Press Release: DISH Urges Senate Subcommittee to Modernize Satellite Legislation

[Rob Glasser]

DISH Network EVP and General Counsel Urges Senate Subcommittee
to Modernize Satellite Legislation

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Oct. 7, 2009 – Today, R. Stanton Dodge, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of DISH Network, testified on the Reauthorization of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet.

Dodge stated, “We are hopeful that the reauthorization process this year will modernize an outdated statute as well as provide the incentive to achieve a national policy goal: making local TV service available to consumers in all 210 markets. We look forward to working with members and staff to accomplish both objectives.”

Dodge’s testimony focused on the challenges of providing consumers with access to all local channels, particularly the substantial cost. Though DISH Network has launched local channels in 98 percent of households nationwide in less than 10 years, Dodge stated the job is not yet complete, “until all consumers have the opportunity to view their local channels.”

Dodge continued, “the bill voted out of Senate Judiciary Committee two weeks ago is a good first step but could have unintended consequences. Other pay TV providers pay either a retransmission fee to the local broadcast station or a copyright royalty payment. Any requirement to pay double compensation to carry the same station would create an unintended financial disincentive to provide these signals.”

“Finally, I want to comment on the Judiciary Committee’s provision to study phasing-out the compulsory license regime. We welcome such a study but believe it needs to be coupled with an FCC study. That study should examine the current compensation regime and whether it is truly market-based and serves consumers.”

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About DISH Network L.L.C.
DISH Network L.L.C., the nation’s HD leader, provides approximately 13.610 million satellite TV customers as of June 30, 2009 with the highest quality programming and technology at the best value, including the lowest all-digital price nationwide. Customers have access to hundreds of video and audio channels, the most HD channels, the most international channels, state-of-the-art interactive TV applications, and award-winning HD and DVR technology including 1080p Video on Demand and the ViP® 722 HD DVR, a CNET and PC Magazine “Editors’ Choice.” Visit .www.dishnetworkcom.

Note: Full Testimony Added as an attachement -- Rob

[CopyCat]

Just let everyone get East and West coast nationals would solve a lot of problems.

Question: What makes the congress think we actually sit there and watch local commercials ?

Answer: The TV lobby, yes the same lobby that told them they needed to keep us from watching anything but local TV and they believed them or didn't know what they signed up for and just voted the party line. (your choice, either is correct)

30 second skip/slip and or walking out of the room fixes it for me.

[SayWhat?]

Other pay TV providers pay either a retransmission fee to the local broadcast station or a copyright royalty payment.

I'll never understand that. The local stations should be paying the carriers to deliver their programming to the much larger audience than they would be reaching without the cable/sat carriers.

[phrelin]

Originally Posted by CopyCat

Just let everyone get East and West coast nationals would solve a lot of problems.

I'm glad you said it as I've felt like an echo of myself when I advocate getting rid of the mandate to carry locals and let the market determine what locals viewers want.

I read the PDF of the testimony. It basically is offered in the context that there is no chance the NAB lobby could ever be ignored. Dish is doing the best it can within that framework. But I consider the mandatory-carry provisions the "Federal Rerun and Old Movie Broadcasters Economic Subsidy" or FROMBES.

[Michael P]

Originally Posted by CopyCat

Just let everyone get East and West coast nationals would solve a lot of problems.

Question: What makes the congress think we actually sit there and watch local commercials ?

Answer: The TV lobby, yes the same lobby that told them they needed to keep us from watching anything but local TV and they believed them or didn't know what they signed up for and just voted the party line. (your choice, either is correct)

30 second skip/slip and or walking out of the room fixes it for me.

Congress wants you to see their "vote for me" commercials on your local channels.

[phrelin]

Originally Posted by Michael P

Congress wants you to see their "vote for me" commercials on your local channels.

If it weren't for those political ads many of our local stations might go under.

[Greg Bimson]

Originally Posted by CopyCat

Just let everyone get East and West coast nationals would solve a lot of problems.

Originally Posted by phrelin

I'm glad you said it as I've felt like an echo of myself when I advocate getting rid of the mandate to carry locals and let the market determine what locals viewers want.

What exactly are "East and West coast nationals"? I didn't know the networks created national feeds?

Nor did I know that getting rid "of the mandate to carry locals" would create a whole new market.

What I do know is that with the law passed almost ten years ago that allowed satellite companies to rebroadcast local channels, it was as if the DBS industry was moved from steam power to rocket fuel.

[joshjr]

Originally Posted by Greg Bimson

What exactly are "East and West coast nationals"? I didn't know the networks created national feeds?

Nor did I know that getting rid "of the mandate to carry locals" would create a whole new market.

What I do know is that with the law passed almost ten years ago that allowed satellite companies to rebroadcast local channels, it was as if the DBS industry was moved from steam power to rocket fuel.

They are the big 4 (ABC, CBS, NBC, & FOX) in NY or LA for D* subs. If you cant get their signal from your local area then you can sub to the DNS feed or Distant Network Feed. E* does not offer DNS feeds to their subs as they lost the rights to, but found a loop hole to where another provider does offer them kind of on their behalf lol.

[Greg Bimson]

Originally Posted by Greg Bimson

What exactly are "East and West coast nationals"? I didn't know the networks created national feeds?

Originally Posted by joshjr

They are the big 4 (ABC, CBS, NBC, & FOX) in NY or LA for D* subs.

Oh, so these "nationals" aren't nationals at all, just simply local channels, which can be made available to some viewers?

Originally Posted by joshjr

If you cant get their signal from your local area then you can sub to the DNS feed or Distant Network Feed.

So there is some kind of qualification in order to purchase a "DNS feed"?

Originally Posted by SayWhat?

The local stations should be paying the carriers to deliver their programming to the much larger audience than they would be reaching without the cable/sat carriers.

Yet subscriber growth for the satellite carriers took off exponentially once local channels became available. The satellite carriers made a ton of money through new customer subscriptions once local channels became available. So I am trying to understand why the satellite companies should make more money by charging customers for local channels and also charging the local channels money for carriage. I'd bet that if the local channels had to pay for carriage they'd simply pull the plug and watch the mass defections of satellite subscribers commence.