EchoStar Battle Rages On

[Tom Bombadil]

Most all the networks were fine with settling for a good sum of money, $100 million. The 25 fox stations controlled by Rupert were the only ones that would not settle. It is interesting the merger rumors are now coming back up.

I'm not sure there are any legitimate rumors. If you search Google News, there are no new stories about a D* - E* merger.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

When Dish continued to ignore the ruling, why would the judge "trust" that Dish would only provide DNS to those truly eligible ?? Repeatedly telling Dish they're in violation and Dish ignoring that gives an indication of what would happen if the courts attempted to "force a change in conduct". Finally, the law is written in the interests of the TV stations and networks, not the consumers. I do think there should be laws that are in the best interest of consumers, believe it or not, but that's simply not the law that's at issue here. Of course, the current law and any consumer-friendly law couldn't conflict with one another either.

Ahhh, the law is written for the use of the Copyright owner.

It's no different than me coming over to your house and deciding I want to live in your house for the next 30 days.

The thing that makes us a free society is the ability to create and own things - unlike a number of Countries that have since fallen.

Go try and buy land in North Korea and see how far you can get.

The rights of the owner, regardless of the product, have to be protected or we have turned into a Communist state.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Oh My Gosh!!?!

Are you implying that my recent big North Korean beach front purchase might be in question? The guy who sold it to me over the Internet assured me it was all on the up and up, and that he was only selling to pay his grandmother's hospital bills.

 

[Foxbat]

Question: How many of those people getting DNs "illegally" were Grandfathered under the law? I asked the question on why DirecTV customers in the Traverse City DMA could still receive DNs and I was told it was because they were grandfathered. I had DNs at my location until Dish shut them down many years ago because I'm in the South Bend DMA, no matter that I was Grandfathered. All I could keep was my WABC ("local" ABC affiliate is a low power repeater station) and even that went away when the "local" ABC affiliate went to 15KW (oooo, such power).

The DTV transition has been great for me because I get most of our networks via OTA ATSC stations (except ABC, natch) so we have nice, clear pictures and HD for network programming. I don't need DNs any more, especially SD DNs.

 

[Foxbat]

Ah, I guess I can answer my own post. Dish had a chance to provide the court with the list of "Grandfathered" viewers along with the rest of the DNS customers. I don't why Dish cut my CBS/Fox/NBC off when they did, but my status as a long-time DNS subscriber meant nothing. Fortunately, the locals started their digital operations a few years later so the reception issues went away.