DirecTV to Launch Significantly Viewed DMA service

[Greg Bimson]

My argument with D* (also with the FCC) was just that - Buffalo, while not technically local - has always been available through our cable providers.

But cable follows a different set of rules than satellite.

If the cable headend can pick up the local channels, then those locals can be rebroadcast to the entire franchise area without prejudice. However, significantly-viewed is only a measurement of the viewing habits of a specific area's residents via antenna. So, unless residents of your county watch a lot of Buffalo stations via antenna, you won't get Buffalo stations.

 

[dishrich]

While this is good, I'd still like the Chicago stations. Any ideas?

Yes, "move" like me & others have done & you can have them all instantly. While you would NOT be able to get your locals, (I'm assuming they are the Rockford ones) do you really care with all the stations there are in Chicago? I sure DO enjoy them so much more than our crappy-a$$ locals.

(do a search here on moving & you can see for yourself - PM me if you need other info on it...)

 

[edrock200]

Question, sorry if this has already been answered but I didn't see it...

How will this affect national HD feeds? I live in the DC area and get NBC4 and FOX5 via the DirecTV national feed because they are O&O stations but ABC7 and CBS9 are not. If a neighboring market has ABC7 and CBS9 as O&O's and I'm allowed to get them through directv does that mean I can get the national HD feed as well?
-Ed

 

[charper1]

Can anyone explain to me, in 1st grade English (heh!), what all of this means? I'm currently recieving DMA because D* doesn't carry the Erie, PA channels. Thanks for the help, by the way.

Just to clarify the terminology:

DNS is what you are receiving and that means: Distant Network Services

DMA is your: Designated Market Area; which appears to be unserved by DirecTV LIL (local into local) I used 16563 as my zip code, seems getting Cleveland & Buffalo would be all you if they never add Erie.

I still can't say how this new rule will help or hurt you, but I thought the description of the terms might help the understanding down the line.

Good luck!

 

[Alan Gordon]

I'm not positive, but I believe SHIVERA requires Local-into-Local service as a prerequisite to offering Significantly Viewed. I'd suspect that, unless D* is rolling out Erie locals in addition to everything else, the SV change doesn't affect you.

That is correct!

~Alan

 

[jollyrgr]

Yes, "move" like me & others have done & you can have them all instantly. While you would NOT be able to get your locals, (I'm assuming they are the Rockford ones) do you really care with all the stations there are in Chicago? I sure DO enjoy them so much more than our crappy-a$$ locals.

(do a search here on moving & you can see for yourself - PM me if you need other info on it...)

Long ago Dish operator suggested that if I were an OTR truck driver and installed the system in my rig, she could get me Chicago stations. Maybe this is something I should have done.

I called Dish about this latest announcement and they are clueless (or at least the guy I talked to is). Did they move phone support to India or did someone from India just happen to work for Dish? Anyway I had to give him the URL on DISHNETWORK's own web site to show him what I was referring to. He then checked his "internal" information but could not find anything about what stations are directed for my area. He suggested I call back in November. Gee, thanks for your help Dish.

Maybe I need to try and call Charlie Chat or whatever that show is.....

 

[warrenpa]

Alan - so what was the link that you supplied from the FCC? Why would that have Buffalo channels listed under Warren County?

 

[warrenpa]

Either way I'm still peeved about this... Let's offer more localized programming for people who already have it and forget about the rest of you. If I currently wasn't living in such a weird neighborhood with regards to trees and tall buildings I'd be watching my Erie (and Buffalo) channels on DishNetwork.

I'm beginning to wonder how much further down the pole I'll be pushed by D* - let's concentrate on HD first and then local into local... That's why I always gripe when someone with HD locals moans about missing out... At least they HAVE locals.

 

[warrenpa]

"If the cable headend can pick up the local channels, then those locals can be rebroadcast to the entire franchise area without prejudice. However, significantly-viewed is only a measurement of the viewing habits of a specific area's residents via antenna. So, unless residents of your county watch a lot of Buffalo stations via antenna, you won't get Buffalo stations."

I've asked this question before and didn't get a sufficient answer. Who makes these rules?

From what I've heard a DMA is set by what essentially boils down to advertisers (in a convoluted way). Because they're spending the money, pressure is put on Nielsen to maximize who those advertisements reach, which makes sense to me.

If this is the case, why would anyone feel that a DNS would benefit me more than locals coming from roughly 90 minutes away from me?

 

[shy007]

I really don't understand all of this stuff.... Let me ask it a simple way, would Columbia, SC customers be eligible for more locals? my zip code is 29073 if this helps.......

 

[Maphisto's Sidekick]

I really don't understand all of this stuff.... Let me ask it a simple way, would Columbia, SC customers be eligible for more locals? my zip code is 29073 if this helps.......

On the FCC Significantly Viewed list, the only SV stations for Lexington County are all out of the Columbia market. So, for you, SV means no new locals.

However, your neighbors over in Saluda County might be getting some new stations. There, WYFF (NBC 4, Greenville), WJBF (ABC 6, Augusta), WSPA (CBS 7, Greenville) and WRDW (CBS 12, Augusta) are all considered SV, and D* has the option of delivering those stations in addition to the Columbia locals.

The rule, in English, is, BTW: D* and E* are allowed to deliver stations that are local to you, as measured by Nielsen markets. If they are delivering locals, D* and E* may optionally deliver other broadcast stations in addition to your locals if the FCC has determined that those additional stations are "Significantly Viewed" in your community.

I've asked this question before and didn't get a sufficient answer. Who makes these rules?

Congress wrote the law that limits D* and E* to offering stations in your market, plus the option of delivering SV stations if they're already providing locals.

The FCC is responsible for administering the SV list.

The FCC is technically responsible for defining markets, but they simply follow Nielsen.

So, if you think the LiL+SV rule is dumb, you need to sell that idea to Congress.

If you think a station is SV in your community, you need to contact the station and ask that they petition the FCC to be put on The List.

If you think that your county (or portion of a county) is incorrectly mapped to the wrong market, you need to convince Nielsen to redraw their maps.

Good luck trying to do any of those three things.

 

[jpn]

The FCC is responsible for administering the SV list.

The FCC is technically responsible for defining markets, but they simply follow Nielsen.

Can you post the url where the SV list is published?

 

[Maphisto's Sidekick]

The URL someone else posted was http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-24A1.pdf

Disclaimer: I haven't checked it myself. I'm working off a copy of the file I downloaded when it was first made available.

 

[dishrich]

Long ago Dish operator suggested that if I were an OTR truck driver and installed the system in my rig, she could get me Chicago stations. Maybe this is something I should have done...

Gee, thanks for your help Dish.

Evidently, you don't understand what I am saying... (which if you had done a search on "moving", you would have... )

This is NOT something E* OR D* is going to tell you about, (hello) that's why you're on this website. "Moving" is where you change your physical address on your account to an address within the Chicago market and PRESTO, you get ALL the Chicago local channels, no muss, no fuss, no waivers, no waiting, no need to own a truck - piece of cake.

If you REALLY want ALL the Chicago locals, (& not just the big 4 networks) this is the ONLY way to do it - I guess it depends on how badly you really want them. You now have a solution thrown in your lap - it's up to you to implement it. Good luck.

 

[cmags]

any info on HD feeds??? if sig-viewed channels will be NYC locals

 

[timmy1376]

Bad part is, for my county, they list only channels I already get in the package from Directv, they are local channels to me. Cable carries the KC ABC and CBS in my town, in Topeka, the DMA I am in, carries ABC, CBS, and Fox out of KC.

Sucks.

 

[Fgsilva]

So unless I don't get this right, this is only good news for people who don't get all their local stations? Since I alread get all networks (from sacramento area) if they add San francisco or reno stations, it's still just going to be the same old ABC, CBS, etc, that I already have. Now, if they added East coast HD stations THAT would be good news FOR ME!

DirecTV is getting ready to launch Significantly Viewed DMA service. These significantly viewed DMA's will be made available to customers on November 9th, 2005.

For example folks in New Haven, CT will be able to watch NYC locals as well as the Hartford / New Haven Locals.

For more details SatelliteGuys.US is proud to give you the first look at DirecTV's Significantly Viewed DMA Plans, please see the PDF below for all the details released to date!

Thanks for being a SatelliteGuys Member!

 

[Maphisto's Sidekick]

So unless I don't get this right, this is only good news for people who don't get all their local stations?

It's good news for:

• Some individuals who wish they could get some of the out-of-market broadcast stations carried on local cable via D*
• Some individuals who wish they could get local/regional news, weather, and sports from a nearby city's affiliate(s) rather than their FCC/Nielsen-prescribed affiliate(s), who also don't want to "move".
• Some individuals who live in markets where the affiliate(s) take, shall we say, liberties with the network schedules.
• "Movers" who identify more with nearby cities, but still would like to have at least one or two local-market stations for local weather, closings, etc.
• Geeks like me.

 

[Indiana627]

I went to that FCC document and for my county (Niagara in NYS) it lists the Buffalo locals I already get plus 3 Canadian stations. When I go to the Directv site and put in my ZIP, it says there are no additional channels at this time. Will I get these Canadian channels? These Canadian channels are available on the local cable system (Adelphia). Thanks.

Mark

 

[moonman]

I went to that FCC document and for my county (Niagara in NYS) it lists the Buffalo locals I already get plus 3 Canadian stations. When I go to the Directv site and put in my ZIP, it says there are no additional channels at this time. Will I get these Canadian channels? These Canadian channels are available on the local cable system (Adelphia). Thanks.

Mark

You would do better to use the DNS tool to see if any stations are listed there, that you not yet receive..(Nov. 9th is the target date I think)
http://directvdnseligibility.decisionmark.com/app/AddressEntry.asp