This sounds a lot like my column at MultiChannel.COM today.
The way I see it, DirecTV gave the INDUSTRY a swift kick in the pants. And now the entire industry is rushing to add HD.
No matter if your a cable fan, DirecTV fan or Dish Network fan, this is more HDTV for everyone.
Scott, my friend. most of what you say I agree with. But your column today just wreeks of a fish smell. Sorry but you are not being factual at all.
You are being pandering to the likes of DirecTV. I have no idea why but as I said it is a fish smell here.
Now for the facts, You claim that Dish had to get a kick in the seat of the pants by D* as they boast of future HD content with no time frame nor no specifics on content to make up that 100, 150 or 50 National programs. The DirecTV advertising is all they have at this time and it is a shallow ad campaign full of Enron style hype. All they had to do to add substance to their ad is to define when and what will be added.
On the otherhand, you claim that Ergan got a kick in the seat of the pants by DirecTV and now Ergan is following the leader which you now claim is DirecTV.
Earth to satellite guy in the sky... Pleas go back and do this count. GBo back 3 years ago when D* began this shallow boast. Look at D*, Look at E*. Then look at each today. Set up a histogram of when these channels were added. Unless you are blind or doing some sort of pandering game, you will see that E* has indeed added national channels on a regular and steady basis. While I would have preferred Ergan added the StarzHD much sooner as well as MAX, NGHD and TNT, UHD etc. the fact is they did add these in a steady regular time frame. You and I are watching them now, not sometime in the future. So who is kicking Ergan in the pants?
Let's do the flip side on this and see what you and others would say- Let's say Ergan began his own shallow future prediction ad that says E* will have 152 National HD channels. Never say what they are, nor offer a finite date when they will be on. Would you then saay E* is kicking D*'s butt and now is the leader?
Scott- You once did an interview and reported the results here. Do you recall? You said Paraphrasing- the D* rep couldn't even list 50 channels that he referenced, and then when he did, you listed several errors in that list with repeats etc.
I'm sure you recall that interview. But what has changed? Certainly it wasn't that D* has now made that list of 50 or 100 Nationals public. Certainly that D* hasn't made the turn on date public. I only saw one change. It was you acquiring DirecTV equipment so you could offer a fair assessment. AFAIK- the only assessment you should have been able to see is that they still have not made any channel additions that resembles their ad campaign. With your Blog and posts here, I'd have to be concerned that you are pandering to DirecTV.
I have DirecTV HD equipment here too, but I refuse to upgrade it until I see truth in advertising. I have been a loyal DirecTV customer since their start in the mid 90's. There has been major changes in the company's integrity since GM sold them off. Back then they would have never put up a three+ year ad campaign that asked for subscribers based on what will happen some unknown time in the future. Today that is their pattern.
A few people here have complained about VOOM. Fact is there were a healthy number of VOOM subscribers who really like the specialty channels they had. May not be your cup of tea but many of us really liked the idea of a channel with art shows and history of art. A HD scifi channel, some liked the martial arts movie channel, others favored old time movies- classics in HD, some liked the 24/7 rock concerts. But when VOOM went down, it was Ergan and E* that picked up the slack and kept that programming variety alive. In a way, VOOM is no different than tthe HBO networks, Showtime, Starz, the NFL games on D* except for one thing. They all are in HD and DD5.1.
Speaking of NFL-- ( Rant)While it is true that D* maintains this superior attitude that they OWN the NFL exclusive rebroadcast rights. The reality is that it is extremely expensive, IMO. I have yet to find anyone who could prove to me the value of that package in HD. First of all I like NFL. But more important to me is I like following my home town team. Guess what- I get that and other Florida teams I like on Dish Network HD too. They just come through my Dish Network DVR and with 4 games every Sunday, that's about all I can stand to watch at a time. When I did subscrib to the NFLST a few years ago, I only got to watch 1 game all season due to blackout rules. When I cancelled I told DirecTV to call me when it isn't so expensive and when the games I paid to watch aren't blacked out. DirecTV said they don't have anything to do with blackoits. I accept that but then I want a f**kin refund! Their refusal to offer my refund for the blackouts cost them a $120 a month subscription.
Scott- I realize you made your bed now with this blog on DirecTV, and the only ones who will agree with you are DirecTV people. Those of us in the middle and just want to see HD, are stunned at your lack of objectivity. we feel your blog reads as if it were written by a DirecTV ad writer, not you.
