First, I want to state that I agree with CE on the Viacom issue. OTOH, I do not believe that E subscribers are being offered enough in compensation. As such, I was wondering how others felt.
Compensation during Viacom blackout
- Thread starter GaryPen
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This is from the Residential Agreement posted on the Dish Network site:
G. Changes in Services offered. DISH Network reserves the right to change the Services that we offer,
and our prices or fees related to such Services at any time. If the change affects you,
we will provide you notice of the change and its effective date.
The notice may be provided on your billing statement or by other communication permitted under Section 9B.
In the event of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages or other Services,
you understand and agree that we have no obligation to replace or supplement the programming,
programming packages or other Services previously offered that have been deleted,
rearranged or otherwise changed. You further understand and agree you will not be entitled to
any refund because of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages,
or other Services previously offered.
B. Notice. If we send you notice, it will be considered given when deposited in the U.S. Mail,
addressed to you at your billing address or hand-delivered to you.
Our notice to you will also be effective if provided on your billing statement or by telephone.
If you give notice to us, it will be deemed given when received by us at the address listed on
the first page of this Agreement.
G. Changes in Services offered. DISH Network reserves the right to change the Services that we offer,
and our prices or fees related to such Services at any time. If the change affects you,
we will provide you notice of the change and its effective date.
The notice may be provided on your billing statement or by other communication permitted under Section 9B.
In the event of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages or other Services,
you understand and agree that we have no obligation to replace or supplement the programming,
programming packages or other Services previously offered that have been deleted,
rearranged or otherwise changed. You further understand and agree you will not be entitled to
any refund because of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages,
or other Services previously offered.
B. Notice. If we send you notice, it will be considered given when deposited in the U.S. Mail,
addressed to you at your billing address or hand-delivered to you.
Our notice to you will also be effective if provided on your billing statement or by telephone.
If you give notice to us, it will be deemed given when received by us at the address listed on
the first page of this Agreement.
nes said:
I don't recall receiving anything in the mail, or delivered by hand, or spoken to me via telephone.
In any case, this poll is not about what is in the agreement, simply what we feel is right and proper.
BTW, many provisions of these types of agreements have been deemed unlawful in many states. It seems to me, that in California, NY, and other states that have proper consumer protection laws, such provisions above could very well be null, void, and unenforceable.
C'mon now. Certainly more than a handful of people have some feeling about the compensation offered.
I voted not really should be $5 a month but I would rather just have free Cinemax or HBO or a premium or even just the next package up.
While I would like to have more than $1 a month off my bill, I really can't say that anything Viacom has is really worth more than $1 a month so that's how I voted. I'll take the $1 and enjoy some decent programming and not look back. Listening to some people complaining about this you would think they never watch anything else. Maybe after a few weeks of exploring the other channels out there, they might not miss viacom at all.
scott5626 said:
Good point, maybe they were sending a message to viacom though, that's all we think your worth. From a subscriber standpoint they may have to compensate those who miss those channels with something more to keep them as customers.
The Viacom channels are worth more than $1 to me, they are worth about $5, although they are willing to give those that have AT60 some other channels to help replace them with that channel, what about those in the higher packages? $1 does not cut it.
I think we should all get an initial $5 credit which is the equivalent of the downgrade fee Dish would have charged me for dropped a subscribed programming item. Then a $1 a month credit until it returns.
I don't know if pay channel 'free weekends' are sponsored by the pay channel or the carrier, but it might be a nice way to encourage folks to ride out this storm. Rotate through free weekends of HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz for a month or until an end to the dispute is in sight.
I don't know if pay channel 'free weekends' are sponsored by the pay channel or the carrier, but it might be a nice way to encourage folks to ride out this storm. Rotate through free weekends of HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz for a month or until an end to the dispute is in sight.
As a fairly new subscriber to Dish, I was pretty disappointed with the downgrade, even if it is temporary. I could take or leave most of the deleted channels, but Comedy Central is the main "basic" channel that I watch, along with History and news. $5 a month or a cool freebie would be nice. I am under no commitment, but I'll stick around because it's been a good deal. But I will not be deprived of The Daily Show or Conan replays for long.
sprite1741 said:
Excellent point! Never thought of that. The $1 credit could very well be intended as a message to Viacom.
coopsterman said:
I don't think they even have to go that far, although it would certainly be nice.
How about HBO Comedy for free during the blackout? That would make somewhat of a dent on the gap from Comedy Central's absence. (HBO Comedy is also a channel that's not available on D, so it'll be a nice marketing/PR tool, as well.)Compensation for channels
What really gets me about the dollar is this:
It does not matter whether you have the 60 package or the everything pack, you only get a dollar. The people that only have the top 60 are really making out like bandits, since they did not have all the channels that were taken away, and they are getting the dollar plus additional channels that E has 'graciously' turned on... As for those of us with the 180 and higher packs, we are already paying for all the channels taken away, plus we are already playing for the channels that E is giving free.... The compensation should have been scaled based on your level of subscription, and a dollar is way too low...
Case in point: They jack our rates by a buck or two and give us a free 4 dollar pay per view movie in compensation.... they take out 10% of programming and give 1 dollar? Where is the math... Keep the lame dollar, just give me some programming to compensate for the loss... Free movies or turning on Stars or something like that, even perhaps turning on some of these rogue channels that are popping up that we dont have...
And what is with Bingo TV??? HOW LAME!!!
What really gets me about the dollar is this:
It does not matter whether you have the 60 package or the everything pack, you only get a dollar. The people that only have the top 60 are really making out like bandits, since they did not have all the channels that were taken away, and they are getting the dollar plus additional channels that E has 'graciously' turned on... As for those of us with the 180 and higher packs, we are already paying for all the channels taken away, plus we are already playing for the channels that E is giving free.... The compensation should have been scaled based on your level of subscription, and a dollar is way too low...
Case in point: They jack our rates by a buck or two and give us a free 4 dollar pay per view movie in compensation.... they take out 10% of programming and give 1 dollar? Where is the math... Keep the lame dollar, just give me some programming to compensate for the loss... Free movies or turning on Stars or something like that, even perhaps turning on some of these rogue channels that are popping up that we dont have...
And what is with Bingo TV??? HOW LAME!!!
I have to say I will miss these channels, especially comedy central and the music channels. I have only had Dish for 1 month, and I am now paying more for less of the channels that I like to watch than I was on cable! 
Anyway, I understand why it is happening, and I support Echostar trying to fight for lower costs for us, but it is still disappointing. I hope it is back soon.
That said, don't give away the farm!
Anyway, I understand why it is happening, and I support Echostar trying to fight for lower costs for us, but it is still disappointing. I hope it is back soon.
That said, don't give away the farm!
So, how much really is 40% increase?
Here's my problem with the $1... two issues, really...
1) If we're so worried about a 40% increase, but the package only costs $1/mo, then the "whopping" increase is from $1 to $1.40. Is there really anyone out there who would not have paid the $.40/mo more today to keep these channels?
Now then, I expect that you will all say that I am naive, and that it's really a $4 or $5/month package. I would still say, "would you not have rather just paid the $1 or $2/mo (over 5 years) and done without the inconvenience? I would.
And, if it is a $4 or $5/mo package, then why are we only getting a $1/mo reduction in rates?! It is wrong.
2) If you are like me, and you pay $1.50/mo for CBS only, then a $1/mo return for that channel means that I pay $.50 for something they cannot even deliver. Anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
Here's my problem with the $1... two issues, really...
1) If we're so worried about a 40% increase, but the package only costs $1/mo, then the "whopping" increase is from $1 to $1.40. Is there really anyone out there who would not have paid the $.40/mo more today to keep these channels?
Now then, I expect that you will all say that I am naive, and that it's really a $4 or $5/month package. I would still say, "would you not have rather just paid the $1 or $2/mo (over 5 years) and done without the inconvenience? I would.
And, if it is a $4 or $5/mo package, then why are we only getting a $1/mo reduction in rates?! It is wrong.
2) If you are like me, and you pay $1.50/mo for CBS only, then a $1/mo return for that channel means that I pay $.50 for something they cannot even deliver. Anyone else see something wrong with this picture?
I think that we should get a one time $5 credit then if the stalemate continues $1 per month. Even though the only channel that I like from Viacom (BET) is not available, I think Dish should tell Viacom to take a hike. While the missing Nick channels would be a great loss from many families, most of the other channels are not worth that much to me, especially MTV.
Dish will want to make a profit on the increase. If he wants to make the same amount that Viacom does on the channel then that would be like having it go from $1.00 to $1.80 instead of $1.00 to $1.40 for a 40% increase. Even if Dish did not want to make the same amount that Viacom does they would at least have to make more at the rate of inflation on that increase. If inflation was at 3% then that would be around $1.68 over a period of 6 years.
Lets say that Dish chose to rid of the Nick channels. That would show the other program providers that he will do the same to them so he would be able to get better deals in the future with them and be able to keep his rates down, raising it less than his competition, therefore the consumers he would gain for being cheaper may make up, if not more than make up for, the customers that he would lose because he does not have the Viacom channels but channels in place of them having a different choice than the other providers plus a cheaper price and perhaps even get the channels back in the future to boot.
Lets say that Dish chose to rid of the Nick channels. That would show the other program providers that he will do the same to them so he would be able to get better deals in the future with them and be able to keep his rates down, raising it less than his competition, therefore the consumers he would gain for being cheaper may make up, if not more than make up for, the customers that he would lose because he does not have the Viacom channels but channels in place of them having a different choice than the other providers plus a cheaper price and perhaps even get the channels back in the future to boot.
I think getting $1 for 2 days of missing channels isn't bad at all! Congrats to Charlie and Viacom for a quick settlement (although I would rather it never happened at all!)
