Qualifing for Out of Market Channels

2597 Views 23 Replies 9 Participants Last post by shilton, Oct 3, 2002

jericho

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2002

I am confused. How does someone qualify for out of market channels? My parents live in an area that is out of any DMA but they still don't qualify for out of market channels according to the Dish website. But I keep hearing of people who do qualify for out of market locals and are able to get them. How is this possible and why are some who live in no DMA able to get out of market channels and some are not?

Also, I hear about people applying for waivers to get out of market local channels they are not normally approved for. What is this all about?

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Geronimo

· #2 · Sep 30, 2002

I don't believe that there is an area that is not part of any DMA. Where do they live? Perhaps you mean that THEIR DMA is not yet on DBS.

Ability to get distant nets is based on ability to receive TV OTA.

scooper

· #3 · Sep 30, 2002

EVERYBODY lives in a DMA - the real question is what kind of OTA reception do they get from your "local" stations. If they are truly "unserved" by the local stations, then can qualify for the National network feeds.

You can always ask you DBS provider to request waivers to let you have the out-of-market stations, but your "local stations" have to approve them (and some will not approve for anything...).

scooper

· #4 · Sep 30, 2002

There are some areas of Alaska that are not in a DMA...

Wyoming_Companion

· #5 · Sep 30, 2002

And some areas of Wyoming appear to be clear of restrictions. My son lives and works in Yellowstone National Park and enjoys New York and LA Nets (via DirecTV).....

Geronimo

· #6 · Sep 30, 2002

There is a difference between being free of restrictions and not being in a DMA.

scooper

· #7 · Sep 30, 2002

Exactly - the local stations granted the waivers for some reason (probably because reception sucks inside the park and they know it).

Geronimo

· #8 · Sep 30, 2002

No not exactly. Waivers are one thing. But if you a re not capable of receiving a Grade GB signal you don't need a waiver. In some areas there might be network stations close enough to provide a signal. No waiver required.

In the case of Yellowstone I don't know if tehre are Big 4 affiliates around.

jericho

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 30, 2002

My parents live in Central Kansas in a town between Wichita and Kansas City. There are no local TV stations in their town of 45,000. They are physically closer to Wichita (about 95 miles) and might be able to pick up a weak signal with a good antenna.

The local retailers in the town, and the Dish Network website (when you enter the zipcode) state that they are not allowed ANY local programming from anywhere. (except the distant superstations which only cover UPN and WB). Is this because they can barely pick up a signal from Wichita?

To me something is wrong that they aren't allowed to get any locals. Shouldn't they be able to get either Wichita or nationals? What is the reason they are not allowed anything?

TNGTony

· #10 · Sep 30, 2002

Jericho,

This is a several year-old argument you are presenting and I agree with you. However, according to the present laws (SHVIA) as interpreted by the FCC, there is NO part of the contiguous US, Hawaii, PR, US VI, Guam or Samoa that is NOT part of a DMA. There are parts of Alaska that are not in a DMA. Your parents live in the Wichita, Topeka or some other DMA in the area. Since they are aparantly not in the KC DMA, they can't get that.

Now for distant channels...if they and/or half their neighbors can pick up a channel where they live HALF the time using a cut antenna on a pole 20 feet above the CENTER of the road their on, then they are in a grade B contour of the TV station. If that TV station is an ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox station, your parents, by law, cannot get a distant channel of the same network UNLESS the station that provides the grade B signal (no matter where it comes from) grands a waiver of their exclusive rights to provide the programming from that network. Isn't that great? Here's the kicker...if there is more than one station providing the same network with a grade B signal to you (No matter where they originate) they can BLOCK you from getting distant networks EVEN if the "local" station grants you a waiver. Where I live, I am in a grade A or B signal area for TWO stations of each network. Even if I got waivers from Cincinnati and Dayton channels, I would still have to get a waiver from the Louisville NBC to get NBC. The fact that Lexington is 100 miles away makes the law no never mind.

It was easier for me to move.

See ya
Tony

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jericho

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 30, 2002

Ok, I understand that they are in some DMA. But again my question is why are they not able to receive ANY local programming from somewhere? I can see why they might not be able to get distant out of market (whatever market that might be)channels, but wouldn't that qualify them for their local DMA market channels? It just seems to me that they should be able to get one or the other. But if not, then why?

I'm sorry if I'm totally missing something. I'm not trying to be a jerk or create an arguement. I just don't see an answer to what I'm asking yet.

Mike123abc

· #12 · Sep 30, 2002

It looks like your parents are in the Wichita, KS DMA, since the Kansas City DMA is served by DBS at this time, and if you were in it you could get it.

Since you can pick up a weak signal from the Wichita, KS stations in your area, they control what you can and cannot watch. They have paid NBC/CBS/ABC/etc to be the exclusive providers of their networks in your area. You will have to get them to waive this right by doing a waiver. If they agree to a waiver, your DBS company can then sell you a distant market's network station.

Each station has to give you a waiver for their network. So, if NBC/CBS give you a waiver you can get those two networks elsewhere, but if ABC refuses to grant the waiver you are out of luck for ABC.

You can try the waiver request process (on Dish web site). Some stations give them, some do not. Note that you will not get the KC stations as an option since they are not a choice in "distants". They are places like NY, LA, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, and Atlanta. If you get a waiver you can get 2 cities of your choice.

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jericho

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 30, 2002

Ok I think I finally understand now. The reason my parents can't get locals is because they are in the Wichita DMA and that is not being served by Dish Network. Thank you all for responding, this has been very informative.

scooper

· #14 · Sep 30, 2002

They must live in Emporia or Newton - (I grew up in Hutchinson, went to KU in Lawrence).

Anyway - you finally got it.

jericho

Discussion Starter · #15 · Sep 30, 2002

Actually they live in Salina.

scooper

· #16 · Sep 30, 2002

Some web sites I have found useful over th years on the OTA issue -

www.antennaweb.org (even shows you from your house where to point the antenna)

www.ardman.net (works best with IE) - enter a zip code, and this baby can tell you any/all TV stations within a given radius, as well as signal strength and where the towers actually are. If you have the actual Latitude and Logtitude for your house, it can figure from there as well.

Nick

· #17 · Sep 30, 2002

Nowhere in the SHVIA do the words "logic", "common sense", or "public interest first" appear. It's a commonly made mistake to assume that the FCC adminsters the "publicly-owned" airwaves in the public interest.

Another acronym, "SOL" comes to mind.

PeterB

· #18 · Sep 30, 2002

i perfer BS

Wyoming_Companion

· #19 · Oct 1, 2002

Originally posted by scooper
Exactly - the local stations granted the waivers for some reason (probably because reception sucks inside the park and they know it).

Please let me know which local stations you believe serve the interior of Yellowstone National Park. No waivers were granted...none needed.

Did I use some sort of incorrect semantics? Sorry.

scooper

· #20 · Oct 1, 2002

Well - I'd start with a valid zipcode for Yellowstone Park and one of the 2 above listed websites and see what they give....

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