01-07-02, 05:05 AM
More than a week has gone by since small dish services from EchoStar and DirecTV began delivering a majority of local stations in the markets they serve. And some viewers have found that they may be missing a station or two or need a second dish to receive the extra channels.
There are a number of reasons why a number of stations are missing from local TV packages. Some stations will be added at a later date once they provide an adequate feed, DBS providers said, while others simply did not elect to be carried by the DBS services.
(A list of new local channels can be found at: www.skyreport.com/skyreport/local.htm (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/local.htm)
One station that missed the deadline to elect must-carry, KNWS in Houston, is somewhat significant for viewers since the station televises Houston Astros baseball games.
KNWS missed the Federal Communications Commission's June 30 deadline to elect must-carry. The station filed a complaint in late September but the FCC ruled in the DBS companies' favor in the dispute, citing the missed deadline.
"According to the must-carry provision in the law, they can be reconsidered for carriage in four years," said DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer. "Given the need to accommodate the many stations that honored the election deadline and the limits of our satellite capacity, we were unable to make exceptions for those stations that were late in filing must-carry elections."
While DirecTV is delivering all its local channels from 101 degrees, allowing viewers to receive the new offerings with one dish, EchoStar's DISH Network will require a second dish for reception of a number of local channels for select markets.
All of the major local stations, including UPN, WB and PBS, as well as ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, are available immediately for customers who have a DISH 500, the dual-LNB, single-dish solution from EchoStar.
For customers who request to watch some of the smaller local stations, such as home shopping channels or small independent stations, a second dish and installation will be provided at no additional charge, the company said.
From <a href="http://www.skyreport.com" target=none>SkyReport</A> (Used with permission)
There are a number of reasons why a number of stations are missing from local TV packages. Some stations will be added at a later date once they provide an adequate feed, DBS providers said, while others simply did not elect to be carried by the DBS services.
(A list of new local channels can be found at: www.skyreport.com/skyreport/local.htm (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/local.htm)
One station that missed the deadline to elect must-carry, KNWS in Houston, is somewhat significant for viewers since the station televises Houston Astros baseball games.
KNWS missed the Federal Communications Commission's June 30 deadline to elect must-carry. The station filed a complaint in late September but the FCC ruled in the DBS companies' favor in the dispute, citing the missed deadline.
"According to the must-carry provision in the law, they can be reconsidered for carriage in four years," said DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer. "Given the need to accommodate the many stations that honored the election deadline and the limits of our satellite capacity, we were unable to make exceptions for those stations that were late in filing must-carry elections."
While DirecTV is delivering all its local channels from 101 degrees, allowing viewers to receive the new offerings with one dish, EchoStar's DISH Network will require a second dish for reception of a number of local channels for select markets.
All of the major local stations, including UPN, WB and PBS, as well as ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX, are available immediately for customers who have a DISH 500, the dual-LNB, single-dish solution from EchoStar.
For customers who request to watch some of the smaller local stations, such as home shopping channels or small independent stations, a second dish and installation will be provided at no additional charge, the company said.
From <a href="http://www.skyreport.com" target=none>SkyReport</A> (Used with permission)