Urgent - Distant Network Plea!

[Scott Greczkowski]

THIS IS AN URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SATELLITEGUYS COMMUNITY.

The time is NOW to contact congress in regards to Distant Network situation. We must stand together as a community to protect our legal members who are getting distant network services.

If you have called before PLEASE CALL AGAIN! We only have 2 days to get our voices heard!!!!

Here are the key people to contact

SENATE:

Harry Reid (D-NV), Minority Leader 202-224-3542
Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chair - Judiciary 202-224-4254
Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Rnk. Mem. - Judiciary 202-224-4242
Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chair - Commerce 202-224-3004
Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Rnk. Mem. - Commerce 202-224-3934
Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Judiciary 202-224-5251
Bill Frist (R-TN), Majority Leader 202-224-3344
Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Majority Whip 202-224-2541
Richard Durbin (D-IL), Minority Whip 202-224-2152
Thad Cochran (R-MS), Chair - Approps 202-224-5054
Robert Byrd (D-WV), Rnk. Mem. - Approps 202-224-3954

HOUSE:
Dennis Hastert (R-14th IL), Speaker 202.225.2976
John Boehner (R-8th OH), Majority Leader 202.225.6205
Nancy Pelosi (D-8th CA), Minority Leader 202.225.4965
James Sensenbrenner (R-5th WI), Chair - Judiciary 202.225.5101

PLEASE HELP CALL NOW!!

 

[ChiefIlliniwek]

Ugent?

Yes, I am a Gent. And a Dish Network Legal Distants Subscriber.

I've already called my silly Dick Senator (Dick Durbin) today about this issue.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Fixed.

 

[bacchus101]

I have called the Congressional members from Maine each twice. Almost 90% of Maine will get zapped as we are a mostly rural state and Dish doesn't carry any locals currently for the Presque isle and Bangor dma's.....

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Ok tommorow is your next chance to call in.

Please dont forget.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Phone lines are NOW OPEN.

Please dial away.

 

[mecro]

I kind of got the feeling from my representatives that this just isn't a big deal for them.

 

[DishDave]

I kind of got the feeling from my representatives that this just isn't a big deal for them.

Bet it would be if it effected them

 

[mecro]

Most of my reps have replied saying "nobody in my district/county/whatever can legally qualify for distant networks, so there's nothing i'm going to do."

 

[waltinvt]

You people need to understand something. Distants (as we know them) are gone. Congress is not about to stop that from happening. If they were, we'd have seen some indication before this.

That said, that doesn't mean you shouldn't call. But maybe the focus needs to change a little to something that Congress IS going to be held accountable to - the digital transition. Remember, the election is over. They could care less about your vote for 4 years (well half of them in 2 years). The digital deadline however will be a big factor in the '08 elections, so if they can do something ahead of time to "ease" things a little, it would be in their interest to do so.

Maybe if the emphasis is put less on stopping an injunction that has already run out of options, they could (should) be persuaded to fine-tune (amend) SHVERA in such a way that retran rights for digital channels come under a separate license or at least different enough that it can somehow work around the injunction that will effect SD distants.

 

[IluvDish]

I kind of got the feeling from my representatives that this just isn't a big deal for them.

I got the same feeling from Texas Senator Coryn.
He said Congress had nothing to do with it.
At this point, who is truly at fault?

 

[mikew]

Your dealing with politicians. Who has more pull? The NAB or Charlie Ergen? The distants are going dark 12/1 and nothing will change that. I wonder how the Tivo lawsuit is going. Maybe Charlie will be less inclined to continue pressing his luck.

 

[rdinkel]

Congress Did Not Help!!!!!!!

House Not Home for EchoStar

By Ted Hearn, STAFF
(Multichannel News) _ The House adjourned Wednesday until Dec. 5, ensuring that Congress won't disturb the court injunction http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6389696.html that requires EchoStar Communications to cut off distant network signals to 850,000 customers.

A federal court ordered EchoStar to stop selling distant feeds of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox programming after determining that EchoStar had broken copyright law by selling the channels to hundreds of thousands of legally ineligible subscribers.

The Senate is expected to adjourn Thursday or Friday and not resume the lame-duck session until Dec. 5.



Congress could come to EchoStar's rescue if enough disconnected subscribers put heat on their lawmakers. Distant network programming is popular because it provides rural viewers with access to network affiliates in New York and Los Angeles. Benefits include out-of-market sporting events and time-shifted primetime and late-night network fare.

It's not clear whether EchoStar customers will rebel and create a fuss on Capitol Hill. Since EchoStar provides local TV stations in 170 markets, many of those cut off from distant network signals would be losing a convenience, not a necessity.

In a letter to House colleagues Wednesday, Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) said EchoStar shouldn't be rewarded for its "blatant disregard" of copyright law and shouldn't be allowed "to use its customers as human shields in the debate on the legality of its operations."

On Thursday, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) are planning to introduce a bill that would assist EchoStar in the dispute, Leahy spokesman David Carle said Wednesday. In January, Leahy becomes chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Copyright The Associated Press 2006. All Rights Reserved

 

[goldengoose]

congress may be helping call early Thursday

My calls this afternoon seemed to indicate that they are getting calls to Congress to the point they are considering emergency action-- so unless they all left town tonite (Wed)-- it would be worth an early call

 

[cablewithaview]

House Not Home for EchoStar

By Ted Hearn 11/15/2006 6:11:00 PM

The House adjourned Wednesday until Dec. 5, ensuring that Congress won’t disturb the court injunction that requires EchoStar Communications to cut off distant network signals to 850,000 customers.

A federal court ordered EchoStar to stop selling distant feeds of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox programming after determining that EchoStar had broken copyright law by selling the channels to hundreds of thousands of legally ineligible subscribers.


for full article, go here:
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6391939.html?display=Breaking+News

 

[goldengoose]

Congress still in session

Funny thing I just called my rep's WAsh. office-- they say they are still in session and they are trying to introduce a fix.

I called 815 am pacific time Thursday.

So call just in case they are

 

[pdxsam]

I got a letter back from my Senator/Senator's Office who said that there was a settlement in place and I should not worry about losing my distants.

Some staffer clearly didn't do his/her homework on the status of DNS.

 

[kb7oeb]

That said, that doesn't mean you shouldn't call. But maybe the focus needs to change a little to something that Congress IS going to be held accountable to - the digital transition. Remember, the election is over. They could care less about your vote for 4 years (well half of them in 2 years). The digital deadline however will be a big factor in the '08 elections, so if they can do something ahead of time to "ease" things a little, it would be in their interest to do so.

I'm not so sure, people are unaware of most things and probably won't be ready to complain until 2010 after analog is shut off. By then most sets will have had digital tuners built in for 3 years and it will be about a year after the shutoff has already happened. So it might be an issue but I don't think it will be a big deal.

 

[ThomasRz]

Congress will do something -- eventually. I predict we will get the following - a reinstatement of the 119 license to E* conditioned upon certain progress in LIL and strict auditing to ensure that only bona fide truckers/RV and the very, very tiny number of people in white areas get service. This will be true even after 100% LIL because there are some really rare situations that LIL might not reach a subscriber but DNS can. It will also involve some requirement regarding the digital transition. It will not do anything for the "I prefer DNS" and I think that any attempt to include "convenience" subscribers is likely to sour the mood. Unfortunately this type of subscriber tends to be the most active and vocal (and appear on SatGuys). Congress has Charlie by the nads and I expect him to be proactive in offering the above once the dust settles. I think he has discovered that he is not omnipotent in DBS and will change tack to achieve his goals. If anybody has a significant disagreement I'd like to hear your thoughts on what will transpire.

You people need to understand something. Distants (as we know them) are gone. Congress is not about to stop that from happening. If they were, we'd have seen some indication before this.

That said, that doesn't mean you shouldn't call. But maybe the focus needs to change a little to something that Congress IS going to be held accountable to - the digital transition. Remember, the election is over. They could care less about your vote for 4 years (well half of them in 2 years). The digital deadline however will be a big factor in the '08 elections, so if they can do something ahead of time to "ease" things a little, it would be in their interest to do so.

Maybe if the emphasis is put less on stopping an injunction that has already run out of options, they could (should) be persuaded to fine-tune (amend) SHVERA in such a way that retran rights for digital channels come under a separate license or at least different enough that it can somehow work around the injunction that will effect SD distants.

 

[Chris Walker]

House Not Home for EchoStar

By Ted Hearn, STAFF
(Multichannel News) _ The House adjourned Wednesday until Dec. 5, ensuring that Congress won't disturb the court injunction http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6389696.html that requires EchoStar Communications to cut off distant network signals to 850,000 customers.

A federal court ordered EchoStar to stop selling distant feeds of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox programming after determining that EchoStar had broken copyright law by selling the channels to hundreds of thousands of legally ineligible subscribers.

The Senate is expected to adjourn Thursday or Friday and not resume the lame-duck session until Dec. 5.



Congress could come to EchoStar's rescue if enough disconnected subscribers put heat on their lawmakers. Distant network programming is popular because it provides rural viewers with access to network affiliates in New York and Los Angeles. Benefits include out-of-market sporting events and time-shifted primetime and late-night network fare.

It's not clear whether EchoStar customers will rebel and create a fuss on Capitol Hill. Since EchoStar provides local TV stations in 170 markets, many of those cut off from distant network signals would be losing a convenience, not a necessity.

In a letter to House colleagues Wednesday, Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) said EchoStar shouldn't be rewarded for its "blatant disregard" of copyright law and shouldn't be allowed "to use its customers as human shields in the debate on the legality of its operations."

On Thursday, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) are planning to introduce a bill that would assist EchoStar in the dispute, Leahy spokesman David Carle said Wednesday. In January, Leahy becomes chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Copyright The Associated Press 2006. All Rights Reserved

I'm sorry, but if they've adjourned, how are they supposedly introducing bills today? And give credit to Leahy and Allard, good people. Allard has been vocal on this issue for months.