to say about the problem. They both state the other is the big bully that wants more $$$$ or wants programming for next to nothing. I feel for those that do not have other sources to pick up that CBS network channel. With my OTA pickup, it is not that big a deal. Only a few changes with recording programs. Time will only tell just what is going to be the final outcome of this event.

 

[RONZ]

Well, the fight between one of my local channels and Dish network has gotten to the point where the channel is gone.
Interesting to read the Email from the station I received and what Dish has to say about the problem. They both state the other is the big bully that wants more $$$$ or wants programming for next to nothing. I feel for those that do not have other sources to pick up that CBS network channel. With my OTA pickup, it is not that big a deal. Only a few changes with recording programs. Time will only tell just what is going to be the final outcome of this event.

Traverse City MKT went down today What is this market

 

[RT-Cat]

Traverse City MKT went down today What is this market

I guess you could call it that. 9 and 10 news from Cadillac, MI.

RT.

 

[old corps]

Yeah, I'm wondering too as we're both in Michigan. Flint market.

Ed

Edit: You beat me to it. Good luck!

 

[RONZ]

Yeah, I'm wondering too as we're both in Michigan. Flint market.

Ed

Edit: You beat me to it. Good luck!

The dispute is with Heritage broadcasting and should not affect the Flint Market

 

[elmafu69]

I always wondered... The channel is free OTA why the disputes. I know some ppl can't get ota signals but if it is free in the first place why fight with over prices.

 

[RT-Cat]

I always wondered... The channel is free OTA why the disputes. I know some ppl can't get ota signals but if it is free in the first place why fight with over prices.

Because Dish charges you for local channels and the local channels want some of that money. Everything is $$$$$$$ !

RT.

 

[CK SatGuy]

Because Dish charges you for local channels and the local channels want some of that money. Everything is $$$$$$$ !

RT.

So is it just the CBS and FOX station up there or is it all of the big four?

 

[RT-Cat]

So is it just the CBS and FOX station up there or is it all of the big four?

CBS & FOX only. NBC & ABC from another company.
RT.

 

[CK SatGuy]

So FOX 32 is asking for $.05 a day per sub which comes out $1.50 per month per sub. Dish says that's a 600% increase from the last contract. If that's true, then that means that Dish was only paying $.25 per sub per month and that's a huge difference. I'm sure it has to be the FOX network itself that's forcing the station to make this increase. http://vault1.9and10news.com/Documents/32response.pdf
EDIT: I guess CBS 9 and 10 is asking for the same thing. http://vault1.9and10news.com/Documents/910response.pdf

 

[RT-Cat]

Yup. That is about the same Email I received from them. I can guess the networks always want more money due to the TOTALLY INSANE amount of money they pay sport players.

RT.

 

[tempVAdish]

I keep saying this over & over, Dish (and Direct) foots the bill for signal getting to the uplink, and the satellite. Broadcasters get wider viewer bases which means more people watching their customers' commercials... WTF is up with the free to air channels wanting sooooooo much for retrans? It's retarded and the FCC should be intervening.

If the advertisers could see how much $$ they lose when folks get their locals from another provider and take down their antenna thinking they won't need it any more, they'd jump on the band wagon too when they end up paying for advertising & everybody who should be seeing it is staring at a blank screen...

just my $0.02 (again)

 

[Juan]

I keep saying this over & over, Dish (and Direct) foots the bill for signal getting to the uplink, and the satellite. Broadcasters get wider viewer bases which means more people watching their customers' commercials... WTF is up with the free to air channels wanting sooooooo much for retrans? It's retarded and the FCC should be intervening.

If the advertisers could see how much $$ they lose when folks get their locals from another provider and take down their antenna thinking they won't need it any more, they'd jump on the band wagon too when they end up paying for advertising & everybody who should be seeing it is staring at a blank screen...

just my $0.02 (again)

maybe its not the station per se..it might be the "Network"..Networks used to subsidize local stations now they "charge" them for programming i.e. NFL Football..its a no win situation ..the consumer always seems to lose

 

[Pixl]

TV 9/10 rents tower space to Dish Network to pick up all the local affiliates and fiber it to the Wyoming uplink.
If it gets nasty they could pull the plug on the whole Traverse City market.

 

[RONZ]

TV 9/10 rents tower space to Dish Network to pick up all the local affiliates and fiber it to the Wyoming uplink.
If it gets nasty they could pull the plug on the whole Traverse City market.

Are you sure about this ? My understanding is the signals are linked from a independent company. That company also owns the links from ch 9 to ch 10 Keep in mind that the big 4 links and repeaters overlay the CMU system

 

[RONZ]

Are you sure about this ? My understanding is the signals are linked from a independent company. That company also owns the links from ch 9 to ch 10 Keep in mind that the big 4 links and repeaters overlay the CMU system

You can review the links at
WWW.wcmu.org/inside/towespace.html

 

[Pixl]

Are you sure about this ? My understanding is the signals are linked from a independent company. That company also owns the links from ch 9 to ch 10 Keep in mind that the big 4 links and repeaters overlay the CMU system

Been a few years now since I was there last, but the TV-9 engineer had showed me the equipment that Dish installed inside a small bldg. at the base of the tower that my radio station once occupied. Maybe it has changed since then.

 

[Max Wright]

In cases like this I always like it when they actually announce what is being charged and what the increase would be. I'd have to think that if any other utility decided to do so much of an increase as Fox32 is requesting you'd be up in arms. In this case, it looks more like Dish is right, that's just too much of an increase.

 

[Anony55]

I'm always for the satellite/Cable providers in these disputes.

It's a free channel. The stations should be thankful that they don't have to pay the providers to get their channel retransmitted. Instead of being thankful that retransmission is a way to help keep them from being left behind in a changing world, they wanna get greedy. They could look at it like "Oh good, I can show my advertisers another market where they are reaching". But instead, they want to pretend that they're a pay channel.

Yep, I know who I'm for in these disputes... every time.

Cheers

 

[Mr Tony]

article on the issue

A retransmission-consent dispute has resulted in a pair of Heritage Broadcasting Group stations in Traverse City, Mich. going dark for Dish Network subscribers.
The signals for WWTV, the CBS affiliate, and WFXQ, the Fox affiliate, were disconnected on Dec. 15 at 1:01 a.m., upon the expiration of the parties' contract.
Per usual, an increase in compensation is at the heart of the dispute.
Dish, on its www.befairheritage.com website, indicates that Heritage is "demanding an outrageous 'take it or leave it' fee increase of more than 500% and has completely walked away from the negotiating table. We are shocked at Heritage's unprofessional behavior and its complete lack of concern for its viewers.
"Heritage claims that it is being offered rates near the bottom of the pay scale. This is simply not true," the statement continues. "Dish Network has successfully negotiated more than 1,000 agreements with local TV stations in the past few years, including several in the past week. So we know our current offer is fair and in line with the marketplace. We are open to a fair and reasonable increase to Heritage's fees and know of no local TV station anywhere in the country receiving rates anywhere near what Heritage is demanding."

For its part, Heritage offers this statement on its website (http://www.9and10news.com/): "We apologize that your service with Dish Network has been disrupted by the removal of 9&10 News and Fox 32. We are working hard to reach a middle ground with Dish, but Dish continues to dictate the terms to any settlement. In the meantime, we suggest that all Dish subscribers request a discount on your monthly bill due to the loss of the #1 and #2 viewed networks in Northern Michigan.
We request that all your comments be directed to the parties involved in the negotiation, Heritage Broadcasting or Dish Network and not to local advertisers. Local advertisers support our communities and should not be subject to intimidation tactics."