Fisher Communications Channels are BACK on Dish!

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Yes, and I emailed ceo at E* and told them that a rate hike is very likely going to cause me to change my package subscriptions in order to save money. I told them that I've absorbed many rate increases as a decade-long subscriber, but that the economy is such that yet another rate hike is not something I'm willing to absorb this time around and that I thought a rate hike was an extremely bad idea in light of the current state of the economy.

What did I get for a reply? A form letter saying (in summary) that they strive to provided the most value for their customers.

Yeah, that's all well and good, but I can't afford AEP+GoldHD+PlatHD+Locals+rate hike anymore. So, something's going to change, and very likely, it's going to be AEP that's going to get reduced...most likely down to AT200 and the rest stays the same. Depends on what the number crunching yeilds...
 
Do we have a resolution?

I was just playing with the program guide. Right now KATU just shows 'Important News' as the description of the program. Starting at noon on this coming Tuesday, the program guide shows the actual show description.

Is this a sign of resolution? Or is the guide not just updated yet?
 
comcastsucks said:
I was just playing with the program guide. Right now KATU just shows 'Important News' as the description of the program. Starting at noon on this coming Tuesday, the program guide shows the actual show description.

Is this a sign of resolution? Or is the guide not just updated yet?
Click to expand...

I live in the Spokane, WA DMA and also live within 30 miles of Lewiston, ID(KLEW). I noticed in the newspaper today, there was an ad saying "KLEW coming soon" and had both the Dish and DirecTV logos in it. I was pretty shocked to see this since Dish Network has never carried KLEW. Im wondering if in addition to the rate increase, that Fisher demanded that all of their stations be carried by Dish.
 
comcastsucks said:
I was just playing with the program guide. Right now KATU just shows 'Important News' as the description of the program. Starting at noon on this coming Tuesday, the program guide shows the actual show description.

Is this a sign of resolution? Or is the guide not just updated yet?
Click to expand...

Same thing with KOMO at noon on Tuesday, the 30th. No idea if that means anything though...
 
long_time_DNC said:
Same thing with KOMO at noon on Tuesday, the 30th. No idea if that means anything though...
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Nope... doesn't mean a thing. I noticed the same thing with WBRZ here several months ago. Wish they would just update the guide info on the actual satellite channel and not the OTA guide info. Kind of a pain.
 
digiblur said:
Nope... doesn't mean a thing. I noticed the same thing with WBRZ here several months ago. Wish they would just update the guide info on the actual satellite channel and not the OTA guide info. Kind of a pain.
Click to expand...

It also gives a sense of false hope.... I suspect they'll likely have this resolved by February. Anytime before that is just iceing on the cake...
 
Anyone here have any idea what the subscriber numbers are for DISH in the areas effected by the dispute with Fischer? If the percentage is high, it would most certainly represent a powerful "lobby" in favor of DISH's position. Considering the news that there are disputes in progress between other station owners and signal providers should be enough to alert subscribers to ALL providers that this is just the tip of iceberg. Playing musical chairs, switching to Direct or to cable is no guarantee of uninterrupted local channel service.

In a world where network ratings are tanking, I would think ABCCBSFOXNBC would be all over this! Their affiliates are in the process of wiping out whole segments of viewers. Maybe they will if this drags on into the "series premiere" season. Season 5 of LOST starts January 21 on ABC. Is NBC being "disenfranchised" anywhere? If so SuperBowl viewership is in some jeopardy.

The Fischer station here is KOMO, the ABC affiliate. I don't much care where I get local news and I can't say I miss Charlie Gibson. I never watch Jimmy Kimmel or the banshees of The View anyway - nor most of the other drivel that constitutes ABC's idea of programming. I can always go online to watch the one or two shows I do like enough to tune into. But the point is, this situation feels like just more extortion. (I could do a whole essay on the subject of the extortion of programming "packages", but that belongs in some other thread.)
 
long_time_DNC said:
It also gives a sense of false hope.... I suspect they'll likely have this resolved by February. Anytime before that is just iceing on the cake...
Click to expand...

I don't see why you say February... I suspect it will go on longer.

All this does is encourage people to watch other networks and also pushes people to "move". In my area we've had our local ABC off of Dish Network for 6+ months. Last I heard NBC and FOX are next to go by the end of the year. Doesn't bother me a bit though, I don't watch SD locals.
 
digiblur said:
I don't see why you say February... I suspect it will go on longer.

All this does is encourage people to watch other networks and also pushes people to "move". In my area we've had our local ABC off of Dish Network for 6+ months. Last I heard NBC and FOX are next to go by the end of the year. Doesn't bother me a bit though, I don't watch SD locals.
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Oh, it's entirely possible that it could go on much longer. Just thinking that Fisher would like the extra revenue that Sweeps brings from advertisers.

If I could get anything OTA, I'd put up an antenna and get the Seattle stations that way, but with the hills north/ne/nw of me, you can't get anything OTA here. So, if you've got a clear view to se here (not easy to do) you can go satellite, otherwise, cable is the only game in town. All the locals are finally HD, which is nice, but hopefully NBC and FOX won't be next to go here. We just got FOX HD about 6 months ago, finally... :)
 
digiblur said:
Nope... doesn't mean a thing. I noticed the same thing with WBRZ here several months ago. Wish they would just update the guide info on the actual satellite channel and not the OTA guide info. Kind of a pain.
Click to expand...

Just got home from work and checked the program guide again..Still showing regular programming starting at noon 12/30. I guess I will know for sure tomorrow:rolleyes:
 
long_time_DNC said:
If I could get anything OTA, I'd put up an antenna and get the Seattle stations that way...
Click to expand...

But without the guide info (Tue 12/30 Noon notwithstanding) getting KOMO HD OTA doesn't really do you that much good. While I remember the days of programming my VCR with start times and end time, I certainly do not want to have to do that again :-). I can't even imagine TV without an onscreen guide...

It's too bad that the ATSC spec doesn't mandate (maybe it's there, I don't know) that any ATSC tuner have the ability to use the free OTA onscreen guide.
 
KayElle said:
Anyone here have any idea what the subscriber numbers are for DISH in the areas effected by the dispute with Fischer? If the percentage is high, it would most certainly represent a powerful "lobby" in favor of DISH's position. ...
Click to expand...

First of all, it's "Fisher," without the C - and seeing as you live in Western WA, no scones for you. OK, enough sarcasm.

I don't think anyone can give an exact number unless they're a dish bean counter, but I did some figuring out. Using figures I found on the AV Science Forums, it is fair to estimate that in the two largest markets - Seattle and Portland, dish has something like 350,000 total households, give or take a few thousand either way. Add on the California and Idaho markets - where all the CBS and FOX stations are - and that estimate approaches 500,000 of dish's 14 million home universe. I can't estimate the actual number that get their local broadcast channels from dish vs. off the air, however.

BTW: Fisher doesn't have any NBC outlets so they can't leverage that.

KayElle said:
In a world where network ratings are tanking, I would think ABCCBSFOXNBC would be all over this!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, they're part of the problem. It's called "Reverse Compensation." Back in the day, the networks would send each station a little payment for clearing the network schedule. Not any more. Now they, the networks, have their hands out demanding the stations recompense THEM.

As the old lady (or gentleman - I forget) once said on Letterman, "I do and I do and I do for you kids, and this is the thanks I get!"

Oh, and "Vive la FTA."
 
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comcastsucks said:
Just got home from work and checked the program guide again..Still showing regular programming starting at noon 12/30. I guess I will know for sure tomorrow:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Maybe so.... but just don't get your hopes up. I can jump ahead on one of our locals here that has been down for 6+ months and the guide starts showing correctly.
 
digiblur said:
Maybe so.... but just don't get your hopes up. I can jump ahead on one of our locals here that has been down for 6+ months and the guide starts showing correctly.
Click to expand...

Checked again this morning...Now its back to all 'Important Information'...no real shows..

I am calling DirecTV and switching. It could happen there, but I am sure they would like the $130 I send to Dish every month.
 

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