Fresno/Pappas?

[FrankD1]

What's going on with Fresno local KMPH (Fox 26), a Pappas station? I'm moving there next month from SoCal, and just now noticed that there's no Fox channel in the E* local lineup. According to Lyngsat, it appears that the channel is uplinked, but I see no press release from either E* or Pappas that indicates they're even in negotiations. It looks like some of the locals down here in SoCal are Pappas stations, and E* is carrying them, so it seems like they've got a working relationship. Any info/insight is appreciated.

[Lyle_JP]

If I were you, I would have Dish change your billing address, but leave your service address alone. Fresno should be well within the LA spot beam, so you'll still be able to watch FOX 11. Or, you could always just buy a pair of $10 rabbit ears. Fresno is flat as a board, and you shouldn't have any signal troubles in Fresno or any surrounding cities.

[TNGTony]

This is a repost from other newsgroups/forums of a post I made about the subject:

The following stations from Pappas are currently involved in retransmission
consent issues with Dish:

KMPH TV 26
Visalia/Fresno, CA

KFRE TV 56
Sanger/Fresno, CA

KPWB TV 23
Ames/Des Moines, IA

KXVO TV 15
Omaha/Lincoln, NE/Council Bluffs, IA

KPTM TV 42
Omaha/Lincoln, NE/Council Bluffs, IA

KUVR TV 68
Reno, NV

-------

The three Pappas stations Dish has on right now were not owned by Pappas
when Dish secured long-term retranmission consent. All three are TV Azteca
stations. LA, San Francisco and Houston.

I beleive that Pappas was one of the reasons for Milwawkee being passed over
years ago. Dish has since learned that they will get plenty of locals subs
even without one or even two locals. So they are going ahead with some
areas that have stations that will not join in the fun. They are more than
likely the following:

WTWB TV 20
Winston Salem/Greensboro/High Point

WMMF TV 68
Fond Du Lac/Green Bay/Appleton

ABC Nebraska TV
Lincoln/Hastings-Kearney

KSNB/KTVG 4/17 Fox
Lincoln/Hastings-Kearney

WSWS TV 66 UPN
Columbus GA

See ya
Tony

[FrankD1]

Thanks Tony! In your opinion, and/or the opinion of the newsgroup you refer to, is it likely that E* and Pappas will work something out in the nearterm, or should I assume it ain't gonna happen. Thanks again!


This is a repost from other newsgroups/forums of a post I made about the subject:

The following stations from Pappas are currently involved in retransmission
consent issues with Dish:

KMPH TV 26
Visalia/Fresno, CA

KFRE TV 56
Sanger/Fresno, CA

KPWB TV 23
Ames/Des Moines, IA

KXVO TV 15
Omaha/Lincoln, NE/Council Bluffs, IA

KPTM TV 42
Omaha/Lincoln, NE/Council Bluffs, IA

KUVR TV 68
Reno, NV

-------

The three Pappas stations Dish has on right now were not owned by Pappas
when Dish secured long-term retranmission consent. All three are TV Azteca
stations. LA, San Francisco and Houston.

I beleive that Pappas was one of the reasons for Milwawkee being passed over
years ago. Dish has since learned that they will get plenty of locals subs
even without one or even two locals. So they are going ahead with some
areas that have stations that will not join in the fun. They are more than
likely the following:

WTWB TV 20
Winston Salem/Greensboro/High Point

WMMF TV 68
Fond Du Lac/Green Bay/Appleton

ABC Nebraska TV
Lincoln/Hastings-Kearney

KSNB/KTVG 4/17 Fox
Lincoln/Hastings-Kearney

WSWS TV 66 UPN
Columbus GA

See ya
Tony

[scottchez]

I have called Pappas and one other person I know of has.

They are now saying that they are in Re- Re negotiating and things do not look good (sorry about my spelling).


I see both sides of the issue.

Pappas is upset because Dish put some of the west coast Spanish speaking channels on the 148 degree sat (required 2nd dish which most do not want as it looks funny).

Pappas is holding out for an ALL or NOTHING package with Dish.

What this means is that the reset of the customers are Hurt and will end up NOT watch Pappas Commercials which means there advertisers are paying for time that fewer are watching because of this dispute.

What this means to Dish, is they will loose customers to Direct TV as Direct TV has confirm that they will have the Pappas channels this fall, contract almost signed (Spanish channels are on the mains).

What this means to the DBS users is they have to go out and buy Roof top Antennas $30 to $100 to get the stations, not to mention all the time to connect it up.

NO ONE IS WINNING with this dispute.

Please, everyone, Email Pappas and Dish. Ask them to get a long and work this out.

[Mark Holtz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't some of the channels on the side sats basically localized versions of national Spanish feed such as Univision which is carried on the main birds?

[FrankD1]

I was thinking since my original post.... 1) If D* is gonna carry Pappas stations (at least here in Fresno) once they launch their new bird later this year, doesn't Pappas need to offer E* the same package they negotiate with D*? 2) If Rupert follows through with purchasing D*, might he not twist Pappas' arm to play nice with Charlie, since Rupert is gonna endure some pretty tough antitrust scrutiny? I realize Pappas is free to to what he wants independent of Rupert's wishes, but I would think Rupert could make it worth Pappas' while not only to make the purchase go smoother, but to add that many more eyeballs for Rupert's programming.

Any comments?

[scottchez]

The Direct TV and proposed Dish contract are not the same.

The problem Pappas is having is Dish puts the Pappas Spanish channels out over the ocean on the 148 degree sats which required a 2nd ugly dish in your back yard.

Pappas is afraid most wont order the 2nd free dish and not watch there channel (thus lower ratings for advertising dollars).

Direct TV has there channels on the Main Sats.

In other words, due to the 3 Spanish channels that Pappas owns, the reset of the 15% of the country on Dish Network can get Pappas channels (Pappas has channels covering 15% of the population now).

[stickyfingers]

Just a bump, 'cause here we are nearly six months later and, in spite of the fact "new locals channels" seem to be announced weekly here, there's *still* no FOX in the Fresno market. Any news?

Brian

[TNGTony]

Pappas and Dish are not talking any more. They are at an impasse.

See ya
Tony

[stickyfingers]

These are always my favorite moments, when two corporations decide to hold a pissing contest and screw the consumers. Yipee!

Brian

[MikeW]

Tony-I'd read over at DBS Forums that there were some agreements between Dish and Pappas. Can't read the post now - since it's down, but in the Broadcast Channels forum, somebody reported there was an agreement in one of the mid-west states.

[TNGTony]

There are a few Pappas stations on Dish, but my understanding is that Pappas will not allow any more of their station on Dish until Dish moves the three Pappas stations if has off of 148° and onto the sam satellite with the other local channels from those markets.

See ya
Tony

[MikeW]

I sent the following message to KMPH and the Fresno Bee. I'll let y'all know if I get anything other than a canned response.

I've sent two messages regarding the lack of availablity of your stations on Dish Network. Your response was less than adequate. I received, what appeared to be, a form response to the issue. The response stated that I could receive your channel off the air and it would appear in my menu. It does not. I know of Dish Equipment that has that capability, I do not own that equipment.

It is my understanding that the major issue has nothing to do with the Fresno community, rather it is about your corporate desire to have Azteca stations removed from the side satellite dish and placed on the main satellite in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Taken from your corporate Mission Statement:

"Our duty is to serve the public interest, convenience and necessity.* A true broadcaster has to perform two roles comfortably: one, that of public trustee, and the second, that of responsible businessperson.* Our business interests cannot supersede or contravene our duty as public trustee."

KMPH serves Fresno. Your duty as a public trustee for the Fresno market is not to hold Dish Network subscribers hostage for your issues in other markets.

"We know that we work for our audiences first, our advertisers second, our colleagues third."

Your current stance with Dish Network appears to be audience last!

In your only response to me, you stated that it appears that this hold out will last a long time. When will you put the audience/customer first?

Editor at Fresno Bee:
If this letter is suitable for print as a letter to the editor and you require more information from me, please send me an e-mail message.

Thank You

[stickyfingers]

Keep us informed Mike. Sinclair took one on the chin in the Sacramento Bee today for not allowing the CBS-HD feed onto the Sacramento cable system.

Brian

[MikeW]

I don't understand why broadcasters spend the money they do to improve their signal strength for OTA reception and hold out on distributors to eek out any money they can. Not many wish to purchase an OTA HD box to recieve locals (if they even technically can). To have the HD feed through the cable company allows the viewer to rent the box and the station to have eye-balls to watch. Long live Sinclair, Clear Channel, Viacom and yes...even Pappas.

[TNGTony]

Mike,

I would print out that letter and send it via snail-mail to both the TV station and your local newspaper. Remember that snail-mail has more "worth" than e-mail.

See ya
Tony

[MikeW]

Tony..too true. E-mail is so easy and anonymous, it simply doesn't show "an effort". I will do both. The true goal here is to get KFRE on Dish before baseball season. I hate going through the hassle of switching audio source on the home theater. Forces me to have two remotes handy at all times. Guess I'm just lazy.

[Tom J]

I realize this thread involves Dish Network but for what it's worth here is a message I received a couple of weeks ago from Pappas owned KPTM in Omaha regarding their carriage on DirecTV.


We are in the process of finalizing our carriage agreement with DirecTV and
plan to be offered on this system when they launch locals in the Omaha
Market.

Thanks for your interest in our stations.
We're Your Station KPTM FOX 42
The Heartland WB KXVO 15

[scottchez]

I have a similar EMail from Papass in Omaha and there Des monies stations also.

The Secretary there is confused with Direct TV which is about to launch in Omaha.
They said that the Dish Channels were finalizing the carriage agreement soon (thinking Dish was Direct TV).



The OMaha channels have been up for about a year now on Dish. Minus the Papass station.

This has been going on for a very long time.

I would keep Emailing all of there Sister stations. There CEO, and maybe there advertisers.

I bet the Advertisers do not know they are NOT being seen on Thousands of TVs because Papass wont allow it. The Advertisers should get a discount.