[Kevin]

During the previous Charlie Chat, Charlie mentioned that the Echostar 7 will possibly make room for some new channels. If new channels were to be added, which ones do you think would they be and why?

As for me, I think that Charlie should look into expanding the Multimax package ($11.99 for only 3 channels just doesn't do it). I would also like to see MTV Hits, which was recently launched.

However, we will probably see Charlie use the bandwidth to chip away at the locals that still aren't carried by Dish, just like he mentioned. Programming for those in Alaska and Hawaii will also be worked on.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Max Pak additions, I guess MTV Hits since its the closest thing to MTVX, I know is keep saying this but I will forever be ps'd a Viacom for that stupid move. And National Geographic, Newsworld International to answer to D* and I would like to see C-SPAN3 added.

 

[Mark Lamutt]

And I say, please please please fix the picture quality before adding anything else! I'd give just about anything to have 10 or 12 decent looking channels that can be watched off of Dish. I don't want or need 150 channels that I can't watch because they look so bad! I almost tuned Angel off tonight because the artifacting was so bad - looked like a bad acid trip on both WPIX and KWGN.

 

[Rage]

Fix the picture quality. Add a few new ones and lets do survivor on Charlie Chat and get rid some of the crap.

 

[MarkA]

As I've always said, the best way to fix picture, with the fewest customer complaints would be to drop all the porn and P&S ppv channels. They'd probably even gain quite a few customers for this move towards better moral values in their company. Dropping locals would be really nice, but too many people would complain. Also, just changing the resolution to 720x480 (without even needing more bandwidth) would help a lot by getting rid of some of the softness.

 

[TNGTony]

Mark,

When Dish started and for a long time afterwards (2 or three years) Charlie refused to have any adult programming beyond the skinnemax bump and grind.

But once Sky Angel moved off to 61.5 (they had a deal at 119° for a 12 or 13 channel service in the 600s and 990's until Sky could get set up on their licensed transponders) Charlie could no longer justify it. As much as we want to deny it, the adult entertainment industry generates BILLIONS of dollars a year. It is more than enough money to offset the potential loss of business by people who do not want to do business with companies that carry them

I remember the Charlie Chats before the adult channels were added. The number requests for programming consistantly for Speedvision and Playboy Channel or some other adult channel.

At least Dish has come up with a way to remove the listings from the EPG completely.

See ya
Tony

 

[Kevin]

There are way too many porn channels on E*. Why does Charlie feel the need for 6 or so porn channels? 1 or 2 is enough. Porn is porn, there's no need for 6 different channels of it.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Well, you have softcore, hardcore and everything inbetween and plus one in spanish Directv has 6 if not more

 

[Chris Blount]

Everyone has different tastes. If you start judging which channels are more "worthy" to be on the system than others, we can be here for weeks debating which channels eat up bandwidth.

The easy answer to all of this is if you don't like certain channels, don't subscribe to them. If you think they eat up bandwidth, switch back to cable or some other service.

 

[Rage]

There are way too many porn channels on E*. Why does Charlie feel the need for 6 or so porn channels? 1 or 2 is enough. Porn is porn, there's no need for 6 different channels of it.

The love of money is the root of ALL evil. I'm an old-timer when it comes to DBS. Charlie once said that E* is a family service and that they will never ever have adult programming. We all kinow now that Charlie is a fu**ing liar.

 

[lee635]

Well, I'm an old timer too and I don't recall him ever saying they would "never have" adult programming.

E* did offer a solution where the channels don't even show up in the guide. I've never seen that on competitors such as cable. I do recall Charlie saying that they were a family service, which is probably why they went to the effort of updating the software to allow subscribers to lock out those channels.

Last time I stayed at a Marriott, they had a nice flipchart billboard on top of the TV listing all the channels, including the porn.

 

[pmichael]

I don't watch adult programming myself(and that programming is not visible on my EPG's), but I would not want to prevent others from watching that genre of programming. Besides, I bet those people who buy that overpriced stuff help keep the monthly bills in check(since the profit margin for that programming is unquestionably high). And if Dish did not offer it, those who wanted it would get it via some other means.

 

[Rage]

Well, I'm an old timer too and I don't recall him ever saying they would "never have" adult programming.

Either you have a poor memory or you're not as old-time as you believe you are. He said it on CC and it was on their FAQ on their website. I was one of the early subs and members of the late and beloved dbsdish.com.

I do recall Charlie saying that they were a family service

You must have forgotten the other part then. I made it clear on the DBS board what Charlie said and what their policy was the first day they offered Playboy.

 

[Rage]

"lee635"

I think I remember a lee back then. Was that you? I was the one who got into the never ending flames back then with other people. Obviously you should remember me if so?

 

[Lyle_JP]

Porn is a DBS cash cow! Those stations cost between $15-$30 a month EACH! Lets face it, the margins on the porno channels allow the DBS companies to subsidize some less popular channels which would otherwise have difficulty standing on their own. We all win with porn!

-Lyle J.P.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

It is true that the porn channels are the biggest money making channels on DBS. $8.95 for 90 minutes is quite a money maker.

It is wierd that most people who order porn do so on a PPV basis instead of just subscribing monthly.

My feeling on porn is this, its out there, nothing you can do about it, if you like it there is nothing wrong with it, if your against it then don't watch it. its as simple as that.

Each person has there own morals, and thats what makes us all interesting.

 

[Mark Holtz]

To each their own. I hid the adult channels.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Same here. I dont need my 8 year old flipping through the program guide to find "Anal Nymphos from Outer Space"

 

[Kevin]

LOL. Sounds like something you'd find on SkinMax these days.

 

[Steve Mehs]

Or MTV2, I was absoulty shocked when on early sunday morning, after I got off of here to see full blown nudity on MTV2. It was a special called 'Music Videos they wont let you see', I think. First thing I was was some Metallica video with a women striping all the way down, I was socked they could show this and Im shock viacom approves of this.