Revised Poll: Voom is gone - What Now?
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You do know that eventually they'll drop the HD only package? They've done it before, of course I won't care it won't effect me
NightRyder
I've seen this said over and over. I see no reason why Dish would drop the Dish HD package. It's got to be insanely profitable to them. They're getting paid to carry a bunch of shopping networks, and on top of that, they've got only a few channels that are known to be expensive to carry...
Face it, the most expensive part of television service is sports. In my area the Big Ten Network was trying to force the local cable provers into an outrageous $1.10 per subscriber and wanted to be on the basic teir. If anything we'll probably see Dish take ESPN, NBA, etc out of DishHD and make a DishHD + Sports package that is more expensive and keep DishHD at $30. DishHD is the beginning of more Ala Carte options by media providers, and I don't see it going anywhere...
Even if it does, I'll upgrade and have enjoyed saving a significant amount of money over the time I kept DishHD service. No hair off my back. I paid Mediacom $180 a month before, and I am pretty sure that same amount can get me a nice service plan with Dish...
Really? It was either Voom or no more national HD? How do you figure? The 22 were up before Voom was removed and there was room for another 10 or so HD channels on top of that... So pleasse don't echo the press release stating that these channels had to be removed for bandwidth reasons. If it was for that, then they should have been removed prior to the addition of other channels. Not under the cover of adding 22 Nationals and trumpeting that you were up to 95. The way they did it is what kills me.
That is not what I meant. DISH does have limited bandwith-for more hd mainstream channels . Yes, they did have all the new hd channels and the older ones and Voom on at the same time . My point is that DIrectv has more mainstream channels that people watch. SO untill the eastern arc becomes a reality next month or this summer, after moving the echostar 6 sat to 72.7 and launching the new sat in the summer, DISH does have limited room for more of those mainstream hd channels.
So Voom , who did not honor their side of the contract by spending more money on their programming, was taken off to make more room for more Main stream hd channels that DIRECTV does have now. DIrectv is kicking DISH's ass in new subs with a 17% increase in subs while DISH subs are churning with a 89% skid in new subs. SO if DISH does not compete and add the same main stream hd channels like the competition -DIRECTV they will continue to bleed subs and not add new subs , and would have to go out of business or seriously limit their future in hd. HD IS the FUTURE.
DIRECTV has had a 9 month lead in hd and will have room for even 50 more hd channels by the fall . IT is about SURVIVAL in difficult economic times. The majority of new subs and existing subs want more for their money and hd Niche channels are not going to cut it at 10.00 more a month. THE data from our receivers proves that people aren't watching them. The amount of subs who dropped down to hd essentials and dropped Voom also helped with the decision. NOt to mention the amount of subs who gripped on this and the other web boards about the lack of new programming on the VOOM channels. THe web boards do get read daily by both DISH and DIRECTV people who use them as unannounced opinion polls. THey make a great source of information for programming feed back, and software feed back as well as help them make decisions on what to add or take away.
IN the end it was either support a NIche service and a small group of subs who wanted it or appeal to the masses and add real main stream channels in hd that people actually watch in the top programming packs. IF AMC 14 had launched and gone up successfully , the Voom removal would most likely not happened. BUt since that sat has sailed/ failed , DISH had to do something quick to get even with DIRECTV on the national hd count or they will be at a competitive disadvantage that they will not recover from by the time Directv adds even more hd in the fall.
RIGht now I see about 9 national hd channels that DIRECTV has and DISH doesn't and this does not include Sports where we ALL know DIRECTV has the lead. THere are 9:
Vh-1
Mtv
CMT
F0X Business
Fx
FUel
Speed
Spike
Nick hd
The other channels that DISH is supposed to add in their origional list of 11 channels announced back a couple of months ago are:
AMC
BET
HBO2
IFC
MTV
MOremax
Mtv
NIck hd
Starz Edge
VH1
WGN
6 Surprise Channels that DISH launched but had no pre announcement:
Travel channel hd
WFN
HMC
CNBC
Cinemax west
CInemax 5 max
So it looks like to me that DISH has to add 20 more hd channels to be not only even with DIRECT but actually ahead somewhat in channels that DIRECTV doesn't have. THe removal of the Voom channels makes sense since DISH is already in a legal dispute and it looks like the judge agrees with DISH on the whole contract violation by VOom. Hopefully we will see the other 20 channels added quickly , before the end of the summer , not just the end of the year- as origionaly announced. I also hope that with the eastern arc DISH will add more premium movie pack channels as well with the new bandwith reclaimed by doing EVERY channel (sd/hd )in mpeg 4.
THis is a positive business move for DISH. In the end it will look little like McDonalds discontinuing their McRib sandwich. It will piss off a few customers, but a few months from now people will still go to McDonalds and they will have forgotten all about the McRib sandwich.
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Actually with the stand alone hd pack, I am getting HD about 97% of the time with little to no sd channels at all.
I have a hypothetical question.
Let's say Dish adds the rest of the Joe Six Pack channels and now equals DirecTV in HD channels. Both have the same HD offerings everywhere.
How does Dish differentiate itself from DirecTV now? They both offer the same programming. DVR? Sure, but Joe Six Pack doesn't know or care about that. As long as it records their favorite TV show they don't care. For all they know it's just another VCR.
So, how does Dish do it? How do they advertise that they are different and unique from DirecTV? Remember, I said everything is equal in terms of HD offerings.
Here's my answer: they could have then ramped up advertising for VOOM and say we offer everything DirecTV offers plus you get 15 dedicated true HD channels that cater to a wide variety of specific interests AND are commercial free, pop up free and unedited. And then go on to highlight the flagship ones like Monsters HD and Rave etc.
Let's say Dish adds the rest of the Joe Six Pack channels and now equals DirecTV in HD channels. Both have the same HD offerings everywhere.
How does Dish differentiate itself from DirecTV now? They both offer the same programming. DVR? Sure, but Joe Six Pack doesn't know or care about that. As long as it records their favorite TV show they don't care. For all they know it's just another VCR.
So, how does Dish do it? How do they advertise that they are different and unique from DirecTV? Remember, I said everything is equal in terms of HD offerings.
Here's my answer: they could have then ramped up advertising for VOOM and say we offer everything DirecTV offers plus you get 15 dedicated true HD channels that cater to a wide variety of specific interests AND are commercial free, pop up free and unedited. And then go on to highlight the flagship ones like Monsters HD and Rave etc.
I understand that the Voom channels were "niche", but can Dish actually tell customers with a straight face that the masses were clamoring for the likes of the World Fishing Channel? I just don't see it.
Yes, and like I said in my post above - what is wrong with niche? It's what separates you from the competition with everything else being equal.
I am giving them a couple of months and if they do not bring Voom back we are gone.!
PS you can get the same at Directv for a lot less; I'd recommend changing! I currently pay $127 a month for their everything package of 250 channels with hbo, showtime, cinemax, HD, voom, local channels. I can get the same at directv right now for 99! Why stay with dishnetworks when they piss you off and you can get the same somewhere else? They had unique programming but not now.
PS you can get the same at Directv for a lot less; I'd recommend changing! I currently pay $127 a month for their everything package of 250 channels with hbo, showtime, cinemax, HD, voom, local channels. I can get the same at directv right now for 99! Why stay with dishnetworks when they piss you off and you can get the same somewhere else? They had unique programming but not now.
I, as well, will be history. I am out of contract. I will hang in there for a little while. No action on voom front and Im gone.
I think what dish did was a crime. They stole great programming and put junk in its place.
Not only are these replacements not 24hr true hd content but most of them go off the air at some point.
This is disgusting!
Dish has proven to me to be out of touch with their programming and most important their customers.
If you are a dish customer whether you liked voom or not this action should infuriate you. If they do it to us they surely will do it to you.
I agree with you that it was wrong for Dish to pull the carpet out from under peoples' feet, but I disagree with your statement above.
As a lot of retailers will tell you, E* was actually giving a majority of their customers the channels they watch the most, which seems to show that they are in tune with what is "popular." You may not like what the "masses" are interested in, but the "brand name" channels are what people want.
As someone who is just sick over the Voom removal, I doubt E* has any other choice. They're getting their butts kicked by D*, so they have to provide as many of the HD channels that D* has as they possibly can, with the rather limited capacity they have available for the foreseeable future.
Again, why be EACTLY like your competition? Dish and direc are almost identical.
I thought the additional HD plus voom made them unstopable.
Direc has the advantage to dish-more HD content and much better sports packages.
To me, Dish hit a home run knockout punch before they cut out voom. Even with the 5 voom channels-They were up on top!
722( best DVR ) New HD and Voom- Direc tv was knocked down from top spot.
Hands down.
Foolish move by dish. Bad PR and loss of customers. I must have told 15 people
what dish has done.
Not smart. Word is speading. However, they can still fix this.
Others here have posted that E* has taken down at least 1/2, and possibly all but Worldsport from 61.5 and/or 129. I don't think that bodes well for Voom channels, at all.
I have a hard time getting into most of these new channels. Since getting HD in 2001 I just never watched channels like Bravo/TBS/Food. Not to say they are not valuable to others. I guess I'm more into movies that are uncut/commercial free. Probably why Tnt and the like really doesn't interest me. Do people actually watch edited movies on TV? Anyway, I do like hdnet movies/Mgm but not enough to pay $10 more. Looking down the road at possible hd additions- I am not excited about any except some of the premium stations.
Of the channels that Dish put up just before the VOOM massacre, I've only watched Biography-HD with any regularity, and not because it has any HD on it (I don't remember seeing any). I just happen to like stuff like "Notorious".
I did watch "Dumbo" on Toon Disney HD yesterday, and it was a very nice OAR 4x3. Those pink elephants are scary!
I did watch "Dumbo" on Toon Disney HD yesterday, and it was a very nice OAR 4x3. Those pink elephants are scary!
