Directv drops local channel

[jamieh1]

Directv dropped one of our local channels today without notice.

WCTI-DT (ENC TV) formerly UPN ch 13


They do not even have a notice up on the channel, its just totally gone. The engineer at the channel says he was told that directv told him that it is against Directv's policy to carry independent channels.

How many of you have independents on directv???

 

[damaged]

The only local indies I get from D* are the 5 all spanish ones, but I do get them.

 

[charper1]

I would rarely buy what a local affiliate tells me when I am talking to them about DBS retransmission. They are almost alwasy GREAT when helping you get OTA digital, but tend to be a "litte fishy" when talking about them and DBS.

In SD I get all the DMA's channels and in digital in get the big for plus one of the INDs. In DFW my buddy gets it exactly that way as well.

 

[dishrich]

Directv dropped one of our local channels today without notice.

WCTI-DT (ENC TV) formerly UPN ch 13

It appears this channel is just a subchannel of one of your local digital stations. Since UPN went off the air & this station is now just an "independent", D* felt it would be a waste of bandwidth. Consider what the cable co. in your area did, (at least according to this post on their website) it's not that big of surprise.

http://www.enc.tv/

They do not even have a notice up on the channel, its just totally gone. The engineer at the channel says he was told that directv told him that it is against Directv's policy to carry independent channels.

If a station is a full-powered station, D* MUST carry it. (unless the station asks for retrans consent, which most independents don't) The problem with this station, is that it is NOT a full powered station (or even low powered), but it's just a subchannel that has been "made into an independent station". D* does NOT have to carry digital subchannels or LP's, but if the station has the bargining clout, it can get carried on D*. (or other providers as well) Since this station carried UPN prog before, that's why D* probably added it, as D* was pretty good at adding UPN affiliates, even if they were LP or digital subchannels.

It appears since the cable co. are moving it to a digital tier, the station does NOT have that much clout, & therefore is why D* dropped it.

How many of you have independents on directv???

Actually, Chicago has THREE, one of which is just a low-powered station. (these 3 stations have NO affiliation either with a spanish or english network) But, the same owner of that station ALSO owns other stations that ARE full-powered, some of which are network affiliated - you do the math...

 

[bonscott87]

We have one independent which was a UPN station previously. It's still carried. It was added before it was a UPN though because it carried so many of the local sports teams, thus it's was popular in that way. Dish has never carried it to this day.

 

[Milwaukee12]

Here in Milwaukee, WMLW has been carried for some time now. I am not sure if you could call WVCY independent but ever since D* offered locals they have been on.