[Earl Bonovich]

DirecTV Goes After Distant Network DISH Subscribers

TWICE) _ El Segundo, Calif. DirecTV launched a pre-emptive strike of sorts at competitor EchoStar's attempts to get Congressional relief from a pending injunction that will force it to end distant network TV service to some 900,000 DISH Network subscribers on Dec. 1.

DirecTV issued a statement Wednesday to help clarify for potentially impacted DISH Network subscribers the actions they face and the possible solutions to losing network TV programming they have available to them including signing up for DirecTV services.

.....

Read the rest of the story at: Digital Animators

 

[geaux1]

Nice way to create ill will

 

[Earl Bonovich]

Nice way to create ill will

Isn't very different then any other competitor would do...

If DirecTV had to give up Sunday Ticket (for what ever reason), you don't think Dish would come up with something?

 

[jimbo09]

Is there something special about getting some distant network instead of your local network affiliate that I am missing?

If they are taking away a distant ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX, but giving you locals (they are claiming 96% coverage) then what is the difference?

 

[Earl Bonovich]

There are a bunch of markets where DirecTV carries the actual locals, and Dish network doesn't.

 

[dodge boy]

Just a question, Does anyone have any idea when the significantly viewed channels will be available?

 

[juan ellitinez]

There are a bunch of markets where DirecTV carries the actual locals, and Dish network doesn't.

You might want to rethink that statement. E* carries far more local channels than d*.. E* concentrated on the "rural" markets while d* concentrated on the metropolitan area's. Now that cable and telco's are much stronger D* is growing at a MUCH smaller rate than e*

 

[Earl Bonovich]

You might want to rethink that statement. E* carries far more local channels than d*.. E* concentrated on the "rural" markets while d* concentrated on the metropolitan area's. Now that cable and telco's are much stronger D* is growing at a MUCH smaller rate than e*

Hence why I didn't say DirecTV carries more or less then DishNetwork.
I just said that there are markets where DirecTV carries the locals, that Dishnetwork doesn't.

 

[JohnH]

How many hands does it take to count them?

 

[Ohioankev]

Is there something special about getting some distant network instead of your local network affiliate that I am missing?

If they are taking away a distant ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX, but giving you locals (they are claiming 96% coverage) then what is the difference?

The difference is i'm in the other 4%. I know this is a DirecTv board but i havent liked DirecTv since i used one way back in 1998/99. Things could of changed by now but I still like DISH. My neighbor next door used to complain about his DirecTv going out everytime it rained, but my DISH has stayed on through heavy rainfall. Back to the topic, if DISH offered locals in my area i probably would take them but they don't and now with the Dec. 1st thing I actually have my locals through the cable company. I don't think i'm keeping cable that long as the PQ is crap on the non digital channels. Sorry I don't think there is snow during viper/raider fights in BSG! Plus the DVR sucks through my cable company.

Another problem with DirecTV that i seen was they wouldn't give me UPN whereas DISH had three of them.

 

[geaux1]

Isn't very different then any other competitor would do...

If DirecTV had to give up Sunday Ticket (for what ever reason), you don't think Dish would come up with something?

I agree, but isn't that different than trying to use the law to stop someone else from carrying something? Personally, I wish DTV would give me distant CBS for the sole purpose of getting HD because our local station is messing with DTV for who knows what reason and won;t let them carry the HD cbs signal in Memphis. I don't see any reason to rain on someone else's parade. Dish has a fwe things I wish I had, DTV has some they don't. On balance, DTV has more of the other for my personal wants. My only complaint has been with the HR20 and within the last 10 months or so, less actually, horrendous customer service from what used to be excellent customer service.

To be honest and fair, once you get to someone competent like retention or advanced tech support, that changes, but by then I am so frustrated and annoyed it does not always help the situation. Used to when I could get through to them directly, but by now I am so aggravated by the time I get to them it's a bad deal. Not the fault of the person in that department, but the system and the decision to launch this box when it was not ready. And since the customer is always right.......

 

[Newshawk]

And since the customer is always right.......

!rolling

 

[Shellback X 23]

Is there something special about getting some distant network instead of your local network affiliate that I am missing?

If they are taking away a distant ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX, but giving you locals (they are claiming 96% coverage) then what is the difference?

Its the folks like me, with a legal RV Waiver, who move around the country all the time or the 4% who don't get LIL's. If the LIL's where I am are not on 110 or 119 (which entails a call to E* to change my service address, some times every other week) I don't get any networks. Granted I can sometimes try for OTA , but I get no EPG and have to search the channels to figure out what I am getting if I am close enough to a TV station to get OTA. My billing address has LIL on 148 which would require an additional antenna and a DishPro 21 switch equilevent.

 

[earthymoon]

Is there something special about getting some distant network instead of your local network affiliate that I am missing?

If they are taking away a distant ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX, but giving you locals (they are claiming 96% coverage) then what is the difference?

You're going to laugh and think I'm full of crap but the reason why it escalated like it did was because E* was allowing anyone to have DNS. A lot of folks want the network feeds so they can catch the West Coast showing (if they live in the east or central TZ's and don't want to get a DVR) or watch the morning talk shows that aren't available with the local affiliate. E* won't lose a lot of customers over it because they do offer locals in the majority of their customer's homes and the ones who got DNS illegally will probably just mope a little. The 4% with no locals and the RV'ers might go to DTV but you know that they all won't. E* should probably worry a little more about the ungoing Tivo battle. That would lose them a lot more customers.

 

[Jason Nipp]

You're going to laugh and think I'm full of crap but the reason why it escalated like it did was because E* was allowing anyone to have DNS.

Sorry to say, this may be a slight exaggeration. I tried several times to get distants prior to my DMA being up-linked, I was denied my waivers by all but Fox.

 

[earthymoon]

Sorry to say, this may be a slight exaggeration. I tried several times to get distants prior to my DMA being up-linked, I was denied my waivers by all but Fox.

It might be an exaggeration but E* wasn't enforcing like they were suppose to. Hince they lost their DNS.

 

[republicofpepsi]

Is there something special about getting some distant network instead of your local network affiliate that I am missing?

If they are taking away a distant ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX, but giving you locals (they are claiming 96% coverage) then what is the difference?

For me, I liked having West Coast channels so that I could have the ability to get my favorite shows a 2nd time. Many times, in my area, bad weather or the news breaking in to talk about bad weather, tends to ruin some of my favorite summertime shows.

Also helps out when i have both tuners going at the same time, makes sure I get everything I want without having to record shows in the 2nd room.

What I don't understand...is if we are willing to PAY for it...why should we be denied access to any distant network we choose?

 

[Earl Bonovich]

What I don't understand...is if we are willing to PAY for it...why should we be denied access to any distant network we choose?

Because of the law, and unless we are willing to serious $, that get's back to the affiliates... they will never go for it.

It is all about the $ that local affiliates make on their advertising $

 

[Greg Bimson]

To expand upon Earl's post...

The networks own their affiliates in the top four markets. The networks certainly do not want to have another network station imported into their own exclusive territory, so the other network affiliates receive the exact same protection.

The FCC started regulating distant network feeds for cable back in the early 1960's because the FCC did not want to have cable destroy their localism model.

 

[Greg Bimson]

I agree, but isn't that different than trying to use the law to stop someone else from carrying something?

Let's not forget that Fox Entertainment Group (part owner of DirecTV) wasn't the only party in this lawsuit, and they were also a party of the lawsuit that caused massive cut-offs at DirecTV in 1999.

And let's not forget that when DirecTV purchased Primestar, DirecTV was able to convert 1.6 million of the 2.3 million total subscribers, because it appears Dish Network was really agressive in poaching some of the Primestar subscribers.

That what happens in a change of business circumstance.