Looking through the EKB Channel list, I notice that there are many "copies" of HSN, Univision, Telemundo, ShopNBC, and a few others. In many cases the channel's content may be identical (i.e. no locally generated content, channel is basically a 24/7 rebroadcast of the national feed). In these cases, why hasn't Dish worked out an agreement to show the national feed in lieu of the local feeds? Didn't they do just such an agreement with PAX?
What jrbdmb said, is the worst part about LIL, IMO. There are a dozen or two of, Uni, Tele, SNBC and others taking up bandwidth. Before must carry I was hoping there would be some kind of announcement that E* worked out deals with Univision, TBN, the shopping channels and a few other. But unfortunatly that didn't happen. Well, at least it happened with PAX.
The Univision and Telemundo stations have local advertising and the stations in the top hispanic markets have local news programs. Philadelphia is considered a big TV market(#4), but not a big Hispanic market(#18 and its too spread apart). Univision and Telemundo want a station in the market to get Comcast carriage and help their network in national figures, but believe they're arent enough viewers to launch a local newscast.
The ShopNBC and HSN stations are mostly owned by private broadcasters. Except in case of Merrimack, NH where NBC acquired the ShopNBC station. The private broadcasters get paid from the shopping channel. They are supposed to be meant to get carriage on the cable system and get more exposure than going only cable. Most these broadcasters originally started with general entertainment programming and or news, then they couldnt compete, and basically died along time ago (like WTVE 51). The stations must go digital and have many expenses to pay for, so paid religion and home shopping is what pays their bills.
QVC though is not seen over the air anywhere. Comcast owns QVC and isnt interested it seems in having broadcast stations carry QVC. As for TBN and ShopAt Home, I dont think DirecTV or Dish is carrying any owned and operated stations by them, only the national feeds and affiliates.
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