[Nomo1]

I have been sent around the bush for two and a half hours this afternoon looking for answers about the distant hd networks. Directv has told me twice that the FCC is requring them to remove the distant network stations because local programming is available. (I live in the Wilkes Barre DMA, ninety miles away from the station). I receive ABC and FOX in HD through the local channels, but not NBC or CBS. The last representative from directv I spoke with told me that the FCC said I was able to obtain these signals from an antenna( I am not). I contacted the FCC about this, and the woman I spoke with there said that there is no such requirement through the FCC, to ask for the Rule * and they would not be able to provide it, since it did not exist.

I have contacted the station managers at WYOU and WBRE, who said negotiations were ongoing with directv, and they did not offer waivers to continue to receive the distant network stations. So it seems as if on August 7, my hd networks will be cut in half.

Nobody at directv, the local channels, or the fcc can offer any information on who to contact about this. Directv is going to send me a letter about how to test my antenna signal strength. Which is really besides the point, since I already pay a bunch of money to directv every month to receive hd programming, so I should be eligible to receive the programming through that service. Directv is making a programming decision and blaming it on the FCC, who claims they do not tell directv what they can and cannot broadcast. Seems like a spitting contest to me.

 

[veryoldschool]

Here is a thread where this was kicked around: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=132634

As to the FCC:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/shvera.html

I've done some "calling" myself, and it comes down to the TV networks [NAB] "pulling the plug".

 

[Doug Brott]

Nomo1,

Sorry to hear about your troubles, I'm sure that's no fun. Hopefully DIRECTV and your local stations will come to an agreement soon so that you can again enjoy them in HD.

 

[Draconis]

That is an old argument, what it boils down to is that (according to the FCC) it is illegal to provide you with "local" programming from any market other than the one you live in.

Since you live in the Wilkes Barre DMA, you get locals from the Wilkes Barre DMA.

In order for you to receive locals from another DMA (like NY or LA) DirecTV would have to submit a waiver to the local affiliate asking permission to give you the NY or LA feed.

These waivers can take quite some time to process and the local affiliate can always say no (even if they do not have a HD feed with DirecTV and you live to far away to pick up the signals using a off-air antenna).

This even applies to markets where DirecTV has no local channel coverage. In all cases the local affiliate ALLWAYS has the last word.

 

[veryoldschool]

That is an old argument, what it boils down to is that (according to the FCC) it is illegal to provide you with "local" programming from any market other than the one you live in.

Since you live in the Wilkes Barre DMA, you get locals from the Wilkes Barre DMA.

In order for you to receive locals from another DMA (like NY or LA) DirecTV would have to submit a waiver to the local affiliate asking permission to give you the NY or LA feed.

These waivers can take quite some time to process and the local affiliate can always say no (even if they do not have a HD feed with DirecTV and you live to far away to pick up the signals using a off-air antenna).

This even applies to markets where DirecTV has no local channel coverage. In all cases the local affiliate ALLWAYS has the last word.

Worse than this [if you were to read the FCC link] " Subscribers who are "unserved" with respect to analog service are eligible for distant digital signals. Satellite companies are not required to offer distant digital signals."

 

[Nomo1]

My conversation with the person at the FCC said that they are only required to carry one local channel, but there is no restriction on if they provide the distant network stations. In other words, if the parties agree, they can provide the dns programming. In this case, I already have the waiver. I have had the dns since Jan 2007. I got ABC and FOX in January 2008, and still have the dns today. I do not have CBS or NBC, and was told today by the directv rep and the station manager from WYOU that I can get it off an antenna. Must gonna have to be a whopper of an antenna to bring it in ninety miles away over the mountains. People from directv and WYOU and WBRE both say they are negotiating, and each urge to contact the other. Neither party wants to take responsibility, Directv wants to blame the FCC and the Wilkes Barre stations are saying, we don't grant waivers.

Ironically, I live 20 miles from Elmira New York, where there is no hd transmission from either their NBC or ABC affiliate and they don't have a CBS or Fox affiliate. I simply want to retain the programming I am paying for, which should include each of the hd major networks. They can cut off the New York ABC and Fox, I can only watch one anyway. But to engage in this spitting contest only hurts the customer.

One guy at directv today told me, it's federal regulations, kind of like income taxes. He doesn't like to pay those, but it's a law. Now, I may be kind of silly but paying income taxes to the government is nothing like paying a company for a service, which they are going to be not providing very shortly. And the FCC is claiming that they do not tell the satellite companies what they can do as far as programming. So it is definitely the stations that are pulling the plug, like veryoldschool said. Or maybe it's directv capitalizing on semantics.

 

[evan_s]

unfortunately there is little directv can do. While the FCC doesn't dictate what directv can and can't carry directly they do dictate the rule that directv has to live by. Those rules say that they have to negotiate with the channel in your DMA to carry that channel for you and if they don't have that channel they have to ask your local channel to allow you to receive a distant version of that channel.

 

[jlancaster]

nomo1 we have heard from a very reliable source that the contract for wyou and wbre were signed and have an effective date of July 1st. We have also heard that the sats are already getting the hd feeds. We are just waiting for them to get turned on...before Aug 7th date(hopefully).

 

[Nomo1]

nomo1 we have heard from a very reliable source that the contract for wyou and wbre were signed and have an effective date of July 1st. We have also heard that the sats are already getting the hd feeds. We are just waiting for them to get turned on...before Aug 7th date(hopefully).

I hope you are right. I have two emails from the station managers at WBRE and WYOU stating they are still in negotiations, and to contact directv and let them know my wishes. Seems like they would know about an agreement, doesn't it? I also spoke with a Blake Russell from directv today who confirmed there was no agreement.

unfortunately there is little directv can do. While the FCC doesn't dictate what directv can and can't carry directly they do dictate the rule that directv has to live by. Those rules say that they have to negotiate with the channel in your DMA to carry that channel for you and if they don't have that channel they have to ask your local channel to allow you to receive a distant version of that channel.

I currently have a waiver for each of these stations. They are rescinding them.

This is very frustrating, to say the least.

 

[jlancaster]

I hope you are right. I have two emails from the station managers at WBRE and WYOU stating they are still in negotiations, and to contact directv and let them know my wishes. Seems like they would know about an agreement, doesn't it? I also spoke with a Blake Russell from directv today who confirmed there was no agreement.

First of all I don't know. Second I hope I am right also. Third I don't think any of the parties involved would actually confirm the agreement(assuming there is one) before they become active.
Either way I hope they light up soon. At least though I can get them via ota.

 

[Nomo1]

First of all I don't know. Second I hope I am right also. Third I don't think any of the parties involved would actually confirm the agreement(assuming there is one) before they become active.
Either way I hope they light up soon. At least though I can get them via ota.

Time will tell I guess. I just don't understand what they have to gain by keeping it a secret.

 

[Nomo1]

nomo1 we have heard from a very reliable source that the contract for wyou and wbre were signed and have an effective date of July 1st. We have also heard that the sats are already getting the hd feeds. We are just waiting for them to get turned on...before Aug 7th date(hopefully).

It appears as if it is unlikely that these stations will allow their stations to be retransmitted on directv. I received a phone call today from a directv rep who said that it is due to WBRE and WYOU refusing to grant access to the network hd signals due to the fact that we are able to receive access to their standard definition versions.

I don't really watch commericals, so I don't gain anything by not seeing the local commercials. I live ninety miles from Scranton, anyway, so it really means squat what they advertise. I'm not sure what they hope to gain by removing access to either hd channel.

Hopefully, this is all just a lot of hoopla, and the surprise will happen on August 8, and they will magically appear on my directv.

 

[jlancaster]

It appears as if it is unlikely that these stations will allow their stations to be retransmitted on directv. I received a phone call today from a directv rep who said that it is due to WBRE and WYOU refusing to grant access to the network hd signals due to the fact that we are able to receive access to their standard definition versions.

Well the good news is...that explanation that the Directv rep gave you is total and complete bs! By that standard no hd signals would be available to any Directv customer.
While the advertising means little to you ... just the fact that you have the ability to see them means sooo very much to the stations!
Lets wait and see... "barry" has yet to give bad info. Lets wait a couple weeks and see.
If we don't get them then I am willing to join a (god forbid!!) an activist group to email, mail and phone campaign to fix the problem.
Dish network seems to have reached a contract for July30 or later...that tells me maybe us too!
Anyway I am glad to see someone who cares so much about it as to call the fcc and expect to get an answer!! :lol: