Will I lose my waivered distant nets?

[gary s]

I posted this in the general dish network forum but it was suggested I post it here instead. Maybe the post in general dish network forum could be deleted.

Under the new satellite viewers act will I lose the distant nets I got waivers for? I get the Los Angeles locals and have New York distant nets. I was given the NY ABC and Fox stations without applying for waivers (I don't know if they had some kind of automatic waivers or what) but applied and got waivers for the CBS and NBC stations. Will I lose all my distant nets and have to apply for new waivers? Will I keep the two I did apply and receive waivers for? Will I keep all four distant nets? Anyone have any idea? I read through the viewers act but it is not clear to me.

Gary

[Mike123abc]

It is probably too early to tell. If your local market does not have one of the major nets you will probably be able to still get the distant for that network. The part that is probably up in the air is if you have a local net, but cannot recieve it over the air, if you will be forced to take the local channel and be cut off from the distant feed. Congress moves in mysterious ways (well who gives the most money/votes), will have to wait until the final bill gets passed to see what the new rules are.

[Mr. Shvia]

From: http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/06032004/satprint.pdf

(D) NULLIFICATION OF EXISTING WAIVERS.

"In the case of any subscriber to whom subparagraph (B)(i)(II) or (B)(ii) applies, at such time as the subscriber elects to receive the local signal of a network station, any waiver by that network station under section 339(c)(2) shall cease to be effective with respect to that subscriber."

You will be given the option to choose either locals or distants within 60 days of the bill. If you chose locals you lose distants. If you do not respond and say you want distants or locals within 60 days of getting the notice you automatically lose distants. If you chose distants your name and address is reported to the networks.

Thats what special interests are doing to our great nation.

[gary s]

Thanks for the replies. I want to keep my local Los Angeles stations as first choice so it sounds, as it is now written, that I will lose my NY distants regardless of having waivers.

Gary

[waltinvt]

It seems clear enough regarding analog network signals - if / when locals available to you, you can no longer have both distants and locals. I think most can conceed there's some measure of "fairness" to that.

What isn't clear to me, based on the recent house and senate drafts, is if the HD version of any network will be treated seperatly under proposed new legistlation.

Simple senerio: Central Vermont, depending on which side of hill you live, you may get one or two OTA analog networks with decent roof top anntena but relativly few get all networks. Except for PBS, most affiliates in this area will drag their feet on HD for as long as they are allowed to.

Will sat or cable be allowed to provide a distant HD feed of any network whose local affiliate is not currently broadcasting that HD signal ? To me, this is the most important decision being considered by congress right now, yet the most unclear as to which way they're leaning.

It seems to me that if there was ever a time they (congress) needed some constiuent prooding, it's right now. I have a sneaky feeling they're on the verge of business as usual, which is caving in to the power of the broadcasters for a few more years.

Whatever they pass, we'll be stuck with it for a while.

WaltinVt

[haha]

What does this mean?

‘‘(E) OTHER PROVISIONS NOT AF-
FECTED.—This paragraph shall not affect the
eligibility of a subscriber to receive secondary
transmissions under section 119(a)(2)(D) of
title 17, United States Code, or as an unserved
household included under section 119(a)(11) of
such title. ’’.

[SParker]

Leave it to these nitwits in congress to muck things up!

[scooper]

HD is NOT a requirement - ever !! All your local broadcasters EVER have to do is 480i in ATSC (Digital TV), and eventually shutdown the NTSC (analog TV) .

[SParker]

I've been battling my local CBS's to give me a waiver. I have 2 including the one in my DMA to allow it and I am working on the 3rd so I can get CBS-HD. So I hope if they let me that this new law doesn't screw that up later.