International Programming Question

[dwcobb]

I was just wondering the other day if they had any British packages and looked and saw they didn't. The more I thought about it the more I wondered about it. I also didn't see any packages for other English speaking countries around the world.

The more I thought the more I wondered how they were carrying international channels in the first place, since I always had the vague impression there would be FCC issues about TV networks from other countries. But if they can carry channels from Russia, Poland, Japan, etc, why not the UK and Australia?

Is this a legal thing? Or something they just don't feel they need to do since basically the rest of their programming is already in English?

I know I would pay to get the British channels in a heartbeat, and I am sure others would too.

So...does anyone know why this seemingly obvious international package isn't carried?

 

[TNGTony]

Generally (not always) english language channels from other countries have at least some programming that is already either in syndication here or has American programming with copyright issues on it. BBC for example sold its distribution rights to PBS and Discovery networks. BBC1 could never be sold in the US because of copyright issues.

Channels in other languages generally (not always) have programs that do not have copyright issues in the US. A notable exception is Televisa. This popular Mexican network sold its programming distribution rights to Univision/Galavision in the United States. So Televisa cannot be sold in the US. TV Azteca recently did the same thing. The Mexican network was available in the US directly from channel 13 Mexico City. But of its own accord, Azteca pulled the mexican feed from Dish and gave it the Azteca America feed. Azteca 13 cannot be sold in the US now.

As to the FCC issues, they have to do with TV Broadcasts and not satellite TV.

See ya
Tony