Charlie Ergen on Distant Networks

[Greg Bimson]

People "move" in order to receive distant networks or in some cases, to receive the local channels for a different area.

Well, to expand on Tony's post, if one "moves" into NYC, then you are receiving NYC channels as locals, not distants.

 

[Tower Guy]

What is that number ?? That's the total number who get distant networks, isn't it ?? NOT ALL OF THOSE QUALIFY and therefore Directv can't offer them distants either !

It's probably less than 50,000. The difficulty is in the smaller markets without a full slate of affiliates. Most of those matrkets have SV stations from nearby markets, but SV may not survive the court ruling.

The only argument that might be made is that SV didn't exist when the lawsuit started, so the injunction applies to the rules as they were in 1998, not the current law.

 

[minnow]

It's probably less than 50,000. The difficulty is in the smaller markets without a full slate of affiliates. Most of those matrkets have SV stations from nearby markets, but SV may not survive the court ruling.

The only argument that might be made is that SV didn't exist when the lawsuit started, so the injunction applies to the rules as they were in 1998, not the current law.

Only E* knows for sure how many sub's. are going to be affected by this. We can only guess and postulate. But it seems to me that Dish is really going the extra mile for such a few affected sub's as some here attest to. $100 million settlement payment ? The continued cost for appeals and now the Congressional route. I think E* believes that this injunction is going to affect the revenues a lot more than some of you opine. It's not just the $6.00 a month less in programming from the DNS sub; but rather the real probability that true blue, legitimate DNS subs will cancel their $40, $50, $60 dollar monthly accounts all together and go to Direct or to cable(if that is even an available option). This is a big deal to DNS subs. It's not as if we are losing a niche programming network. This is the big Four. This is where the majority of American's get their prime time programming from. Families are NOT going to be happy and poor old dad is going to take it on the chin until he does something to fix the problem. And if that is going to another provider than so be it.

 

[Hall]

There were areas that you could get both locals from an area and distants. If you (at the time) qualified for distants due to no locals available on Dish but now locals are available, technically you don't qualify for distants.

When locals became available, you couldn't get distants anymore (you had to get locals) but the people who had distants were grandfathered in and could keep them and add locals.

Many, many years ago, did Dish carry local channels for any areas or did everyone get the distants ??

Going forward, once your locals became available, sure, Dish "grandfathered" you into allowing you to keep those distants, but legally they shouldn't have been doing that.

Again, I don't believe for a second that 800,000 to 1 million customers will lose their network programming, i.e. ABC, NBC, etc. Sure, they'll lose the NY and LA feeds, but not their local networks. A much, much smaller number will truly lose all network programming and those shouldn't "suffer" for what Dish has done.

I'm wondering, if I lived in a true "white area" today and knew I would be losing my distant networks, what would Dish tell me today if I called to re-qualify ??

 

[earlswireless]

I have emailed my representatives and only got a canned reply which ment sorry. No action will be taken. I also called the local office and was allowed to leave a voice message.

I live 2 miles from the next Designated Market area and 7 miles from another. I am over 100 miles from the TV transmitters in the DMA I live in. No over the air signals reach my area period!

I don't have much faith that our representatives will do anything.

 

[NeedleworkFreak]

http://www.massbroadcasters.org/images/cbs.pdf

That's the real deal. Go to page 23 and read about how those of us with grandfathered status apparently don't exist.

 

[Greg Bimson]

Because Dish Network never presented a list of subscribers with grandfathered status to the court.

 

[Pepper]

Grandfather has alzheimer's and is expected to die of old age by December 1.

 

[ThomasRz]

Just for fun - does anybody care to guess what E* pays in royalties per subscriber-month for:

a. LIL ?
b. DNS (unserved)?
c. DNS (RV/trucker)?
d. DNS (waiver)?
e. SV?
f. Superstation?

Hint: None is a losing proposition for E*

I'm wondering, if I lived in a true "white area" today and knew I would be losing my distant networks, what would Dish tell me today if I called to re-qualify ??

 

[bonipie]

To find your Senator and Rep's Phone #

For your Senators, go here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For your Representative, go here:
http://www.house.gov/Welcome.shtml

 

[Mr Tony]

Many, many years ago, did Dish carry local channels for any areas or did everyone get the distants ??

when DIsh started in 95 or 96 they had "PrimeTime 24" which was the 4 networks from different cities. I remember (from Primestar) it was
WSEE Erie PA (CBS), WUSA Washington DC (ABC), WHDH Boston (NBC), Whatver the Fox in Philly is (Fox 29)

The west coast were from I think Seattle, Sacramento, San Fran & LA (San Fran was Fox and Sacramento was whatver Channel 3 is)

Rules to get PT24 were pretty simple. Call in and answer 2 questions
1. Can you get an "Acceptable" signal OTA
2. Have you had cable in the last 90 days

Answer "no" to both...voila...distants
4.99 for one, 7.99 or both. When the Supers became their own package (before that they were part of what would be AT120 now...it was AT50+ the music back then) it was 9.99 for all 3..still have the brochure around

I know when Mpls came online in 98 we still had distants (by then it was the distants we know now...Denver, Chicago, LA, NY, Atlanta) and the Big 4 from Mpls

Going forward, once your locals became available, sure, Dish "grandfathered" you into allowing you to keep those distants, but legally they shouldn't have been doing that.

I think if you were still outside Grade B you did qualify. In 2003 I legally qualified for all distants but CBS + Minneapolis locals at my dad's cabin

Again, I don't believe for a second that 800,000 to 1 million customers will lose their network programming, i.e. ABC, NBC, etc. Sure, they'll lose the NY and LA feeds, but not their local networks. A much, much smaller number will truly lose all network programming and those shouldn't "suffer" for what Dish has done.

very true. Its the people who live in areas like Glendive, MT Mankato, MN & Presque Isle, ME where they are one channel DMA's (none of which are on Dsh) and so they probably automatically qualify for part of the distants (Mankato qualifies for NBC & FOX...ABC is Grade B)

I'm wondering, if I lived in a true "white area" today and knew I would be losing my distant networks, what would Dish tell me today if I called to re-qualify ??

I'm sorry sir I donot know what you are talking about (translation...CSR's would be clueless)

 

[chancesquirt]

Senators dish and direct satellite

Steve Toth has lived in a motorhome since 1998 and along with thousand of othe rv fulltime husband and wife teams have local television channels where we are licensed we are licensed under daughter in arizona

we love east and west nbc abc fox cbs etc for when you are in other parts of the country get news weather

Please do not take away east and west television channels from fulltime motorhome and trailer husband and wife teams

we pay around 6 dollars month for east and west channels

thank you for keeping our channels steve toth

 

[Mr Tony]

removed the phone number

 

[Pepper]

Steve Toth has lived in a motorhome since 1998 and along with thousand of othe rv fulltime husband and wife teams have local television channels where we are licensed we are licensed under daughter in arizona

Unfortunately, it looks like you will only have locals when you are near "home" in the spotbeam.

Maybe Dish could come up with a variation of the RV/Truck waiver, give those people a "priority" phone number they could call on a daily basis (high tech version: make this part of "my account" at dishnetwork.com), tell the CSR what zipcode they are in, and get locals turned on. If they are telling the truth about where they are, the locals will be available on spotbeam.

 

[DISH_NC]

Unfortunately, it looks like you will only have locals when you are near "home" in the spotbeam.

Maybe Dish could come up with a variation of the RV/Truck waiver, give those people a "priority" phone number they could call on a daily basis (high tech version: make this part of "my account" at dishnetwork.com), tell the CSR what zipcode they are in, and get locals turned on. If they are telling the truth about where they are, the locals will be available on spotbeam.

Nice idea but could be technically challenging given the number of birds in the air. Will RV's have to carry both a DISH500+ and DISH1000+ just so they are assured of access to every local market?

Most RV's with rooftop "Dishes" (and some of these are advanced, planar (flat) dishes for a low profile) are capable of only receiving a single satellite.

Also, I see that D* still offers an RV account (with access to the NY and LA feeds) but it is a separate "service"/option (from the house) applied to the Receiver in the RV. So, this would still service the fulltime RVer. Will DISH be allowed this option in light of this injunction?

 

[Hall]

Also, I see that D* still offers an RV account (with access to the NY and LA feeds) but it is a separate account (from the house). So, this would still service the fulltime RVer. Will DISH be allowed this option in light of this injunction?

http://directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPage.jsp?assetId=1200070

 

[dishrich]

when DIsh started in 95 or 96 they had "PrimeTime 24" which was the 4 networks from different cities. I remember (from Primestar) it was
WSEE Erie PA (CBS), WUSA Washington DC (ABC), WHDH Boston (NBC), Whatver the Fox in Philly is (Fox 29)

The west coast were from I think Seattle, Sacramento, San Fran & LA (San Fran was Fox and Sacramento was whatver Channel 3 is)

Actually, Primestar NEVER used PT24 as their network prog source - they uplinked ALL their own nets. I might have an old P* guide that lists the actual ones they used.

E* (& D*) DID use PT24, until they all got their hands slapped & then E* & D* switched to the NY/LA distants.

 

[Mr Tony]

Actually, Primestar NEVER used PT24 as their network prog source - they uplinked ALL their own nets. I might have an old P* guide that lists the actual ones they used.

yeah I kinda screwed that up when writing

I just checked an old form (using the way back machine) and Primestar had the following
ABC from Atlanta & LA
CBS from Washington DC & Portland, OR
Fox from Philly & SF
NBC from Boston & Sacramento
PBS from PBS HQ

 

[minnow]

Just caught the live audio feed meeting with Charlie and anaylists. Couple of interesting things(at least to me) regarding Distants. First, Charlie says 900,000 subs are affected, second, for those that don't have locals, E* is basically writing us off. They fully expect we will leave for Direct or cable and E*'s answer is go out and steal current cable or Direct customers to replace us. THe big news is that Charlie admitted they made mistake in pushing this Distant lawsuit too far.

 

[Hall]

First, Charlie says 900,000 subs are affected, second, for those that don't have locals, E* is basically writing us off.

And again, of those 900,000, only a small number don't have local channels available now.

They fully expect we will leave for Direct or cable...

One, doesn't Dish have more local markets than DirecTV ?? Odds are, DirecTV won't be able to offer most locals. As for cable, if you're in a market with no locals, does your town or location even have cable service available ??