Emailed FCC commissioners about receiving out of state locals.

rusty813

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Sep 11, 2011
170
5
Hawaii
Yesterday I emailed the FCC commissioners about receiving out of state locals. I told them if we are able to listen to out of market radio stations and subscribe to out of market newspaper. We should be able to subscribe to out of market locals. I think it's important to voice our opinions to them, they can do something about it. I will keep you guys posted if I hear anything from them, I know they will not reply...but you never know.
 
Long ago, in the "C-band" (big dish) heyday, we could subscribe to any available out of market "locals." In fact, when the restrictions came to the small dish market ON that topic, Big dish subscribers could STILL order certain (available) distant network locals. Some of us had to have been "grandfathered" and prove we were subscribers prior to a certain date, but we could do it!

Now that I don't subscribe to anything via satellite, (Over the air, Free to Air and Netflix/free 'net TV only) I'm always grateful when a feed pops up of a distant station.

I agree, we SHOULD be able to do it on any subscription platform where the distant signal is made available. One argument I remember, (help me, readers, there may have been others) was that we were not watching the "local" advertisers when on distant networks, thus hurting the local affiliate. Not logical at all. it's not like we were going to take our business THOUSANDS of miles away to the distant network's advertisers (as opposed to local) when we shopped for goods and services! Those watching far away network affiliates still had to shop LOCALLY for most products! Remember the days of having to get waivers from your affiliates? What a joke! You had a better chance of winning the biggest lotto jackpot in the nation! (Is that waiver thing still going on?? I'm obviously out of that loop.)


It'll be interesting to see if you get any response at all. Good luck to you!
 
I don't think the FCC has anything to do with it. It's a Federal law passed by Congress that limits the viewing to the local market. I was one of those C-Banders who was grand fathered into receiving the Denver locals. By the time I finally ditched the BUD, the Denver's were all I subscribed to. It wasn't long after that that the 4DTV signal was finallyu cut off.
 
One argument I remember, was that we were not watching the "local" advertisers when on distant networks, thus hurting the local affiliate. Not logical at all. it's not like we were going to take our business THOUSANDS of miles away to the distant network's advertisers (as opposed to local) when we shopped for goods and services!
That is true, but the real hurt on the local affiliate is fewer local eyes on a local channel translates into lower neilsen ratings, which lowers ad revenue for the station. I see the argument from both sides, and the best compromise I think would be to require a local channel subscription (or included in your package) before allowing a subscription to an out-of-market local set. I would pay extra to have access to more than one market even if one of them had to be my physical area.
 
Yesterday I emailed the FCC commissioners about receiving out of state locals. I told them if we are able to listen to out of market radio stations and subscribe to out of market newspaper. We should be able to subscribe to out of market locals. I think it's important to voice our opinions to them, they can do something about it. I will keep you guys posted if I hear anything from them, I know they will not reply...but you never know.

Considering your profile lists you in HI, I will not suggest a big antenna to pull in adjacent DMAs.... You are sort of stuck. The only way "around" it would be to VPN somewhere like NYC and get Aereo...
 
Dish isn't going to give you Distants even if they could at this point likely neither would Direct TV assuming your locals are available. DISH has no room to start putting locals on CONUS. Larger entities have tried and failed to get that changed, and with the current system of revenue it simply is not going to change.

However............ ( from the so you're saying there's a chance dept...) Aereo could do it should they survive, would they is another story. Think of Aereo as AAD was - as long as any carrier does not provide your locals, they can Distants IF IF IF you are unable to get your locals on an antenna.
Your hope is Aereo is considered a carrier by the Supreme Court, they decide to stay in business. At that point they can give anyone whatever set of Distants Aereo has, again assuming you can not get your locals from an Antenna or from Aereo.

Here are a couple of ways to get Network channels now over the internet.

www.filmon.com

www.ustvnow.com
 
Dish isn't going to give you Distants even if they could at this point likely neither would Direct TV assuming your locals are available.

correct. Since Honolulu locals are on Directv (and that covers all the islands) you're SOL on distants
 
That is true, but the real hurt on the local affiliate is fewer local eyes on a local channel translates into lower neilsen ratings, which lowers ad revenue for the station. I see the argument from both sides, and the best compromise I think would be to require a local channel subscription (or included in your package) before allowing a subscription to an out-of-market local set. I would pay extra to have access to more than one market even if one of them had to be my physical area.

Neilsen tv rating must only be based on how many subscribe to satellite or cable assuming they are even watching their locals.
 
Got my waivers from Honolulu with dish, if you got pbs national they will return if dish ever provides distant network.

If you cancelled dish back 2005 and switch to directv. Then you comeback to dish, you are a brand new customer. Then you have to requalify. My receiver is residential not rv, what I did not understand when talking to dish representative about distant. That your residential account could receive locals through the dish rv department.
 
Got my waivers from Honolulu with dish, if you got pbs national they will return if dish ever provides distant network.
wrong. Once Dish lost the ability to sell distants IF they ever wanted to again they have to re-qualify EVERYONE (which means you would need waivers again). Getting PBS National has nothing to do with distants. PBS National is added in markets where there is no PBS in the market
 
I would minimally like to see NY, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Seattle, Phenoix and LA available as regional locals that anyone can sub to in the US. I think it would be cool if I could sub to Chicago's entire DMA. Also, if you have the appropriate sports packages you should get the local games that are on those channels. (Center Ice, Nba League pass, Extra Innings, ect)
 
My market has a pbs station so that doesn't make sense. I got pbs national because I qualified to receive the big 4, they wouldnt give it to me at least I have waivers for all big 4 distant networks.
 

FREE On Demand movie search returns PAY movies. Also "Subscription" shows.

Bang for the buck?

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