Seattle HD Locals

[cebbigh]

I'm not sure if the email address for the attorney was ever posted. I think kstile was just conveying what the attorney said and then follow-ups.

From the other side of things, who places the most ads during the Seahawks games? I think some of those advertisers might not like the idea that cable is being allowed to hog the HD broadcasts. Isn't DirecTV in the same boat regarding Seahawk games broadcast from Qwest field?

 

[long_time_DNC]

I don't think D* has KCPQ-HD either...I'll have to check their website. Car companies and beer companies make up the bulk of ads during Seahawk games, as with most NFL games.

 

[long_time_DNC]

Well, according to this:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/localChannels.jsp?_requestid=94914

They're only carrying KIRO and KING in HD...

 

[kstile]

The attorney for Tribune is Charles Sennet: csennet@tribune.com. And I think you're right that he wants people to switch to cable. He believes that I could actually make Dish feel some pressure if I switched - hopefully Dish and D* together can put some pressure on Tribune. One thing I don't get is Charlie Ergen was *always* so excited and proud about getting locals over Dish, but, apparently, HD ain't that important. It's almost like it's an afterthought - the D* site talks all about "get your local channels in HD over Dish!" but it's not until you look closely that you realize that there's the qualification that, for some, you may need an OTA antenna :-(. Blah. Sorry to keep ranting on about this. It shouldn't bother me since I can get KCPQ OTA, but it pisses me off that it's so out of my control when the answer seems so obvious from the consumer perspective.

 

[long_time_DNC]

Thanks for the name and email address, kstile! If E* and D* would apply some more pressure, that might help, but I'm sure this isn't bothering Charlie and the tech staff too much. The fewer HD channels he carries, the more TP space they have available for other channels. Where the pressure needs to come from are the advertises need to apply pressure to Tribune. Problem is, contacting all of them and getting them to understand what Tribune is doing.

 

[cebbigh]

Been tied up the past few days. I'll send a polite email to the attorney too (thanks kstile). I tend to agree with Average Joe. If I find info on advertiser contacts I'll post it here. It's all uphill but I'm willing to try.

8/9/6 --- After several emails to the Tribune attorney I can see I'm spinning my wheels. Although he is very quick to respond, it's just boiler plate stuff like, have you asked Dish the same question? Actually, I didn't ask him a question to begin with. I had stated that I would be very interested in hearing of any progress regarding the retransmission consent. But my main purpose was just to add another number to his mental list of people out here who want the service.

 

[long_time_DNC]

What is this?!? KING can't even do the Hawks game in HD? They pillarboxed it. Gee, you'd think Belo Broadcasting could at least rent some HD cameras to cover the NFC Champs' first pre-season game...

 

[pbrown]

What is this?!? KING can't even do the Hawks game in HD? They pillarboxed it. Gee, you'd think Belo Broadcasting could at least rent some HD cameras to cover the NFC Champs' first pre-season game...

KING doesn't produce they game, they simply broadcast it. The game is produced by the Seahawks, who make the decisions on production issues like investing in HD production.

I believe KING would be happy to broadcast an HD game if it was offered to them.

 

[long_time_DNC]

Interesting. Thanks, Pat. Didn't know the Seahawks made the decision on production issuses. Paul Allen ought to have some kind of say in it, since he's the team owner...at least one would think.

 

[pbrown]

Well, you may remember about 5 years ago, the games were produced in HD, because Paul had a short lived cable channel called Action Sports Cable Network in Portland. It was short lived because he couldn't get it on any cable channels. Anyway, they were a leader in HD back then, but I think budget considerations have caught up. The channel was 100% HD, and was way ahead of its time. He even had the Blazers on it, and still couldn't get it put on local cable down there.

Bringing this thread back around, did anyone else catch the comment about a special 24 inch dish for NW subscribers to receive 129 on the tech chat last night? I see something in the recap about it, but I didn't actually see the chat, so I'm curious if there's any more info. I'd love to have a solid signal from that bird! If anyone actually gets their hands on one of these dishes, let us know!

 

[long_time_DNC]

I've been talking to a local retailer who told me he's been testing a new dish with "special" LNBs. I'm guessing it's the 24" dish that was talked about last night. What the "special" LNBs are about, I have no idea...

I recall ASCN, vaguely, now that you mention, but didn't know it was HD. If it were alive now, he might have had a chance with it. 5 years ago, that had to be waay out there on the bleeding-edge...

 

[ThomasRz]

Nobody does. And for good reason. There is no such thing as KCPQ-HD only KCPQ-TV and KCPQ-DT. Please see:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=KCPQ

I don't think D* has KCPQ-HD either...I'll have to check their website. Car companies and beer companies make up the bulk of ads during Seahawk games, as with most NFL games.

 

[long_time_DNC]

Nobody does. And for good reason. There is no such thing as KCPQ-HD only KCPQ-TV and KCPQ-DT. Please see:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?call=KCPQ

Well, yes, technically that's true...I think my meaning was pretty clear however. Just a matter of symantics. KING-DT, KOMO-DT and KIRO-DT are broadcast in HD, so we just refer to them as KING-HD, etc. Just like FOOD-HD probably isn't actually listed as FOOD-HD, but as ****-DT or some such designation...

 

[cebbigh]

I can't really do anything with this because I live in Verizon territory and subscribe to Dish. But it seems ironic to me that Tribune won't allow DirecTV to carry the HD local given that Qwest has a bundling agreement with D and spent a good chunk of change on the stadium naming rights.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060817/20060817005136.html?.v=1

 

[long_time_DNC]

Qwest can't afford whatever Tribune is asking. I don't know how they did that. My brother-in-law works for Qwest and from what I understand, they are in serious financial difficulty.

So, that makes me wonder why Tribune and Dish can't (won't?) reach an agreement?

 

[kstile]

With the start of Fox's fall season just three days away (Prison Break starts on Monday!), it seems unlikely that Dish and Tribune are going to resolve this anytime soon. Maybe with the start of the football season and the launch of KMYQ (all HD for its national MyNetworkTV programming) something might happen early in September, but at this point it looks like it's OTA for KCPQ-HD (or DT for the foreseeable future.

 

[long_time_DNC]

Kinda pathetic, ain't it?

 

[kstile]

And this just in, from our quick-to-respond-but-never-saying-anything-useful Tribune attorney:

Sorry, nothing new to report. If I had to characterize the current EchoStar
negotiations, I'd say they're "on hold" for now. Obviously, that could
change at any time.

Blah.

 

[SirChaos]

Have you guys seen this chart?

It's showing Seattle with all four local HD channels?

Is it true?

http://www.satelliteguys.us/bfg/dish-hd.htm

 

[PeggyD]

We know the spot for KCPQ is 6417 is there, but they're not transmitting. Tribune is holding satellite customers hostage, trying to force Dish to carry KMYQ - My Network.

Because I have Comcast internet I have been able to hook up the cable to my QAM-capable Sony TV & get FOX HD that way. The only OTA signals we can get are PAX & a couple of shopping networks (NNE of us). All the other transmitters are NNW of us & are blocked by hills in direct line of sight.