[dc06]

Hello,

This is my first post to DBSTalk after viewing it everyday for a little while.

I recently got DirecTV and was very excited at the opportunity to watch the Olympics in HD this August. I was told when signing up that I would get all my locals in HD. However, once my system was installed I found out that DirecTV does not carry my NBC affiliates local channel in HD yet.

I have been complaining to DirecTV and the local affiliate KSNW for several weeks now and I have finally received some good news from the stations General Manger, Al Buch, whom has been very nice to respond to several emails I sent him over the past few weeks.

On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 5:11 PM, Al Buch <[email protected]> wrote:

Direct TV has our signal but there's no agreement on comp, so they can't release it. You're paying Direct TV...and they're to pay us for the product....contacting them may help get it done! I'm hoping we can get there by 8/8. al

I would really love to get this station in HD before the Olympics. Are there any other viewers here in the Wichita/Hutchinson, KS DMA that would like to call DirecTV and push them to settle this before the Olympics start?

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

Where are you located?

KSNW's OTA digital signal works great!

Plus, I never lose locals due to rain-fade and get the sub-channels, too.

 

[jimisham]

It may be all about money.
New Vision Television, the company that owns KSNW, probably wants more money than Directv is paying to the other stations in Wichita. They also own KOIN in Portland, OR and Directv doesn't carry them in HD.

 

[dc06]

I live in Hays, KS and unfortunately cannot receive the digital signal OTA.

Where are you located?

KSNW's OTA digital signal works great!

Plus, I never lose locals due to rain-fade and get the sub-channels, too.

 

[dc06]

That is really unfortunate if that is the case...

It may be all about money.
New Vision Television, the company that owns KSNW, probably wants more money than Directv is paying to the other stations in Wichita. They also own KOIN in Portland, OR and Directv doesn't carry them in HD.

 

[dc06]

Quick update...

I just called the New Vision Television West Coast headquarters and spoke with a gentlemen there.

He explained to me that DirecTV has had their contract in hand for five weeks now and they have renegotiated twice and DirecTV thinks that they are charging too much for the re-transmission. Apparently they have had the HD signal online with DirecTV for a few months at least.

I really want this to be resolved soon. Are there any good contacts at DirecTV to call and complain to? Maybe the station is asking for more than the others, but I guess its supply and demand... I just really want to be able to see the Olympics in HD.

Here is the contact information for New Vision Television:v

New Vision Television West
11766 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 405
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 310-478-3200
FAX: 310-478-3222

 

[Newshawk]

Maybe the station is asking for more than the others, but I guess its supply and demand...

Absent the Olympics, just what does NBC have that warrants excessive compensation? American Gladiator? The Baby Borrowers? What New Vision realizes is that, after the Olympics, they lose almost all their leverage. Don't buy into their spin... DirecTV probably charges the least of any television provider for their local channels-and make no mistake, cable does charge you for locals... it's just another "hidden charge".

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

I live in Hays, KS and unfortunately cannot receive the digital signal OTA.

Are you sure?

KSNC in Great Bend (the transmitter is between GB and Hoisington) is OTA digital on RF channel 22 (virtual 2-1) broadcasting at least 3.4kW ERP...and is licensed to increase to 500kW.

 

[dc06]

I could be wrong but antennaweb.org doesn't show that I can receive that station and some of the neighbors said they are not able to receive it via OTA. Maybe i'm just in the wrong part of town.

 

[dc06]

Another update...

I sent an email to the DirecTV Office of the President earlier this morning with a reference to this thread. I didn't think to include my phone number and just presumed they would email me back.

A few minutes ago I received a call from the DirecTV Office of the President. They apparently took the time to look up my account and give me a call which I thought was nice of them to do.

He explained to me that they really didn't have a lot of information on the issue though, but that my email had been forwarded to the appropriate people and that hopefully coming from the Office of the President there will be some priority given on the issue.

So... Hopefully this station will be up before the Olympics... Fingers crossed.

Doug

 

[bjs188]

Here in Topeka, New Vision Television owns our NBC station and is trying to purchase our low power FOX station so we will probably be in the same boat.

 

[Kansas Zephyr]

I could be wrong but antennaweb.org doesn't show that I can receive that station and some of the neighbors said they are not able to receive it via OTA. Maybe i'm just in the wrong part of town.

Try tvfool.com, the database is more current.

It shows KSNC is now 500kW...you may want to call KSNW to confirm.

If that's the case, a decent antenna should work great.

 

[mortimer]

It's looking pretty grim for this to be resolved before the Olympics. Unfortunate. Considering New Vision is the only holdout now (with LIN settling with DirecTV recently), I put this problem squarely on New Vision. It sucks, but I kind of hope DirecTV doesn't cave on this...

 

[Nomo1]

It's looking pretty grim for this to be resolved before the Olympics. Unfortunate. Considering New Vision is the only holdout now (with LIN settling with DirecTV recently), I put this problem squarely on New Vision. It sucks, but I kind of hope DirecTV doesn't cave on this...

Same problem exists for the NBS and CBS affiliates in the Wilkes Barre/Scranton DMA. I have been contacting both directv and these stations for the past week about the fact that the hd versions of the stations are not on directv. Looks like no dice....both parties blame the other. They are also pulling the plug on my distant stations as of August 7. These stations are owned by Nexstar, but Nexstar claims each station negotiates individually with directv.

 

[jimisham]

Here's a web site with the e-mail addresses of their Chairman and CEO, and their President and COO.

http://www.newvisiontv.com/press_releases.html

 

[dc06]

Here is an email and my response from the Broadcast Coordinator at New Vision:

Denise,

Thanks for the email. I actually already had her email and wrote her yesterday. Four hours later I got a call back from the Office of the President at DirecTV and was told that they didn't have the inside information on the contract negotiations that you were in. They apologized for not having the HD feed up. I explained to them that I wanted this issue resolved before the Olympics begins as I had been planning on having content from the Olympics in HD since I signed up as a customer. They told me that my complaint had been forwarded to the right people that were in the know and that coming from the Office of the President, it should have more bearing than normal.

Below is a link to a thread on DBSTalk.com that the discussion about this is occuring on. Please review it as there are several customers that are also wanting your station's feeds in HD even in other DMA's.

Your customers want and expect content in HD from DirecTV, please go back to the table and get this settled as soon as possible.

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=133987

Thanks for your time!

Doug

On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 10:47 AM, Denise Durbin <[email protected]> wrote:

Doug,

Thank you for contacting us regarding your issues with HD on DirecTV. We
weren't able to find a contact number but here's a direct email to Ellen
Filipiak, Senior VP of Customer Care:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageIF.jsp?assetId=P4580012

--
Denise Durbin
New Vision Television
Broadcast Coordinator
11766 Wilshire Blvd. #405
Los Angeles, CA 90025
[email protected]
(phone removed, PM me if you want to call her)

 

[dc06]

Good news!

Check out this thread.