America's Top 200

[mwgiii]

Does anyone at Dish really care about what channels subscribers want added. Or do they just add channels from the big 4 or 5 programmers ie CNBC World.

The DBS Service Desk has a link to some intersting independent channels.

http://servicedesk.dbstalk.com/AT200.htm

Would Dish ever add any of these?

 

Macon

[gcutler]

I think Dish's primary focus is locals. They may "toss us a bone" of a new channel here or there just to say they added channels. But I doubt most of that list will make it (to D* either).

But to be honest, the channels most people want are already on the system, the Niche channels are the ones left. I think some don't have a large enough audience asking for them (but dish has claimed ignorance to some channels, like TRIO, which they must have gotten a steady flow of requests.)

[jerryez]

I think Dish has tooooo many channels NOW! There is not one of the additional 50 that I would watch. Which ones would you watch?

[toomuchtv]

Since D* carries Trio, Oxygen and a few others that E* doesn't, I am surprised that E* isn't working diligently to get these on right away.

[mwgiii]

My kids would love PBS Kids. We had it when we had D*. I would watch Ovation and Good Life TV.

[toomuchtv]

I would watch Ovation & Goodlife too. Other than more MTV/VH1 channels, there aren't many others on the list at the DBS Service Desk site that I care for.

[FTA Michael]

I've got to write down my top 10 list. The top four, off the top of my head:

PBS Kids!! (see logo, left)
Trio
Extra Innings
BET on Jazz

Next most wanted:
Classic Arts Showcase
America One
B-Mania

To answer mwgiii's original question, these extra channels are part of the negotiation battleground between the primary providers and the delivery systems (aka satellite & cable). For example, you just can't dump ESPN, but you can choose whether to accept the latest Disney offering, or decide which tier it goes in, and what to pay for it. Grabbing a CNBC World probably helps the rates with its sibling channels, and throws subscribers a bone at rate hike time.

All of which is to say that I'm not holding my breath to get anything on that wonderful AT200 list.

[Bob Haller]

Is this list complete of all common non carried channels? Some like familyland may be on SA.

Hey I think they should add ALL of them. Most probably would be fairly cheap and need the carriage bad.

[lonnman]

Health Network sounds interesting, but probably wouldn't watch to much if any of it. I actually watch a fair amount that is in that AT150 now: DWings, Biography, FoxMovie, Western for me, and Boomarang, DKids, Hallmark for the kids.

Jeff

[jeffwtux]

I want "The Health Network" Nobody asks me for Trio or GoodLife.

[gcutler]

I've sadly spent much time watching "The Health Network" in Dr's offices lately and it is just endless repeats of the same episode over and over again each day. Almost a Headline News for Health.

[jeffwtux]

I'm not the one who wants it. My potential customers do. So it's kid of like "Groundhog Day"

[Steve Mehs]

Discovery bought out Health Network from News Corp (I think thats who it was) about a year. So far they're running Discovery Heath and The Health Network as separate channels, but it wouldn't surprise me if one day there is no more Health Network. In fact I'm surprised Heath Net is still around after all this time.

With no more MTVX, the only channel I'm interested in is CSPAN3, other then that I could careless what E* adds.

[jeffwtux]

I remember a couple of years ago, my city was being blackmailed over CSPAN2 among other things. Time Warner Cable pulled CSPAN2 from 1999 to 2001.

[Jacob S]

They need more packages with fewer channels in each one to taylor the customer better, like grouping news, family, kids, sports, and so forth. They need to go by themes.

[Uncle Peter]

Add more Channels with the Dish Network Logo on them. Add more Mono Audio channels. Remember Charlie, rack up more channels with crap offerings and up the bill, people will pay it anyways and make you richer :):lol:

[jerryez]

Maybe they need to package the programs in sports, family, cartoons, & movie type packages. Then you can subscribe to the packages that you want. That way you are not paying for channels that you do not like. Who would like this?

[Chris Freeland]

Originally posted by jerryez
Maybe they need to package the programs in sports, family, cartoons, & movie type packages. Then you can subscribe to the packages that you want. That way you are not paying for channels that you do not like. Who would like this?

This idea and the idea of offering all channels on a 'a la carte' basis has ben discussed in these forums over and over again, this is not going to happen. The program providers do not want this and will not allow E* and D* to do this. E* originally had the DishPix pick any 10 channels but they were forced to drop it due to the fact more and more program providers insisted that their channels not be available for this package, plus the pricing per channel for what was left was making this package not worth it for E* to keep around.

[Jacob S]

dont the cable companies own a lot of the channels? a price direct from them would be very good. they would also allow pick and choose if they were getting the money directly, would this be the reason that rainbow may be able to do this? Wasn't the service that is going to launch at 105.5 gonna do the same thing? Or are they allowing programmers do it directly?

[Chris Freeland]

Originally posted by Jacob S
dont the cable companies own a lot of the channels? a price direct from them would be very good. they would also allow pick and choose if they were getting the money directly, would this be the reason that rainbow may be able to do this? Wasn't the service that is going to launch at 105.5 gonna do the same thing? Or are they allowing programmers do it directly?

They were letting programmers do it, this is one reason it is still done on C-band.

[DarrellP]

The problem I see with this is: Too many channels that nobody will watch. Out of the extras you have listed there, I would probably actually tune in 4 or 5 of them on a regular basis.

Just for comparison, I looked through the Top 50, 100 & 150 and here's what I came up with for my personal viewing:

Top 50: 22 channels that I watch.
Top 100: Add 9 more.
Top 150: Add 18 more.

That's only 49 channels that I watch on a semi-regular basis.:eek: I wish I could customize these into my personal Top 50 and pay the top 50 price for them.

Dish already carries too much junk and IMHO needs to dump about half of them and make room for more HD. I'll take quality over quantity any day.

[Eyedox]

Cable and satellite providers love to give you "FILLER" channels which they get for FREE (or close to it). But they can make it seem like you are getting much more for your money, but as you said, most people don't care about or watch those channels which is why they are free. You didn't think that DISH actually pays for CSPAN did you?