Making suggestions to D* and E*. Any success stories?

[News Junky]

Has anyone ever made a recomendation to E* or D* and they actually liked the idea and implemented it? I have and so far no luck. I'm wondering if I'm wasting my time or do they actully value the opinions of their customers.

1. No secret on how I feel about local into local. I've made several suggestions on ways that would be fair to everyone. Not even an acknowlegement. Once I did get routed to "excallations". They basically were sales people who informed me "they don't offer that", which I know already knew, thats why I made my suggestions. They were not people who had authority to deceide to implement anything. Then when cancelling service to go to the other satellite company they always ask recomendations at that time. Then and only then do you get "thats an excellent idea! I'll forward it up the chain." Then never a word on what was deceided and why.

2. PPV Movies. Haven't made this one yet. If a subscriber buys a movie why not keep the channel(s) open as long as the movie is in rotation and on every TV within that home? If I buy Fat Albert, then I think its a good idea to be able to see it everytime it runs the the month that its featured, not just 24 hours. I can always TIVO it and move a receiver from the family room to the master bedroom but why make customers jump through hoops? I just don't get the rationale on that. They compete with dvd rental places and I can keep Blockbuster movies for weeks and they don't mind if I watch it a few times on several TVs in my home. Satellite TV says: Please order this PPV movie but NO! We only permitt you to watch it within a 24 hour period on a single receiver. We know you have TIVO and are smart enough to change receivers from room to room but we, the people you pay over a thousand dollars a year to want to make it as difficut as possible.

3. Fight unfair taxes channels. Another one I haven't made yet. No big deal but why block the channel except for people in the directly affect state on something for which people from around the country would be willing to lend support? Even on this forum people from all over are asked to help support efforts that people in only one state would be effected.

[FTA Michael]

Yes, IMHO, you are wasting your time.

1) No idea what your suggestions were, but there are severe limitations on what the sat companies can do LIL.

2) All-month PPV would probably hurt their bottom line. For every customer enticed to order a movie because of the all-month feature, there are several more without DVRs who order a movie then enjoy it so much that they decide to watch it again a couple of weeks later.

3) If you show the "fight unfair taxes" channel to folks who live in states that aren't considering anything like that, some viewers will get worried about their bill going up and might consider switching to cable. Others will call the sat CSRs to ask "why hadn't I heard of this before". Yes, even though the channel would carefully list who's affected and who isn't. In sum, the benefit of a wider audience opposing other states' satellite taxes (as if a Texas legislator cares what a Wisconsin subscriber thinks) wouldn't be worth the costs associated with showing it everywhere.

If you've got a really good idea (maybe #1 is something I never considered), send it once in an email. If it strikes a chord and saves the sat company some bucks, it might just work its way up the chain.

[News Junky]

1) No idea what your suggestions were, but there are severe limitations on what the sat companies can do LIL.

You're right. Rediculous, isn't it? I just hoped for some explaination from them. The people here have been far more helpful in explaining the difficulties than E* or D* especially Greg.

FYI: my suggestions were aimed at ways around the local into local restrictions distant market local news primarily requesting local content only within the range of available signals. Continue blocking the network content from distant markets in order to protect the rights of one's local affiliates using a timer component similar to that of PPV movies and the NFL Season Ticket when local games are blacked out.


2) All-month PPV would probably hurt their bottom line. For every customer enticed to order a movie because of the all-month feature, there are several more without DVRs who order a movie then enjoy it so much that they decide to watch it again a couple of weeks later.

Hadn't thought of that one. After reading your reply another reason might be wanting people to order different movies each weekend (if weekend ordering are in fact a pattern). They should at least keep it up and running for 5 days to a week and on all TVs in the subscribers home. Less that this really gives me the feeling of being penny pinched like being at a resturaunt and being told "No sir. You cannot have a refill on that iced tea. You may however order and additional one. $1.95 will be added to your check." Whlie every other place offers free refills.


3) If you show the "fight unfair taxes" channel to folks who live in states that aren't considering anything like that, some viewers will get worried about their bill going up and might consider switching to cable. Others will call the sat CSRs to ask "why hadn't I heard of this before". Yes, even though the channel would carefully list who's affected and who isn't. In sum, the benefit of a wider audience opposing other states' satellite taxes (as if a Texas legislator cares what a Wisconsin subscriber thinks) wouldn't be worth the costs associated with showing it everywhere.


I understand you points but why then does this forum ask people to not living in TX to help the cause? Also, is it really eating up bandwith to broadcast these taxes nationally? I live 5 states away from Texas but the channel appears on my guide line-up. However when I go to that channel I see a message saying I'm not authorized to watch it. I would think if the channel is one of those spot beam channels it wouldn't appear on my guide at all but if its on my guide then its viewable, not using any additional bandwidth and is only blocked by the provider. I'm not bummed out about it. I just think if as many of us show the politians how many of us there are, maybe we'd start getting some respect in other areas that satellite consumers care about. Most congressmen start out at state level legislators. Not a bad idea to start acclimating them early so they realize satellite subcribers are a forced to be reckoned with.

[jdspencer]

A couple of years ago I complained to DirecTV that they didn't offer a DNS version of WB or UPN. I guess I asked the question too many times. They ended up calling me and finally told me not to email them again on that subject. I still have DirecTV, but added a Dish 301 receiver to get just the superstation pack. I have again emailed and snail mailed them the same question now that the rules have changed etc etc. We'll see.

[News Junky]

Oh my goodness! Talk about a we don't care what you think attitude.