EchoStar dealt blow by U.S. House Panel Bill barring two dishes

[Dune]

I just picked this up from Briefing.com. They picked it up from Bloomberg.com

"Bloomberg.com reports that EchoStar Communications was dealt a blow by a U.S. House panel that passed a bill forbidding the No. 2 satellite broadcaster from forcing subscribers to use two dish antennas to receive all local news and programs"

Dune

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Folks I am looking into this one...

Nothing on my companies Bloomberg unit on this, and I don't see anything on Breifing.COM about it eaither.

Dune can you please post a url to this info? Thanks

 

[rang1995]

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Satellite television provider EchoStar Communications
Corp. (DISH) suffered a setback Wednesday as a House subcommittee rebuffed key
legislative priorities pushed by the company.

The House Commerce Committee's Telecommunications subcommittee approved a
bill Wednesday that would force EchoStar to deliver all local television
programming to a single satellite dish. Members complained that EchoStar had
relegated religious, Spanish and other niche market stations to reception over
a second dish and only installed those dishes reluctantly.

EchoStar had warned that the requirement would slow its plans to roll out
carriage of local television service in 40 additional markets next year. The
company also said some customers could be inconvenienced and temporarily lose
signals during the transition.

EchoStar says it may have to install second dishes in up to 30 markets to
accommodate national programming that is knocked off the primary dish by the
additional local channels. EchoStar currently carries local stations in 118
markets.


(MORE) Dow Jones Newswires

04-28-04 1236ET

12:36 042804

SID(DJB028yY40428)



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=DJ EchoStar Rebuffed As House Panel Moves Satellite Bill -2-




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The bill would require EchoStar to move the local signals to a single dish in
one year. Congress must pass the law this year to renew satellite television's
statutory license to carry broadcast signals.

The committee also rebuffed EchoStar's effort to win a provision that would
give it the right to carry high-definition television signals from distant
stations when a local station can't deliver high-definition to a viewer. The
proposal was vigorously opposed by the National Association of Broadcasters,
which said the measure would slow the rollout of digital television.

Broadcasters were also doubtful that EchoStar would drop the distant
high-definition signal once a local signal was available.

EchoStar had been fighting an uphill battle on both provisions with a
committee where broadcasters have a strong following. EchoStar's use of two
dishes for use of local signals also had been opposed by its satellite
competitor DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV), now a unit of News Corp. (NWS).

DirecTV also didn't join EchoStar's push to carry the distant high-definition
signal, deciding instead to launch negotiations with individual broadcast
stations in the matter.

EchoStar is likely to have more support in the Senate from Senate Commerce
Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. But it's unclear whether the
Senate will be willing to include the controversial high-definition provision
in a presidential election year where there are relatively few legislative days
remaining.

The provision would give EchoStar more bargaining power with broadcasters.
The company most recently tangled with Viacom Inc. (VIA, VIAB) over program
pricing in a dispute that interrupted carriage on EchoStar of Viacom's CBS
network.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thanks Rang.

 

[Mr Tony]

The company also said some customers could be inconvenienced and temporarily lose signals during the transition.

translation...either oodles of cities are going from Dish500 to SuperDish or they'll go to a wing.

Thanks NAB!!!

 

[bcshields]

Aw heck!

There goes the launch schedule for locals. Dish really needs to learn how to butter up polititians better.

HD is probably going back on the wings, folks... and probably the new international channels on 121.

 

[JohnnyB40]

I've also done an exhaustive search and found nothing to back up this " breaking news story"!
I never heard of a U.S. House panel making a decision like this then only releasing it to one news source exclusively? Then that news agancy burying the story? not even a hint anywhere ????

unless I see a corroborating news source this is nothing but rumor to stir up trouble!

 

[Chris Freeland]

Yes it appears that we have the best Congress that the NAB can buy . If they give E* a year to comply with the new 1 dish rule they may be able to get E10 up in time to cause very few if any problems. What Congress should have done is to allow splitting of DMA's with a 2 dish solution but require either the 2nd dish at instillation and before a sub can order effected locals or require them to sign a release form if they do not want the 2nd dish with the wright to change their mind at any time and have the 2nd dish installed Free with no questions asked.

 

[bcshields]

What's the big deal with a second dish? Is this just a competitor's ploy or is there real consumer fracas about this?

 

[Mr Tony]

What's the big deal with a second dish? Is this just a competitor's ploy or is there real consumer fracas about this?

Somebody got their undies in a bunch because, as they put it, Dish was "discriminating" against religious and ethnic channels by putting them on the 2nd dish. It wasn't totally Dish's idea to put other channels on the wings. It was partly due to the fact that these companies that own the religious & ethnic channels feel we need 20 Telemundo or Telefutura channels on Dish, and they can play the old "If you don't carry my Telemundo station, you don't get CBS" (see Pappas). If there was unique programming to these channels, then by all means add them (kinda like they did with Pax. Some Pax stations show sports), but do we really need the same channel up there 20 times?

Dish's fault is they dont tell the consumer that they may need 2 dishes and now, when people call in, sometimes the CSR's try to pursuade you not to get it.

just my .02

 

[tlturbo]

When I subscribed to my local channels last year, (Ft Lauderdale) the Dish Tech said he was required to put up a second dish. I asked why and he said so I could get all the local Spanish channels, I said don't bother but he said he had to install it anyway, BUT I should be glad because it was the dish that picked up the HD stuff so I wouldn't have to install it when I went to HD the next year. And it didn't cost me anything. So I have 2 dishes out there.

Terry

 

[John W]

When I subscribed to my local channels last year, (Ft Lauderdale) the Dish Tech said he was required to put up a second dish. I asked why and he said so I could get all the local Spanish channels, I said don't bother but he said he had to install it anyway, BUT I should be glad because it was the dish that picked up the HD stuff so I wouldn't have to install it when I went to HD the next year. And it didn't cost me anything. So I have 2 dishes out there.

Terry

Was it a tech form Dishnetwork or a local company. I am one of the few houses in my area that I see with more than one dish and this has a high percentage of latin families. Maybe its a new thing. I put up the 61.5 because locals and NASA were there originally and kept it up because of HDTV...then I guess I had no reason to have it but may in the future

 

[cdru]

What's the big deal with a second dish? Is this just a competitor's ploy or is there real consumer fracas about this?

It's not the customers who are complaining really. It's the smaller television stations that are forced onto the 2nd satellite when all the "main" channels are on one of the main birds. Between Dish not really pushing the 2nd dish and people not wanting to install a 2nd dish, the smaller station looses viewers (and viewers=advertising=money). By forcing all DMA stations to a given satellite, it forces everyone to be equally available...at least that is what NAB's feelings.

The problem is that Dish doesn't have the capacity to broadcast every DMA on just a single satellite. Certian satellites have spot beams. Spot beams allow Dish to reuse transponder space for different regions. Lets say that the Smalltown, USA spotbeam has room for two channels, but Smalltown has three stations to put up. Dish can do two but is required to put up all three. So Dish's only other option is to move the third channel over to a transponder that gets broadcast over the entire ConUS. This is a waste of space and money for Dish as only a small area qualifies for the singal, yet everyone gets it. Now just multiply that across the country and you see the problem.

 

[boba]

DISH also has a bad reputation for DNSC and RSPs calling "no line of sight" because the second dish wasn't a gravy install. This left some broadcasters out of the market with local customers which they have the right to complain about.

 

[bcshields]

It's that way in our Philly DMA area. All the majors are on 119/110, and the second dish has religous/ethnic channels. Hmm.. That does sound a bit shady. That also makes me think we installed a ton of second dishes for customers who didn't need them.

So.. does this decision mean all DMA channels on one dish or every single channel on one dish? The article is a bit gray.

 

[Mr Tony]

So.. does this decision mean all DMA channels on one dish or every single channel on one dish? The article is a bit gray.

The way I have understood it is "all locals on one dish". It doesnt have to be the same dish as core programming. Grand Junction, CO is a perfect example. Core on 110/119, their locals on 148 (all of them).

So some smaller markets might move to the wings down the road.

 

[GB42]

The way I have understood it is "all locals on one dish". It doesnt have to be the same dish as core programming. Grand Junction, CO is a perfect example. Core on 110/119, their locals on 148 (all of them).

So some smaller markets might move to the wings down the road.

Yes that is how we are set up, And for the most part our locals look like CR*P.
CBS is all but unwatchable which is a drag considering all the prime sports they broadcast. I mean the picture quality off the 148 Bird is terrible but I am also told the local CBS is LIGHT YEARS BEHIND the technology curve.
What ever the reason PQ SU*KS .
I will say PQ on some stations has improved as of late. Well except for FOX SPORTS NET which is always terrible.
How is the PQ on FSN in other parts of the country??

 

[AppliedAggression]

Do you work for The Hartford Scott?

 

[jerryez]

), but do we really need the same channel up there 20 times?

Or do we really need 210 NBC,CBS,ABC,or Fox up their either. Congress thinks so.

 

[bobj2004]

NETV PBS in Nebraska spent a lot of Money lobying against Dishnetwork.

Papass Here in Omaha Also spent against Dish with some large money also

First NE PBS
=============

Here in Omaha we get IOWA PBS on the Main Dish,

But if you want the Nebraska PBS NETV you have to get the ugly 2nd DIsh.
With the 2nd Dish your House looks like Mickey mouse.
Who wants it.

Many want the Nebraska PBS as they play reruns of the Nebraska Football Games (the Huskers).

I guess the power of the CornHuskers won out on this one. The Husker reruns will be on the mains some day now (Nebraska Public TV PBS).

Dish should not of messed with the Huskers.

There was a large letter writting and Phone comapign on TV and in the mail.

I know this 2nd dish issue is nothing for the big cities, but it is big deal out here in Farm country.

2. Papass
==============
Pasass owns WB and Fox here in OMaha. WB and Fox will be on Direct TV next month.

THey have been fighting with DIshnetwork for a year now becuase out west Papass wants there SPanish channels on the Mains.

Papass said ALL or nothing for the channels we own, thus no WB for Fox here in Omaha.

Papass declaired they were just the little guys and DIshentwork was pushing there small channels aside where Direct TV did not.