Why can't the FCC step in and do something about this! LIN at it again!

Granted, this doesn't affect me since I'm a Dish Subscriber, but to all of those who bashed Dish about contract negotiations with LIN, they're at it again...

COX Communications Retransmission Dispute

It really irritates me the way they get by with getting $$ for free!

Most local channel owners are wanting to get more bank for their buck.

They can read the writing on the wall. Standard broadcast TV (Dish included) is dying a slow, painful, horrific death. The avenues by which others can consume content has grown explosively, and younger generations are learning they can cobble together the same content you get from a major re-distributor for pennies on the dollar from several online options and some FTA (if they live near a tower).

The FCC won't step in because it's a dispute between two corporations. Yeah the consumer is caught in the middle, but at the end of the day it's just two grown men crossing their arms in the schoolyard, threatening not to let the other play with their respective Lego Blocks.
 
Here's what LIN's template looked like....

Attention [strike]Dish Network[/strike] COX Communications Subscribers

Local broadcasters routinely negotiate their contracts with pay-TV providers. The majority of the time, these contracts are renewed without any disruption to viewers. On (insert date here) at Midnight (EST), [strike]Dish Network[/strike] COX Communications’ contract to carry WAVY-TV and WVBT-TV will expire. Please know that we are working hard to reach a new agreement with [strike]Dish[/strike] COX so you will not lose your favorite programming. If we do not reach an agreement, by law, [strike]Dish[/strike] COX cannot carry our television stations on its [strike]satellite[/strike] cable system.

Our stations are important assets to the local community. Without a fair agreement, we will not be able to provide the premiere news, sports, entertainment, weather, traffic updates, political coverage and other local and national programming that is most important to you.

In the event that we are no longer carried by [strike]Dish[/strike] COX, viewers may continue to watch their favorite local programming through alternative means, including over-the-air or by switching to a competing pay-TV provider.

Please call [strike]Dish[/strike] COX at (insert new disputed providers's phone number here) and tell them you do not want to lose WAVY-TV and WVBT-TV and all of your favorite programming. Our primary commitment is to our viewers, and we will continue to work hard to reach an agreement.
 
Most local channel owners are wanting to get more bank for their buck.

They can read the writing on the wall. Standard broadcast TV (Dish included) is dying a slow, painful, horrific death. The avenues by which others can consume content has grown explosively, and younger generations are learning they can cobble together the same content you get from a major re-distributor for pennies on the dollar from several online options and some FTA (if they live near a tower).

The FCC won't step in because it's a dispute between two corporations. Yeah the consumer is caught in the middle, but at the end of the day it's just two grown men crossing their arms in the schoolyard, threatening not to let the other play with their respective Lego Blocks.

FTA isn't exactly burning up the highway with growth. And with FAPs multiplying like rabbits, there will be limitations on the online delivery methods. So I don't think cable/satellite has too much to worry about. But I certainly agree with your main thrust, OTA is dying. And it's their own fault.
 
Most local channel owners are wanting to get more bank for their buck.

They can read the writing on the wall. Standard broadcast TV (Dish included) is dying a slow, painful, horrific death. The avenues by which others can consume content has grown explosively, and younger generations are learning they can cobble together the same content you get from a major re-distributor for pennies on the dollar from several online options and some FTA (if they live near a tower)......

Not even close, and with the new caps on streaming, both bites and speed, you are dreaming if you think in the long run watching HD on the internet will be cheap. Programs for penny's over the internet? Not if that is the major way people are watching them. Do you really think they will give it away? I also don't think many realize just how many do not have access to anything higher than DSL, and even at that, how many don't have that either. I know it sounds cool to say an industry is dying and the new one is so much better. But that doesn't make it true. And I haven't even delved into the fact of how often here we lose internet service just as Cable people do from power outages, car into poles, etc... that otherwise would not affect my TV watching now.
 
My ticker says the contract expires on March 31,2011. How can they drop early. Aren't they under contract.
You are correct, I just called my father who told me and had him check. He says there is a crawl going across the screen but that the channel is still on.

He told me yesterday that they dropped the channels. (DOH)
 
jerryez said:
My ticker says the contract expires on March 31,2011. How can they drop early. Aren't they under contract.

Just means Cox gets a little refund. Probably like Dish did with fox being removed earlier than the contract stated.
 
Most local channel owners are wanting to get more bank for their buck.

They can read the writing on the wall. Standard broadcast TV (Dish included) is dying a slow, painful, horrific death. The avenues by which others can consume content has grown explosively, and younger generations are learning they can cobble together the same content you get from a major re-distributor for pennies on the dollar from several online options and some FTA (if they live near a tower).

The FCC won't step in because it's a dispute between two corporations. Yeah the consumer is caught in the middle, but at the end of the day it's just two grown men crossing their arms in the schoolyard, threatening not to let the other play with their respective Lego Blocks.

Nope they are trying to make more $$ off providers plain and simple. Most online option (w/exception of Torrents) have adds built in.
 
I don't think the local stations get any benefit from online viewing options, i.e. watching a show at NBC, CBS, etc websites.
 
Not even close, and with the new caps on streaming, both bites and speed, you are dreaming if you think in the long run watching HD on the internet will be cheap. Programs for penny's over the internet? Not if that is the major way people are watching them. Do you really think they will give it away? I also don't think many realize just how many do not have access to anything higher than DSL, and even at that, how many don't have that either. I know it sounds cool to say an industry is dying and the new one is so much better. But that doesn't make it true. And I haven't even delved into the fact of how often here we lose internet service just as Cable people do from power outages, car into poles, etc... that otherwise would not affect my TV watching now.

Now now, I never said it was better, and I never said prices online would remain the way they are. Yes, several companies are putting caps on the download limits. Yes, I'm fully aware that not everyone has access to high-speed internet yet. I came from a small town (population 500) in Rural New Mexico that was probably 20 years behind the rest of civilized world. The first time I saw download speeds beyond 56k was when I moved to Denver in '03.

The standard broadcast television providers are never going to go the way of the do-do. Most of them will innovate with the changing times, and adapt to the new way of content distribution. Satellite Television Service will eventually be the "POTS" of the TV world.

And yes, I mean to put "OTA" on my previous post, my bad! I must've had FTA on the brain that day.

Bottom line is nobody will get a free lunch out of this. Online, FTA (I meant it that time!), Satellite, Cable, FIOS... All of these will come with a cost somehow.
How much everything is once the market has settled is anybody's guess.
 
Other than to create an additional revenue stream why should an OTA broadcaster be allowed to charge for something that is otherwise free?

Ross

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