[aa9vi]

How come it's OK for cable to:

1) Offer multiple markets local channels, when DirecTV is bound to offer just your DMA (designated market area). Example: Kenosha Wisc cable will show Chicago and Milwaukee and DirecTV offers Milwaukee. Michigan City IN and Fond du Lac WI are other examples.

2) Offer ESPN NOT blacked out during a game on a local sports channel when DirecTV blacks it out.

3) Offer multiple RSNs (regional Sports networks) simultaneously and completely non-blacked out 24/7 when that is not available for DirecTV. Example: FSN WI/FSN North and FSN South/ FSN Midwest border areas (not duplicate RSN territories).


Why do we have these blackout rules when they're not enforced for cable? It's not a level playing field, for sure. Why isn't some agency busting Comcast/Time Warner/Charter/Cox/Cablevision for this? Is there a "cable loophole" to the blackout regulations?

What ever happened to the ESPN alternate feeds? Do they use them any more?

Just curious.

 

[beavis]

1.) NAB

2.) NAB

3.) NAB

NAB = National Association of Broadcasters. They're the ones who lobby and fight to protect the interests of cablecos. There are very different rules for cable and sat when it comes to certain issues, a few were those you listed.

 

[Newshawk]

1.) NAB

2.) NAB

3.) NAB

NAB = National Association of Broadcasters. They're the ones who lobby and fight to protect the interests of cablecos. There are very different rules for cable and sat when it comes to certain issues, a few were those you listed.

Not true, beavis- NAB fights for the interests of broadcasters-TV stations. The industry group for cable companies is NCTA-the National Cable Television Association.

 

[beavis]

They're equally both evil though. :grin:

 

[mikep554]

What it all comes down to is "write your congressman/congresswoman". They are the ones who have the power to pass the laws governing broadcasters, cable companies, and our sat services. The rules that are in place now (however biased they may be) are in place because of the laws that have been passed.

Let senators/representatives know how you feel. If you don't like the way they have voted in the past on issues that you care about, vote in a new person. It may not be much, but it is what we have.

 

[Grentz]

Cables Cos are the old school guys and satellite, FIOS, IPTV, etc are the new guys on the block.

The new guys are checked out like no other for some reason vs. the old school guys.

 

[tonyd79]

Well, there are a lot of situations that DirecTV (and Dish) can offer neighboring locals if the FCC (via Nielsen) determines that the neighboring locals are heavily viewed. That went into a affect a couple of years ago. Except in markets where a network is underserved or not present, DirecTV has chosen to not make use of this ability.

I, for instance, am in the Baltimore market but because I live in Howard County, MD, I am eligible for most of the DC locals. They are on cable and fios but DirecTV has chosen to not give them to me.

 

[mreposter]

Dang, this drives me crazy too! My local cable company has local broadcast stations from three other close-by towns. I'd kill for the extra PBS stations, each one shows lots of different programming, plus having the other commercial networks would get me more NFL football games!

 

[Nick]

Dang, this drives me crazy...I'd kill for the extra PBS stations!

Yes, you say that, but would you be willing to pay your local cableco
a few extra bucks to get them? It might save you the incovenience
of standing trial for murder

I have Dish and cable, and having both gives me access to some
worthwhile additional programming, plus a ton of viewing flexibility,
such as recording up to six different programs simultaneously while
watching three additional programs on a direct wall-to-tv cable con-
nection on three of my five active displays.

Also, I especially enjoy watching HD programming from the national
PBS channel which I can get only from cable.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Since my cable franchise covers multiple DMAs, I can get other markets HD locals via unencrypted QAM even though legally, I do not qualify for them. It comes in handy for station problems or breaking news interruptions that I don't care to be bothered with. Not sure what you're talking about as far as sports blackouts, Mets and Yankees on ESPN is blacked out for me when on YES or SNY, the Sabres are blacked out on HDNet. My blackout experience has never changed from Dish to DirecTV to Time Warner

 

[Davenlr]

It may be more technical with Directv. What is the signal level of the Milwaukee spot beam, and the Chicago spot beam at your house? Its possible the level of the one you don't get is below the threshold of the level Directv will offer subscriptions for.

Jonesboro, Ar has only a ABC and PBS. Memphis locals, while receivable OTA with a big antenna there, are not offered until you get 15 miles SE of Jonesboro, due to the signal levels of the Memphis spots.

BTW, I used to live in the SW corner of Waukesha Co, and could get Milwaukee, Chicago, South Bend, Rockford, and Madison with a Channel Master Quantum with preamp. If I lived there now, I'd have a OTA setup and wouldn't even worry with Directv You are in a RF hotbed for network OTA there.

 

[paulh]

Dang, this drives me crazy too! My local cable company has local broadcast stations from three other close-by towns. I'd kill for the extra PBS stations, each one shows lots of different programming, plus having the other commercial networks would get me more NFL football games!

Although those extra locals wound up being part of the reason I initially dumpped my dinky local 30 channel cableco for Primestar. 1/3rd of their capacity was taken by locals, and there was not enough space left to provide the variety I wanted. (Of course on Primestar at the time I easily got E and W distant locals, and they were kinda cool as each network was from a different city, so you had 8 different cities worth of local news if there was a major news event in any of those areas)

 

[PaulieORF]

How come it's OK for cable to:

1) Offer multiple markets local channels, when DirecTV is bound to offer just your DMA (designated market area). Example: Kenosha Wisc cable will show Chicago and Milwaukee and DirecTV offers Milwaukee. Michigan City IN and Fond du Lac WI are other examples.

2) Offer ESPN NOT blacked out during a game on a local sports channel when DirecTV blacks it out.

3) Offer multiple RSNs (regional Sports networks) simultaneously and completely non-blacked out 24/7 when that is not available for DirecTV. Example: FSN WI/FSN North and FSN South/ FSN Midwest border areas (not duplicate RSN territories).

Why do we have these blackout rules when they're not enforced for cable? It's not a level playing field, for sure. Why isn't some agency busting Comcast/Time Warner/Charter/Cox/Cablevision for this? Is there a "cable loophole" to the blackout regulations?

What ever happened to the ESPN alternate feeds? Do they use them any more?

Just curious.

I live on Connecticut, and I get locals from both Hartford and NYC from DirecTV.