PBS, APTS Push FCC on Dish Network HD

[Poke]

Would like to see Dish carry the local PBS In HD but reading this sounds like Dish has kind of drop the ball..

Read more below...

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6537711.html?industryid=47169&q=Dish+Network

 

[kb7oeb]

I wonder if they will be allowed to carry the sub channels in mpeg4

 

[DSpud]

I have had Dish HD for six months now, and the WHOLE time, seems like Dish is either not wanting to put up new HD, or not trying.

Can anyone tell me if the new bird they launch in this month will add capacity overall to the system? I know its a complicated question, as we don't know how they are going to configure everything for sure yet, but I have a Dish 1000+ which doesn't point to 61.5. I just don't see how this new launch is going to solve any problems.

 

[tigerfan33]

Dish will probably hold out as long as possible on PBS hd. I would not look for it anytime soon unless they HAVE to carry it.

 

[tnsprin]

Dish will probably hold out as long as possible on PBS hd. I would not look for it anytime soon unless they HAVE to carry it.

I don't know their current mood, but Dish was once talking about saving capacity for adding additional local HD such as Local PBS.

 

[DSpud]

Isn't PBS HD a national feed send to all the local markets for distribution on OTA? I know in St. LOuis, OTA has the local PBS station, a separate PBS HD station, and a PBS kids only station on its digital channel lineup.

Seems to me if PBS wanted this station out there to the masses so badly they could agree to supply DISH with the National PBS HD feed and have Dish possibly map it down to everyones local PBS channel location. Example, for St. Louis, channel 9.1 Just a thought.

 

[Sammy033]

Seems to me if PBS wanted this station out there to the masses so badly they could agree to supply DISH with the National PBS HD feed and have Dish possibly map it down to everyones local PBS channel location. Example, for St. Louis, channel 9.1 Just a thought.

Same idea as the networks. Locals would never go for it especially because they rely on pledge drives and their money would dry up.

 

[nmfiredawg]

I have an idea, when they are mandated to switch to HD feeds, get rid of the SD feed and put them there. Require those subscribers that want those channels to have to update their equipment. Keep the main feeds broadcasting in both until everyone has a new mpeg4 receiver then shut of the mpeg 2 stuff. We have so many channels on the SD side but if they are going to start requiring everyone to switch to HD in 2009, tell the cable companies, D, and E that they need to carry the HD and give rebates to update to new receivers and dishes. I know comcast is doing the commercials saying "no we have comcast and don't worry about the conversion" commercials.

 

[navychop]

I think folks in this thread will be very interested in the upcoming May developments. Eastern Arc.

No one is now (or will ever be by current law) required to carry HD. Digital, maybe. HD is only one form of digital. Most digital is SD. Keep in mind also, there are at least (probably many more) 12 million MPEG-2 only Dish STBs out there. Don't expect a quick shut off of MPEG-2 with Dish paying to replace all those boxes.

 

[kb7oeb]

PBS is charging stations extra if they directly rebroadcast the PBS-HD feed, my local station now syncs the analog and HD station between 5 and midnight, if the show is available in HD its shown and if not its upconverted.

 

[TalonDancer]

My biggest single disappointment with Dish (and satellite TV in general) is the lack of PBS HD at any price.

I watch more PBS than ALL other channels combined. I would gladly pay $5/month for the national PBS HD feed and $10/month if I was sure that $5 would be sent to my local PBS station. Seriously folks, I already donate 120/yr to PBS and only get the SD version via Dish.

Talon Dancer

ps Anyone who is thinking of suggesting that I just go OTA -- please come by my place and install the 200+ft mast first, then we can talk about OTA

 

[qsoundrich]

I used to watch a lot of pbs, but haven't hardly at all since I switched from Cable (With HD) to Dish. I hope congress forces them to carry it.

 

[Train99]

Pbs Hd

The PBS HD should be 1 national feed the same as PBS Radio on XM.

 

[whatchel1]

they charge extra period

PBS is charging stations extra if they directly rebroadcast the PBS-HD feed, my local station now syncs the analog and HD station between 5 and midnight, if the show is available in HD its shown and if not its upconverted.

It cost an additional fee to show the HD feed w/or w/o local insertion.

 

[kb7oeb]

Perhaps but they still charge more if the station is doing a direct rebroadcast of PBS-HD. Many stations dropped PBS-HD because of the extra charge that kicked in about a year ago.

 

[navychop]

So we really need local PBS affiliates with their pledge drives? Maybe it's time for PBS to go strictly satellite and cable, competitively, and get off the public dole.

 

[dishcomm]

So we really need local PBS affiliates with their pledge drives? Maybe it's time for PBS to go strictly satellite and cable, competitively, and get off the public dole.

I find it insulting that PBS, a taxpayer and foundation funded entity has the nerve to ask the public to donate to further fund their programming.
PBS IMO does not act in the public interest due tho their obvious liberal bias. PBS has enough of our money.

 

[whatchel1]

Funding

I find it insulting that PBS, a taxpayer and foundation funded entity has the nerve to ask the public to donate to further fund their programming.
PBS IMO does not act in the public interest due tho their obvious liberal bias. PBS has enough of our money.

PBS is only funded to a max of 40% from the national CPB. So it is necessary for them to have other sources of income such as the using the pledge drives. Much of the public is liberal so they do act in the public interest. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that all of us are right wing reactionaries that watch FOX NEWS all the time.

 

[richiephx]

In this technological age, the viewer should have the right to pick and choose what network programs he/she wants to pay for including the PBS channels. Special interest groups like the NAB or the fed gov't should not be dictating what we can or can't subscribe too or watch. Let the cable companies who have invested infrastructure in the various large and podunk cities around the US carry the local channels. Let the satellite companies, who have NO infrastructure in local cities decide if they want to carry local channels or not. If the local channels can't make it, so be it. Let the national networks pay them to exist. There are other avenues to get local information and commercial advertisements to local residents. As a satellite subscriber in Arizona, if I want to get the NY channels instead of the Phoenix locals, I can't. Just think of the bandwidth that would be available and could be put to better use if all this duplication and forced carriage crap were eliminated.

 

[glen242]

PBS is only funded to a max of 40% from the national CPB. So it is necessary for them to have other sources of income such as the using the pledge drives. Much of the public is liberal so they do act in the public interest. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that all of us are right wing reactionaries that watch FOX NEWS all the time.

Maybe if CPB was run as a business rather than a TOY for some, it could be self funded. I am not smart enough to understand CPB's balance sheet, but some questions I would ask are:

Is CPB getting fair value for their $ spent? Salaries, expenses in line with commercial networks?

Is there a market (could this programming be self sustaining) in a free market arena?

Why do some/all CPB programs get to keep all of the profits generated by commercial ideas funded by the taxpayer (Sesame Street, etc.) and then ask for more dole? Doesn't this equate as someone, the taxpayers,
making an investment in an enterprise and reaping none of the profits? How long would that business stay afloat?

Ya, Ya, there is some worthwhile programing that would not see the light of day, except for taxpayers help. But how about the programming that could be viable in a commercial setting? Why do these programs continue to suckle at the public teat? Afraid to answer to shareholders? Can make more money under the taxpayer funded umbrella?

I am not a w(h)ine and cheese type guy. My tastes are simple. If you, as an indiviual, want esoteric programming, get together with a bunch of your pals to fund it, don't ask me, the taxpayer. I have better use for my money.

BTW, my mom and I marched with a lot of lower class people (inner city residents all, both black and white) in Pittsburgh, PA in 195? to establish funding for WQED channel 13 because of the educational promises that were made. What a mockery of that the CPB is today!