danpeters said:
I would of liked either free starz or hbo. I would of loved it if they offered free ST. But at least they added a few channels.
Directv dispute with Viacom IS OVER!
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I would of liked either free starz or hbo. I would of loved it if they offered free ST. But at least they added a few channels.
I am a csr with directv, calls are crazy, however directv does have a 99% success rate with settling negotiations, while the temporary suspend may be placed on the channels you can always watch what is recorded on ur dvr, and in the meantime refer to the actual programming websites, they do offer the most popular shows with full episodes, the longest a channel has ever been suspended due to negotiations was for 3 months and that was several years ago, once Viacom realizes how many customers have directv and how much money they are going.to lose daily just by taking those channels from directv, they will drop their asking cost, customers can always refer to directvpromise.com to get a better understanding. We are definitely trying to negotiate a price that wouldn't cause an increase in programming packages, please be patient, we are working on it!
Difference is Dish just tells everyone to pound sand and get their shows somewhere else (like iTunes and Amazon), while Directv says they are working to get the channels back.
i think viacom's biggest problem will be that children don't dictate what service provider is in the home. sure parents try to make sure they get the disney channel or nick in their packages, but now that it is a common place for the most basic packages to include it, they don't pay attention. teens watch mtv, etc, so viacom really has most of its viewership from a younger audience it seems. i don't think D* has to worry about a big drop in subs over this like another provider would, because the people who pay the bills might decide that ST is more important to them than their child watching spongebob reruns. just my two cents, but that is how it would be here lol
i read a facebook post about how some woman was sure to cancel directv and go with a more expensive cable company because her kid was throwing a hysterical fit because he wouldn't get to see spongebob. just get netflix or rent the DVDs, it isn't like they show new episodes very often :\
i read a facebook post about how some woman was sure to cancel directv and go with a more expensive cable company because her kid was throwing a hysterical fit because he wouldn't get to see spongebob. just get netflix or rent the DVDs, it isn't like they show new episodes very often :\
Yeah they need to tell the kid to go read a book or go outside and lose a few pounds or something.
Viacom just shot themselves in the ass by doing this. It costs Directv next to nothing to comp customers with freebie channels to keep their customers happy, but Viacom is now pulling huge losses every second that their channels are off. Here's hoping that now Directv tells Viacom to make a more reasonable offer or else they won't put the channels back period. That would show balls and it would be good for the customers of all providers.
It's not a lawsuit, but Viacom has to either offer "make-goods" or return/cut the cost of the ad placement due to the loss of viewers. This is standard practice, so yeah, lots of money lost for Viacom lost each minute this goes on, and it gets worse as time passes. These days (the last 5+ years, really) it is the MVPD who holds the most leverage. How times have changed because it used to be the other way around. Viacom will crack before DirecTV. As we have seen on Dish and other providers, the MVPD's just don't suffer the mass loss or cancellations, but the content providers lose too much money too soon and too fast.
Michael White had stated a some time ago that programming costs were too high and the reduction of those costs were DirecTV's priority. Saying that and other similar things as if her were reading from Charlie Ergan's script, the first guy to ever really do something about it. The two Frito-Lay men make a strange if fee fighting duo
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Doesnt Viacom own Epix? I bet this $$$ issue is Direct Tv does not want to carry it but Viacom is forcing them to take it into contract.
Couldnt Direct Tv Sue since Viacom cut them off 15 minutes early? im pretty sure the contract should clearly state the time it ends and i think viacom broke that promise.
Viacom Drops 17 National Networks from DIRECTV Lineup After Ignoring DIRECTV's Latest Proposal
The DIRECTV Kids' Mix Channel will help parents find programming alternatives when they tune to any children's network removed by Viacom to try to force DIRECTV customers to pay a 30% rate hike for the same Viacom channels they get today. (Photo: Business Wire)
"We have been very willing to get a deal done, but Viacom is pushing DIRECTV customers to pay more than a 30 percent increase, which equates to an extra $1 billion, despite the fact that the ratings for many of their main networks have plummeted and much of Viacom's programming can be seen for free online," said Derek Chang, DIRECTV executive vice president of Content, Strategy and Development. "Viacom sent us a letter last night that outlined our obligations to remove the channels by midnight or face legal action just as they were falsely telling viewers DIRECTV was responsible. Let's be clear, Viacom took these channels away from DIRECTV viewers."
On its Website www.directvpromise.com, an information resource for customers affected by programming disputes, DIRECTV pointed out that Viacom is demanding an exorbitant increase for many Viacom channels that customers may never watch. DIRECTV stated that if Viacom believes all of its networks are worth so much extra money, DIRECTV customers should have the right to choose which Viacom channels they want to pay to keep and which ones they don't.
"We have absolutely no problem compensating Viacom fairly, but they have now knowingly put our customers in the unreasonable position of either accepting their extravagant financial demands or losing some of their favorite TV shows," said Chang. "We feel our customers should not have to pay more for these networks than the customers of any other TV provider. We reiterated this to Viacom today and have not heard back from them."
"We understand that Viacom's actions are inconveniencing our customers so we are doing everything we can to help them find alternative programming until this gets resolved," Chang added. "Customers will now see a variety of replacement channels available to them on one screen, in a Mix Channel format, when they tune to a Viacom channel. For instance, those going to the Nickelodeon channel slot will see alternative choices for children's programming such as The Disney Channel, ABC Family, Cartoon Network, PBS Sprout, The Hub and Boomerang. Customers can also see full-length Viacom episodes for free by going to www.directvpromise.com and clicking on the ‘Other Ways to Watch' tab."
Viacom Sends Letter to DIRECTV Demanding Channels be Removed; Pushing DIRECTV Customers to Pay a 30 Percent Rate Hike for Channels In a Ratings Slide
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DIRECTV customers were left without Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and 14 other channels today, after Viacom dropped its networks from DIRECTV at approximately midnight EDT. DIRECTV executives reached out to Viacom both yesterday and today with a new proposal and a request to keep the channels on while we continued to negotiate, but never heard back, so DIRECTV had to comply with their demand to take the channels down or face legal action. "We have been very willing to get a deal done, but Viacom is pushing DIRECTV customers to pay more than a 30 percent increase, which equates to an extra $1 billion, despite the fact that the ratings for many of their main networks have plummeted and much of Viacom's programming can be seen for free online," said Derek Chang, DIRECTV executive vice president of Content, Strategy and Development. "Viacom sent us a letter last night that outlined our obligations to remove the channels by midnight or face legal action just as they were falsely telling viewers DIRECTV was responsible. Let's be clear, Viacom took these channels away from DIRECTV viewers."
On its Website www.directvpromise.com, an information resource for customers affected by programming disputes, DIRECTV pointed out that Viacom is demanding an exorbitant increase for many Viacom channels that customers may never watch. DIRECTV stated that if Viacom believes all of its networks are worth so much extra money, DIRECTV customers should have the right to choose which Viacom channels they want to pay to keep and which ones they don't.
"We have absolutely no problem compensating Viacom fairly, but they have now knowingly put our customers in the unreasonable position of either accepting their extravagant financial demands or losing some of their favorite TV shows," said Chang. "We feel our customers should not have to pay more for these networks than the customers of any other TV provider. We reiterated this to Viacom today and have not heard back from them."
"We understand that Viacom's actions are inconveniencing our customers so we are doing everything we can to help them find alternative programming until this gets resolved," Chang added. "Customers will now see a variety of replacement channels available to them on one screen, in a Mix Channel format, when they tune to a Viacom channel. For instance, those going to the Nickelodeon channel slot will see alternative choices for children's programming such as The Disney Channel, ABC Family, Cartoon Network, PBS Sprout, The Hub and Boomerang. Customers can also see full-length Viacom episodes for free by going to www.directvpromise.com and clicking on the ‘Other Ways to Watch' tab."
I hope d* does not give in and hold until a better deal or just forget those channels. There are to much off these worthless channels. We need a new scheme in contract negotiations. The consumers need to learn to just not stay put and change viewing patterns or do something more useful.
Officially it's Day 1 of the Viacom Blackout on DirecTV (I hate to say this). For now, no more Degrassi and the Miriam McDonald era reruns, plus no more Wendy Williams on BET since it's not showing at all in first run syndication in Greenville, SC unfortunately. It's a repeat of rival Dish's 2004 dispute with them, I hate to say this. 7/11/2012 is the day Viacom made kids cry in tears because they miss watching reruns of SpongeBob, iCarly, Victorious, Big Time Rush, and etc. Plus me also missing an all new episode of The Soul Man on TV Land tonight. I wish stupid congress and the FCC would do something with this madness. This has gone too far.
I'm upset Viacommies hold Degrassi and The Soul Man hostage from now on.
I'm upset Viacommies hold Degrassi and The Soul Man hostage from now on.
I'm on the family pack, which basically is locals, + Nat Geo + Kids channels and my daughter loves Nick.....great.
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