[noneroy]

I've been reading a lot about this but I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around it.

It appears that Charlie was giving out distant local channels to whomever wanted them. The networks got mad and said they thought they were breaking the law. The courts said, 'yes, charlie that's illegal, now stop. By the way, you ripped of tivo too.' So Charlie appealed it and lost and now has to stop selling out of market distant channels illegally.

So now E* customers are upset they aren't able to get things the courts say they weren't supposed to have in the first place? And apparently Charlie is going to 'rent' space on one of his birds to another company that *WILL* sell people distant nets? (Which seems like he's just asking to be sued). Wasn't that already found to be illegal? or was it only illegal for Charlie to do it?

I guess my question is, how is this different from how D* sells distant nets to people who can't get them? Was charlie just selling distants willy-nilly?

I just don't get the drama....

 

[John W]

I've been reading a lot about this but I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around it.

It appears that Charlie was giving out distant local channels to whomever wanted them. The networks got mad and said they thought they were breaking the law. The courts said, 'yes, charlie that's illegal, now stop. By the way, you ripped of tivo too.' So Charlie appealed it and lost and now has to stop selling out of market distant channels illegally.

So now E* customers are upset they aren't able to get things the courts say they weren't supposed to have in the first place? And apparently Charlie is going to 'rent' space on one of his birds to another company that *WILL* sell people distant nets? (Which seems like he's just asking to be sued). Wasn't that already found to be illegal? or was it only illegal for Charlie to do it?

I guess my question is, how is this different from how D* sells distant nets to people who can't get them? Was charlie just selling distants willy-nilly?

I just don't get the drama....

Charlie sold them to unqualified persons.But, the penalty precludes him from selling them, period, even to qualified people.

 

[noneroy]

So Charlie wasn't checking qualifications? He was just giving them away?

So then a lot of the upset E* people are those who don't actually qualify? (West coast people wanting the East Coast feeds? and such)

But he *CAN* sub-contract it out to a company that DOES qualify people?

 

[boba]

So Charlie wasn't checking qualifications? He was just giving them away?

So then a lot of the upset E* people are those who don't actually qualify? (West coast people wanting the East Coast feeds? and such)

But he *CAN* sub-contract it out to a company that DOES qualify people?

Now that is up to the judge to decide again, is Charlie again breaking the law. We'll have to wait till next week for the next installment.:nono: :nono:

 

[noneroy]

Does E* have fewer locals than D*? Is that why this is as big of an issue?

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Does E* have fewer locals than D*? Is that why this is as big of an issue?

They are about even...

Dish has some locals in some place DirecTV doesn't, and vice versa.

But there are plenty of areas, with they both don't have the true Locals.
Hence why the Distants are important.

 

[paulman182]

And a lot of people want NY or LA locals because they are "more professional" than their true locals, or their true locals pre-empt network programs a lot.

 

[jimbo09]

I don't know if this was part of the problem, but E* was offering distant networks from places other than NY and LA. For example, a freind of mine got Chicago locals for a few years. No blackout restrictions either, so he got all of the out-of-market Bears games for free. I was paying $200 plus and he was paying 5 bucks a month for the same thing (watching Da Bears)

Also, they offered superstations that you can't get from D* for WB/UPN/CW from NY/LA and Denver

 

[harsh]

Does E* have fewer locals than D*? Is that why this is as big of an issue?

E* offers SD LIL in 175 markets while D* offers SD LIL in 142 markets (give or take). Interestingly, they each cover a few markets that the other doesn't.

It is likely that the DMAs don't cover the entire map, so DNS may be the only option for some.