D* grandfather ending?!

[ovredcoat]

I read on another site that there was a letter about no more "grandfathering" as of March 1st. Can someone point in the direction of that letter, or more info on this?

Thanx

 

[scotsmanron]

Grandfathering of what?

 

[dfergie]

Distants?, I have not received one...

 

[hiker]

Can we get some specific info on where you found this letter?

 

[ovredcoat]

It is supposed to be in the Directv bills that are being sent out (along with the price increase).
I have only the sports pak (I was grandfathered in from 1997) and order the baseball package each season. I have never had a "base package". If I ever change my mind and order a base package, my grandfather rights are done.
I have a friend who orders only the NFL season ticket each season. Same situation.

 

[hiker]

So the "grandfather" you're referring to is not for Distant Networks?
It's the grandfather that allows you to keep a package (sports pak, ST, etc.) without a base package like Total Choice?

 

[boston area dtv]

So the "grandfather" you're referring to is not for Distant Networks?
It's the grandfather that allows you to keep a package (sports pak, ST, etc.) without a base package like Total Choice?

Both my grandfathers passed away before I was born..can I adopt yours?

 

[boston area dtv]

http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Hearings/03102004hearing1227/Lee1879.htm

III. THE DISTANT-SIGNAL COMPULSORY LICENSE HAS BEEN EGREGIOUSLY ABUSED BY SATELLITE CARRIERS, AND THE NEED FOR IT IS RAPIDLY DIMINISHING WITH THE GROWTH OF LOCAL-TO-LOCAL

America’s free, over-the-air television system is based on local stations providing programming to local viewers. When satellite carriers began delivering television programming in the 1980’s, however, retransmission of local television stations by satellite was not yet technologically feasible. In 1988, Congress therefore fashioned a stopgap remedy: a compulsory license that allows satellite carriers to retransmit distant network stations, but only to “unserved households.” 17 U.S.C. § 119. The heart of the definition of “unserved household” is whether the residence can receive an over-the-air signal of a certain objective strength, called “Grade B intensity,” from an affiliate of the relevant network. Id., § 119(d)(10) (definition of “unserved household”). In 1994, Congress extended the distant-signal license for another five years, although it expressly placed on satellite carriers the burden of proving that each of their customers is “unserved.” 17 U.S.C. § 119(a)(5)(D).

In 1999, Congress again extended the distant-signal license as part of the SHVIA, and statutorily mandated use of the FCC-endorsed computer model (called the “Individual Location Longley-Rice” model, or “ILLR”) for predicting which households are able to receive signals of Grade B intensity from local network stations. 17 U.S.C. § 119(a)(2)(B)(ii). In the SHVIA, Congress also classified certain very limited new categories of viewers as “unserved,” including (1) certain subscribers who had been illegally served by satellite carriers but whom Congress elected to “grandfather” temporarily, see 17 U.S.C. § 119(e), and (2) qualified owners of recreational vehicles and commercial trucks, see id., § 119(a)(11).

By its terms, grandfathering will expire at the end of 2004. 17 U.S.C. § 119(e). Unlike in 1999, when Congress saw grandfathering as a way to reduce consumer complaints by allowing certain ineligible subscribers to continue receiving distant signals, the end of grandfathering will have little impact in the marketplace. This special exception should therefore be allowed to expire routinely.[12]/

And in another spot in this report it specifically speaks of Sunday Ticket

These abuses of the compulsory license damage both the network/affiliate system and the free market copyright regime. Consider, for example, a network affiliate in Sacramento, California, a DMA in which there are today no DBS subscribers who are genuinely “unserved” because both DIRECTV and EchoStar offer the local Sacramento ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC stations by satellite. Nevertheless, for any Sacramento-area viewer who is technically “unserved” under the Grade B intensity standard, DIRECTV and EchoStar can scoop the Sacramento stations with the stations’ own programming by offering distant signals from East Coast stations. The Sacramento station -- and every other station in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones that has local-to-local service -- therefore loses badly needed local viewers, even though the viewers have zero need to obtain a distant signal to watch network programming. Similarly, the ability of satellite carriers to offer distant stations that carry attractive sports events is a needless infringement of the rights of copyright owners, who offer the same product -- out-of-town games -- on a free market basis. For example, the NFL has for years offered satellite dish owners (at marketplace rates) a package called “NFL Sunday Ticket,” which includes all of the regular season games played in the NFL. The distant-signal compulsory license creates a needless “end-around” this free-market arrangement by permitting satellite carriers to retransmit distant network stations for a pittance through the compulsory license

If I am reading this right then the Sunday Ticket is part of that Distant thingy...and according to the report 2004 was the cutoff date for grandfathering services related to Distants.

By its terms, grandfathering will expire at the end of 2004. 17 U.S.C. § 119(e). Unlike in 1999, when Congress saw grandfathering as a way to reduce consumer complaints by allowing certain ineligible subscribers to continue receiving distant signals, the end of grandfathering will have little impact in the marketplace. This special exception should therefore be allowed to expire routinely.[12]/

 

[herdfan]

I have a friend who orders only the NFL season ticket each season. Same situation.

He's done. That will end with the 2006 season.

As for the report that boston area dtv posted, it was from early 2004. In late 2004 the congress passed the SHVERA which re-authorized the grandfathering of DNS subs through 2009.

Now just because congress authorized it, neither D* or E* has to provide them.