E-mailed D* and inquired abour Superstations

[AJ2086]

This is what I wrote to them:

Will you ever offer a superstation package like Dish Network has? For $4.99 a month you get KWGN, KTLA, and WPIX they are all WB affiliates. And WSBK and WWOR both UPN affiliates. Cant you create a package like this? You already carry these channesl for the locals? Maybe you could expand on it. When talking to most of my friends about which satelite system to go with they seem to go towards Dish Network because of the superstations pacakage. Superstations would help out your programing alot. Please consider this.

Maybe my e-mail will have so much influence that we wil lget Superstations, more of them! at a lower price than E*!!!! Ha hah ha!

[Karl Foster]

I submittred a waiver for superstations, but have been denied by two of my local channels (NBC and ABC). I suspect that I will also be denied by CBS and Fox. Just get a PVR and automatically record what you want, so you can watch it when you want and you won't need supers....

[Karl Foster]

deteled duplicate post....

[AJ2086]

I didnt apply I asked if they would ever consider carrying them. I would like them.

[Geronimo]

How could an ABC or NBC affiliarte deny you UPN and WB affiliated stations. Perhaps youa re thinking of distant nets.

[dishrich]

Originally posted by Geronimo
How could an ABC or NBC affiliarte deny you UPN and WB affiliated stations. Perhaps youa re thinking of distant nets.

Because if any of karl's local affiliates are carrying syndicated programming that just happens to be on those superstations, they can claim "syndex exclusivity" on those programs. BUT, since of course DBS can't block specific shows in specific areas, (not very easily anyway) they have to deny the station(s) entirely.

[AJ2086]

Well while checking on E* site I am qualified for Supers and FOX and NBC and then PBS but it says waiver in blue underneath. What does that mean. Does this carry over to D* too?

[Geronimo]

Agreed Rich and admittedly I don't know where he lives. But heseems to be a D sub in which case I am not sure how he applied for these waivers. But maybe I am misreading the whole thing.

[AJ2086]

OK it appears I have confused you all. On e* website you enter ur address and it tells u what ur automaticly approved for. I did that nad I'm automaticly approved for Fox and NBC and PBS has waiver undreneath it. ABC and CBS are crossed out. I qualify for supers too. D* customer tho. I sent an e-mail to D* asking why they dont have supers.

[Geronimo]

It was Karl I was referirng to. As far as I know one does not ask for waivers insofar as supsers are concerned. They are either offered by E in your DMA or not. And they are not offered by D at all. I still think Karl might mean distant nets ----especially since he seems to be a D sub.

D and E use slightly different databases. Logically you would get similar results but I do not think it is 100% true.

[Karl Foster]

I did mean distant nets. I apologize for the misunderstanding. Have a nice weekend. :)

[BrettR]

DirecTV could offer a supers package, and implement blackouts where necessary. But DirecTV has no intention to get involved. Local commercial stations (ABC,NBC,CBS,Fox,WB, UPN affiliates, and commercial independents like WGTW 48(Ind.) here) can invoke their syndicated exclusivity (syndex) on top syndicated programming shows they paid rights for locally, and request DirecTV to blackout certain shows if DirecTV got involved. Even if they didnt pay rights for the show(some syndicators offer POS shows that just need clearances), the local station will sell time for advertising. They dont want the value of this to be diminished.

The WB and UPN programming content is still considered "syndicated" and not network. Even though WB offers the same amount of primetime shows during weekdays(Mon-Fri) as FOX, plus WB has Kids WB! and UPN has daytime programming for children. FOX has no weekday daytime programming anymore. But FOX has 15 hours primetime for the week including weekends, that WB doesnt have. Those "Cops" series make them at 15.

The NAB is afraid if there is no exclusivity and mustcarry, then your local stations wont be able to charge as much during the slots they have to sell advertising since you can just watch a NY station instead. Then, the local station has less money to support newscasts, etc. The NAB wants to keep the money going in to the stations, not to premium, satellite national delivered services. The networks want the ownership cap removed, but NAB doesnt. The networks want to own all their affiliates in the top 30 markets atleast. Then they want to control the advertising on the stations. NBC, CBS and FOX are no longer part of the NAB over this dispute. NAB represents many broadcasters and is afraid if the networks get too big and own too many stations, there'd be no need for NAB.

However exclusivity would still remain, as most the broadcast channels offer less and less in terms of locally produced shows. Instead they rely on syndicated shows.

[AJ2086]

Well E* can do it and D* could too. The channels are already up its just a matter of paperwork and puttin them in a block in the guide.

[Geronimo]

Yes D could but they seem to have little interest in it because of the factors Brett mentioned.

So far it has not been a big headache for E but if the number of supers subs doubled (and it could if D carried them) then perhaps stations would be more aggresive in this regard.

You may or may not remember that the other forum was filled with stories aboutt he demise of the supers on E* when this date or that from SHVIA kicked in. So no one really knows what would happen---but a lot of folks will tell you they do.

[Steve Mehs]

I remeber those days Geronimo, every day Id go to DBSForums and hope that there was some good news on the future of the supers, since these was a lot of talk about possable cut off dates. 2/1/01, was the last date that comes to mind, and 18 months later theyre still here :)

[Jacob S]

Wont have to worry about it after a merger because all of the locals will be up for everyone which will include supers for most areas and the areas that dont have them can get them from another area or closest area to them.

[Geronimo]

Sorry Jake but it won't work that way. The law is complicated but you can buy the supers but not the WB or UPN one market over. IF DTV or tne new E* decides to seel the supers yes but if the blackout requests become onerous they could go. It si anybody's guess.

[Steve Mehs]

I have access to Buffalo WB and soon UPN, but the thing is I dont like them and never watch them and probably never will. WB11 from NYC, WB2 from Denver and KTLA are a lot better then WB49 in Buffalo and I dont do time shifting.

[Chris Freeland]

This is just a guess on my part but I suspect that if the merger is approved, the Supers will continue to be available to current E* subs and made available to current and new D* subs. However I suspect that the Supers will remain on the 119 satellite and in the current E* platform, at least until the platforms are merged into one. I suspect everyone who wants Supers will still need either a current E* IRD or a duel-speak IRD with a dish pointed at 119, however current D* subs with the proper equipment will be able to add Supers to their current or new D* programing package for standard $5.99 price or possibly just $3 with locals, just like us current E* subs do now without having to pay the additional $5 access fee that a non E* sub would have to pay.

[AJ2086]

I am praying for the merger!!!

[Karl Foster]

If you get your locals, what is so special about the supers? What programming do they offer that your locals don't? On my NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, UPN, and WB that I get here in Salt Lake, I get everything the network offers. Why do I need to see Friends on Thursday night 3 times? If you get a PVR, your "need" for supers will go away. For $99, you can put your stress about supers away and move on. If you "need" supers so bad, you should be with E*. In your area, if you want locals, you have one choice.

If you think you are going to get better programming and service with a merger, I think you are dreaming. I hope I am wrong, but every merger/monopoly that has happened in our area has been bad for consumers. Our power company merged a few years ago, and we are now having brownouts, our cable companies merged, and they are awful now. I see the same happening with DBS. No competition is never good for consumers. Digital cable in my area is non-existent. I am only offered analog, so DBS is the only digital service available for me. I like having a choice. It also keeps the companies on their toes to keep offering new services and technologies.

[AJ2086]

Well I wont be getting a UPN because for some reasons the CT locals didnt hook up UPN. Anyone know why? And the CT locals dont carry alot of the programs available for syndication so supers would be a great thing to me.

[Chris Freeland]

Originally posted by karl_f
If you get your locals, what is so special about the supers? What programming do they offer that your locals don't? On my NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, UPN, and WB that I get here in Salt Lake, I get everything the network offers. Why do I need to see Friends on Thursday night 3 times? If you get a PVR, your "need" for supers will go away. For $99, you can put your stress about supers away and move on. If you "need" supers so bad, you should be with E*. In your area, if you want locals, you have one choice.

If you think you are going to get better programming and service with a merger, I think you are dreaming. I hope I am wrong, but every merger/monopoly that has happened in our area has been bad for consumers. Our power company merged a few years ago, and we are now having brownouts, our cable companies merged, and they are awful now. I see the same happening with DBS. No competition is never good for consumers. Digital cable in my area is non-existent. I am only offered analog, so DBS is the only digital service available for me. I like having a choice. It also keeps the companies on their toes to keep offering new services and technologies.

Their are many small and mid size DMA's out their that do not have a full time WB and or UPN, the Supers are the only way for these folks to have UPN and or WB programing. My own DMA of Chattanooga TN has a full time WB, however the only UPN programing available to us hear is only on late nights on the local FOX affiliate. Even if the merger is approved and Chattanooga locals are added, I still want the Supers.

As far as PVR's go, their are many who do not own one of these and would enjoy the convenience of having the choice of 3 deferent x to watch Friends or what ever, besides having more opportunities to watch a program also means more opportunities to record one as well.

If this merger is approved it will not be a monopoly, cable is getting more and more competitive, and that is the primary competition. Once everything is on one platform their will be plenty of room for all 210 DMA's plus more national channels and HD tv, which means more choices on ONE platform for both current D* and E* subs.

[Jacob S]

If they have supers in both the DirecTv and Dish Network local packages now then why not have it after the merger? It would be part of must carry. I would not see why they could not offer the superstations that are not offered in one city for the next DMA because some places are on the border of DMA's like I am.

[Geronimo]

Must carry deals with locals WITH IN a DMA. Outside a DMA you have to qualify for distant nets---and then UPN and WB do not qualify. The supers are a special case spelled out in the regs. Even then the issue of sndex comes up. Currently if DISH gets syndex requests they just stop offering the channel they do not try to just block out "Everybody Loves Raymond".

Right now there are not many markets where DISH does this. But if the number of potentiala sius more than doubled stations MIGHT do this. But we just don't know.

As for what is special. Well the supers ahve some sports and they have local news etc and some folks want that. I watch the WSBK 38 news out of Boston.

[Ralphk]

why do i need then supers?

1. Nearest TV station is over 55 miles away.

2. Nearest WB or UPN station is around 125 mile away.

3. I live at the far end of the 131st DMA and expect to see the winter olympics televised from Hades before either providers offers "locals" here.

4. No WB or UPN station in this DMA. ( There's also no FOX station in this DMA!)

[TimL]

I like the supers for the news as well as well as time shifting on WB when I do watch it..I like the extra Sports.Mets, Rockies Baseball, and the LA Clippers on KTLA this winter Also Bruins Hockey on WSBK 38

Tim L