EchoStar Willing to Drop CBS in Dispute With Viacom

[EdV]

Not quite. The satellite provider *cannot* refuse a station that has elected "must carry" - it can refuse to accept the terms of stations electing "consent to carry". Since most major stations elect "consent to carry", it is up to the agreement between the station and the satellite provider. The station would have to wait for the next election cycle to choose "must carry" and force their way back on the satellite provider. The satellite provider is not required to carry any particular market (DMA) ... but "carry one - carry all". They can't just pick and choose broadcast channels.

My post was really intended to answer Orcatek's speculation on E*'s options once the injunction expires. You are correct in pointing out that once the satellite company carries one station in a dma, it must carry the other stations that want to be carried. But "carry one, carry all" is note quite true either, because if there are two stations affiliated with the same network, they only need to carry one of them.

As for bringing OTHER channels into the DMA, that is perfectly legal and provided by SHVIA. The customer just needs to be located outside of the Grade B coverage of all affiliates of the network. The distants law (SHVIA) is not limited by carrying or having available local affiliates in the customer's DMA.

JL

This is misleading and likely to cause more misunderstanding. Even within the SHVIA documents, when referring to a station's DMA or Local Market, it is generally assumed to mean that portion of the dma that is covered by the Grade B signal.

Suffice it to say that if E* shuts down the Viacom channels at midnight, they can not and will not replace them with channels from nearby affiliate stations.

Here is a link to the FCC's FACT sheet on SHVIA for those that are interested. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/shva/shviafac.html

 

[jcruz]

Last year, about 80% of what I watch was on CBS; about a couple hours a day.
Now, I only watch about an hour a week of CBS. Now, I still like the shows that I used to watch last year (i.e. CSI, CSI Miami..) but just found my self watching other shows.
I think people will complain about losing their favorite channel; but I do believe that a reasonable could leave without watchin it for a week or so (specially most shows will repeat at some point in the next six months).
I don't think we will loose the channel for ever; and if so at that point we have the right to complain and dump DISH for other company.

 

[Mr Tony]

saw the scroll on WCCO tonight...it says go to wcco.com for more details. Look at this

Attention Dish Network/Echostar subscribers: WCCO-TV deeply regrets any inconvenience to our viewers resulting from Dish Network's threats to drop WCCO-TV. Dish Network just raised rates for many subscribers by three dollars per month, yet they are refusing to pay Viacom barely 6 cents more per month so you can continue to get all of the CBS programs, WCCO-TV's local news, weather and sports, and all of the Viacom cable channels including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. We are continuing to try to negotiate a fair resolution to this completely unnecessary situation, in the meantime, we remind our viewers that our signal remains available for free over the air, as well as by subscription from DirecTV and your local cable operator. Thank you

 

[LER]

Same exact stuff on KTVT's site (Dallas/Ft. Worth) http://www.cbs11tv.com/

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

[aandrew]

NCAA Basketball.

That's all that needs to be said!

:shocked

 

[Neutron]

Man, Viacom is really trying to stick it to the viewers with those postings on their CBS websites. It also looks like they are advertising for Directv and the local cable companies.

 

[XtremepH]

This sucks just barely into my 3rd week of service and I have perhaps change services because I actually watch the programming being taken away by Viacom. NCCA Tournament

 

[aandrew]

I really can't see switching providers over this. I"m behind Dish 100%. If they give in here, where does it end? I hate the idea of not being able to watch NCAA in HD, but it's hardly worth caving in.

I just want Dish to compensate the channels i'm losing by adding additional channels from the package on the next level.

 

[Sparkman]

Kids won't be happy about Nick, but even though I'm losing local CBS, I also get CBS distants, and can get local CBS OTA. TV Land stays & that's main Viacom we watch, so let them go for awhile.

 

[btbrossard]

Man, Viacom is really trying to stick it to the viewers with those postings on their CBS websites. It also looks like they are advertising for Directv and the local cable companies.

I don't know anyone in their right mind that would sign up for Dish right now. Even if you don't watch Viacom channels, you have to wonder what's next?

This is bad news for Dish even if it does get cleared up quickly. Millions upon millions of potential subscribers are seeing messages about Dish dropping channels. Not good PR.

/Benjamin

 

[JonUrban]

This really sucks. I just saw the scroll which lasted a few seconds before it was blacked out, and it's hard to believe that it has come this far.

I was looking forward to the NCAAs in HD. I am spending close to $100 per month with Dish, you would think that for that I should be able to get 6 cents worth of additional programming.

Switching to DTV is an impulse, but it means all new equipment, setup, etc and is a knee jerk reaction at this point. Maybe switching to VOOM is an option, but that has many limitaions as well.

Why is satellite TV so damn frustrating? We have Blackouts, SHIVA, waivers, Grade B signals. Why can't we just PAY for WHAT WE WANT and be done with it???? If I live in NY and want to watch the Omaha locals, WHY CAN'T I PAY AND GET THEM? If I want to see the Arizona Diamondback games in Minnesota, WHY CAN'T I PAY AND GET THEM?

It just makes something that SHOULD be enjoyable something that is frustrating as hell.

 

[aperry]

I agree JonUrban. That is my wish as well, but I doubt we'll ever see that (at least not for a looooooooong time)...

 

[TheForce]

I agree with CE. Never did like the idea of bundling. Viacom has a favorite channel they want Dish subscribers to pay a 40% increase and if they refuse, Viacom will shut down all Viacom channels.

My only disagreement with CE is his token offering of $1 when all these channels go dead. Considering the ratings CBS, MTV, VH1, NIckelodian have, The offering should be far more as a perceived value in the respective packages. Even an equal value per channel the percentage of Viacom channels would be far more than $1. I think the offer should be at minimum of $14 per Top180 sub.

Personally, I will lose CBSHD channel from NYC, WCBS. I will miss CBS in HDTV and DD5.1 on those special programs. My daughter like MTV and will lose that channel but she is planning to move out soon so she will lose that anyway. I do not blame Dish Network for this loss but do blame Viacom. However, I do feel that CE must take a stand to prevent all program owners from following the same path. If he caves to Viacom on this then all program owners will try to pull the same huge increase cost not just with Dish but also with DirecTV and cable. Everyone loses!


"WHY CAN'T I PAY AND GET THEM? If I want to see the Arizona Diamondback games in Minnesota, WHY CAN'T I PAY AND GET THEM?"

I agree with your request, but it is naive. The request suffers a lack of understanding that program owners have rights protection over their content, who can and can't see it and where they can see it and where they can't. When I make a product for sale, I lose all control over where that product is resold. With copyrights, I can control the distribution of my copyrighted product forever. In this case, Viacom is saying that in order to see the programming you want, you have to buy another program that you don't want and you must pay a huge price for that (40% increase). Charlie says that is too much to pay and refuses to agree to those terms. If you don't like Charlie's position you have the choice to pay Viacom's asking price from one of the other carriers, like DirecTV or Cable.

 

[derekg420]

They're gone!!!!!!

 

[Mr Tony]

yep. Turned to WCCO and saw Charlie and his speech. He says to call the VP of this CBS (which shows the name of the VP of WCCO) and to call the advertisers, and a screen comes up with Cub & Rainbow (the big grocery chains), Target, Best Buy (which is HQ is Mpls) and HOM furniture.

There will be a special chat at 7 eastern to discuss this "on this channel"..so its not going to be on 101..It will be on the CBS channel that is missing.

 

[psycaz]

This one has all of the making of a great fight. You could even say that the news stations all have sides as well: Viacom with CBS News will probably take their side, Fox might take Viacoms side as it hurts Dish since they own Direct TV and CBS news is no threat to them - no cable news, and MSNBC may side with Dish since they could go against Fox.

Its looks like its going to be a battle between advertisers and subscribers. If the advertisers for Viacom get enough heat they will pressure Viacom to settle or if Dish looses enough subscribers they will have to settle.

Why do I get the feeling we are at a cross-roads for Dish and this could be the make-or-break point for the company.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Nah, nothing THAT monumental.

Viacom will move a little, E* will move a little, and both sides will claim victory.

What's the over/under on how many days this will last? (I predict a settlement the day before the NCAA's start)

 

[btbrossard]

Why do I get the feeling we are at a cross-roads for Dish and this could be the make-or-break point for the company.

Dish is getting hammered in the press. Everything I've heard here in Milwaukee tends to make Dish look like the bad guy. That is all potential new subscribers have to hear to make them 100% sure they will never sign up for Dish (no matter what happens next week or next month).

Horrible PR on Dish's part.

/Benjamin

 

[dlsnyder]

Eventually they will work this thing out and if history is any indicator two things will almost undoubtedly happen.

One, when the Viacom channels come back they will include Nicktoons and Charlie will claim victory, saying "we were able to get additional programming from Viacom as a part of the deal" or something like that.

Two, we WILL be paying more for these channels before the end of the year. All that is at issue is how much of an increase will we see.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Dish is getting hammered in the press. Everything I've heard here in Milwaukee tends to make Dish look like the bad guy. That is all potential new subscribers have to hear to make them 100% sure they will never sign up for Dish (no matter what happens next week or next month).

Horrible PR on Dish's part.

/Benjamin

Big surprise. Media companies who want distributors to keep paying exorbitant year over year increases are painting the single guy who tries to stop the extortion as the "bad guy".

Reminds me of a quote about an individual arguing with a newspaper (the big media of the early 20th century). Paraphrasing as I forget the exact quote..... "Be careful getting into a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel..........."

At this point E* is holding a pair of deuces while Viacom is holding a pair of aces. The only "river card" that can bail him out is if the courts start hinting that an antitrust investigation would occur, unless Viacom drops their attempt to hold a free OTA channel hostage to bundling with other less desirable channels...........

And since the NAB owns D.C., I wouldn't put too much into THAT hope.....