WSKY-4 Norfolk to be dropped?

[russlay]

A post on the vartv web site states Direct TV will be dropping WSKY-4 as an LIL channel for the Norfolk-Va Beach area effective Jan 1. Any idea why they would do this? WSKY is a great source of local sports, especially for Old Dominion Univ and Norfolk Tides AAA baseball. I also enjoy their sitcoms during the news hours; great shows like South Park reruns. Seems stupid to drop WSKY while carrying two PBS channels, WHRO from Norfolk (which makes sense) and UNC-TV from North Carolina, which doesn't make sense!

 

[charper1]

Here is another link of the message with a link to msg DirecTV

wsky09.05

 

[charper1]

Maybe the attention will prompt at least a reply as to WHY. The only time I have seen DirecTV remove a channel was because they had been informed by the owner of the channel that the channel was going away itself; but I have never heard about this one.

 

[asiegler]

Hey I agree also. Lots of Old Dominion stuff on it. I just wish they would get HD. There is talk about them showing all of the Old Dominion football in FY09. Need to keep this alive.

asiegler@cox.net

 

[vurbano]

Well they treat us like red headed step children in DMA 43 anyway. Look how long it took us to get partial HDLIL. Whats next a price increase?

 

[navychop]

Yes. Due in March, isn't it?

I spent 8 years in the Norva area, and took a few grad courses at ODU. But I don't remember the call letters WSKY. Recent station?

 

[russlay]

Yes. Due in March, isn't it?

I spent 8 years in the Norva area, and took a few grad courses at ODU. But I don't remember the call letters WSKY. Recent station?

Kind of. Been around about 5 years, originally licensed to Moyock, NC, the transmitter was in lower Currituck. They moved the HD tower to Moyock and I think the City of License now includes Chesapeake or Va Beach. According to the station manager, they are sending an HD signal up to the Direct sat, as is Ch 33, but D* isn't broadcasting it.

 

[navychop]

Thank you.

 

[jcrandall]

If the part about offering the channel with no retransmission costs to DirecTV is true (which it may not be?) then DirecTV must be making the decision simply on bandwith / channel content / ratings.

This station is not a network affiliate, its an independent. Keeping it carried would just be a decision based on the ratings it gets and the bandwith it uses. If it is a spotbeam, perhaps they want the bandwith for another station. If the station has really low ratings for that market, perhaps they felt it was no longer important to carry.

We'll probably never know a real official reason, but these are the best that come to mind.

 

[Juan]

If the part about offering the channel with no retransmission costs to DirecTV is true (which it may not be?) then DirecTV must be making the decision simply on bandwith / channel content / ratings.

This station is not a network affiliate, its an independent. Keeping it carried would just be a decision based on the ratings it gets and the bandwith it uses. If it is a spotbeam, perhaps they want the bandwith for another station. If the station has really low ratings for that market, perhaps they felt it was no longer important to carry.

We'll probably never know a real official reason, but these are the best that come to mind.

umm Doesn't must carry come into play here?

 

[charper1]

If the part about offering the channel with no retransmission costs to DirecTV is true (which it may not be?) then DirecTV must be making the decision simply on bandwith / channel content / ratings.

This station is not a network affiliate, its an independent. Keeping it carried would just be a decision based on the ratings it gets and the bandwith it uses. If it is a spotbeam, perhaps they want the bandwith for another station. If the station has really low ratings for that market, perhaps they felt it was no longer important to carry.

We'll probably never know a real official reason, but these are the best that come to mind.

Yep, and other than their live local sport coverage their sched is very weak; maybe that plays into it; which I would hate to see.

 

[tds4182]

Well they treat us like red headed step children in DMA 43 anyway. Look how long it took us to get partial HDLIL. Whats next a price increase?

Vurbano, if you've answered this question before, my apologies, if not, it needs to be asked.

Have you considered an OTA antenna? As flat as the Hampton Roads area is, even a set of good rabbit ears should work for most stations.

 

[gadgtfreek]

To me, that channel sucks. I could not even get it OTA. I mean, we get the BIG four in HD, along with CW and PBS on D*. Im happy.

 

[russlay]

Elway--part of the problem with their OTA has been the tower. When analog, it was further south near Kitty Hawk on a "short" stick. When they moved their city of license to reflect both the Outer Banks and a Hampton Roads city, they built a new tower up in Moyock. As you might recall, the tower collapsed during construction and I'm not sure its been replaced and functional as yet. Once it is, it should provide great coverage over southside Hampton Roads at least.

I do agree on the weak programming with their running "Tidewater Marketplace" all morning and over night.

I know the "must carry" rules has some exceptions, perhaps the current lack of a Grade A or B OTA signal is part of it, perhaps programming is another. I also noticed neither Direct or Dish picked up the new full power station in Va Beach that carried Trinity programming the same way ch 49 carries ION. I still think if Direct needed to drop a local, ch 49 would be more logical for bandwidth since all it does is carry the ION network (already on D*) without any local content.

 

[gadgtfreek]

I agree. All Im saying, just from a bandwidth perspective (at this point) I think the fact they carry all four, plus CW and PBS in hd is pretty damn nice.

 

[russlay]

Agree there, I do enjoy the primary network HD, especially down here in Nags Head where the signal quality of the cable carrier is terrible and outages frequent.

 

[vurbano]

Vurbano, if you've answered this question before, my apologies, if not, it needs to be asked.

Have you considered an OTA antenna? As flat as the Hampton Roads area is, even a set of good rabbit ears should work for most stations.

What makes you think I do not have an OTA antenna? Rabbit ears for digital in Hampton Roads? What planet are you from?

 

[tds4182]

What makes you think I do not have an OTA antenna? Rabbit ears for digital in Hampton Roads? What planet are you from?

Merry Christmas to you also!

I asked the question in all seriousness, they do make digital rabbit ears, they're for sale everywhere.

Guess Santa will be bringing you some coal and switches.

Merry Christmas anyway!

 

[gadgtfreek]

I can bring some coal home from work :haha

 

[charper1]

"Even DirecTV is not immune from these fights, while not as public with its fights it appears that DirecTV will be pulling the plug on Hampton Roads, VA channel WSKY television on January 1st. WSKY has posted an appeal to their viewers to contact DirecTV to keep WSKY on DirecTV." (as posted on The Satellite Dish by Scott)


So are you saying we now know 110% that the DirecTV & WSKY issues are purely contractual? That would seem somewhat odd as the affiliate claims on their website to be offering everything up to DirecTV 100% free of charge.

http://www.4hamptonroads.com/SECschedule.php