DISH Network Statement Regarding the FCC’s Program Access Decision

Secondarily, it could mean Cablevision will not be able to withhold MSG HD, and MSG+ HD from Center Ice Subscribers, Yeah!!!!

The Only dissenting Opinion was from a lone Republican. Hey Douchdag (directed at the lone dissenting opinion), the vertical integration of companies like Cablevision, amongst others are using their monopoly status and vertical integration in their local market to force in market subscribers no choice of third party providers, hence using a loophole to circumvent the free market.

I thought the Republican party was "THE Free Market Party", guess not

John
 
:cool:

Exactly. Maybe someday I won't have to move during the summer ... :angel::cool:

MLB Network on DISH? :rant:

MLB-EI on DISH? :rant: :rant: :rant:

More Full time RSN's on DISH & FiOS?

Calling DISH to reduce my rate due to FiOS Triple Threat ... er Play
 
Secondarily, it could mean Cablevision will not be able to withhold MSG HD, and MSG+ HD from Center Ice Subscribers, Yeah!!!!


John

I don't think that the FCC's move will do anything for MSG HD on Center Ice because that problem is caused by a pissing match between the NHL and Cablevision because the people who own Cablevision also own the Rangers hockey team and the NHL wants to control the Rangers web site and the owners don't want to give that up.
I think the pissing got so bad that the NHL has made moves to take away ownership of the Rangers
 
It may not be any time soon. It depends on what the cable companies decide to do. They could take it to court and argue that the FCC does not have the authority to make this change (as the lone dissenter claimed). It could get tied up for years.
 
On SD Sports radio they are talking about the fact that Cox4 is the home of the Padres. You have to have Cox to watch all Padres games. Also, when the Pafres are home and you want to watch another team play at the same time on MLB extra innings, you can't. It's been blacked out. They will now be forced to provide this service to other providers (DISH). They can appeal the decision, but ultimately I think they will decide to seel the rights and make some money. The same goes true for the NFL Sunday Ticket. DIRECTV may be forced to sell that service as well according to published reports.
 
That's Comcast SportsNet Northwest, an RSN which has had a lot of carriage troubles - and no, it's not a terrestrial loophole case.

The main cases of terrestrial loophole issues are Philly and San Diego with RSNs (CSN Philly and COX4, while not an RSN does carry all San Diego Padres games, are the networks in question).

NFL Sunday Ticket is NOT part of any changes - it's a package, not a terrestrial RSN that will end up on a satellite.

When I first heard that this was to happen (that they were even considering this), I was really happy. Had this happened 12 years ago, Comcast would not be the Goliath of Philly cable - well, it would, but not quite as much. (Don't forget, Comcast specifically exploited the loophole because they had the equipment and team contracts left over from PRISM - if you want a long history lesson, contact me and I'll work on that for you.)
 
Philadelphia Newspaper Report on Comcast Monopoly

Posted on Thu, Jan. 21, 2010


FCC ends Comcast's local sports monopoly
By Bob Fernandez

Inquirer Staff Writer

The Federal Communication Commission smacked Comcast Corp. yesterday by closing the "terrestrial loophole" that has kept Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies games off DirecTV and the Dish Network.

The FCC voted, 4-1, to close the loophole, which had its biggest national impact in Philadelphia.

Experts warned that changes could be months away and that Comcast could sue to block the rule change.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement, "Consumers who want to switch video providers shouldn't have to give up their favorite team."

Philadelphia-area sports fans have clamored for the rule change for years. Brad Bierman, 52, a media consultant from Willow Grove, said the FCC "finally realizes that consumers have the right to decide how they want television delivered into their home."

Bierman subscribes to DirecTV and Comcast, but he watches local sports only on Comcast. With the FCC action, "I'll probably drop Comcast TV, but I'll keep their Internet product," he said.

Comcast controls the telecasting of local teams through Comcast SportsNet and claimed the right to withhold carriage agreements because it distributed the games on land-based, or terrestrial, telecom equipment. Federal rules said that if the sports games were not uploaded to a satellite in a regional market, the company did not have to sell the programming to a satellite-TV company.

Comcast had no comment yesterday. In a Jan. 13 letter to FCC officials, the Philadelphia company said closing the loophole was "fundamentally in error."

DirecTV was ecstatic and said in a statement: "The FCC's order today eliminating the terrestrial loophole is a big win for consumers and fair competition in the marketplace. We vigorously applaud the FCC for recognizing that withholding cable-owned regional sports networks from noncable competitors significantly hinders competition and is anticonsumer. We are looking forward to offering DirecTV customers the local sports programming they have been denied for so many years."

Craig Moffett, a senior analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. L.L.C., estimated the loophole may have boosted Comcast's subscriber base about 450,000 customers in the Philadelphia area.

Comcast says it does not believe the loophole is the competitive advantage that its critics claim.

Verizon Communications Inc. also applauded the FCC action. Verizon says Cablevision in New York withholds the high-definition MSG channel from Verizon's FiOS TV service. The MSG channel broadcasts the Rangers, Knicks, Devils, and Islanders. "We are anxious to sit down and reach an agreement," Verizon spokesman Richard Young said.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact staff writer Bob Fernandez at 215-854-5897 or bob.fernandez@phillynews.com.
 
Since Comcast, in Philadelphia, has also started showing sports on their "Comcast Network" Station (formerly CN8), I'm guessing that is going to have to part of the package they are going to require distributors to carry.

Hoping for the best, since I've got a lot of friends who will love this move, but I'm thinking this is just the beginning of a long road to get these stations on E* & D*.
 
I heard an interview with a CC executive this morning, David Cohen, I think. Anyway, the way CC interprets it, the satellite companies have to file and show how they are hurt by this and then CC responds and alleges the are financially hurt by that and it goes back and forth. Comcast will hold off as long as they can.
 
That is great news for people in San Diego! I move to the OC a couple of years ago, but it used to bug me that I couldn't watch the Padres on Dish. I'm sure Dish will have no problem showing that not having Cox4 (the channel the padres are on) hurts their business. I believe the cable penetration rate in San Diego is over 80%!
 
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