HD Observer: NFL Network HD & Politics

[Poke]

http://www.tvpredictions.com/davis113006.htm

By Mitchell Davis
HD Observer

Washington, D.C. (November 30, 2006) -- Chances are you live in an area where cable may not carry NFL Network HD (or the standard definition channel). DIRECTV doesn't carry the HD version 100 percent of the time; they only carry it for the eight 2006 regular season games.


But EchoStar's Dish Network does have NFL Network HD.

Why don't cable operators carry the HD network?

HD space is limited on cable systems, just as it will be for four to five more months on DIRECTV until it launches two new satellites.

The NFL has put pressure on cable operators to pay extra to carry the channel and/or include it in the basic cable tier of programming.

And let's be clear that the NFL is playing hardball by taking that pressure to the customers by promoting cable's decision not to carry it in national ads.

But cable operators like to make their own decisions on how to offer a network, what tier to offer it in and the pricing. It shouldn't be a surprise that most
operators don't add it now to the basic cable pack or HD pack; they have that limited bandwidth.

So what's the bottom line here?

[B]The NFL ought to not broadcast games themselves and shut out their traditional broadcast partners. The NFL
are greedy pigs. Not only do they give DIRECTV an exclusive on the NFL Sunday Ticket, but they expect cable operators to bend over for them when they create a new network. Something smells here and it isn't cable.

 

[Poke]

DIRECTV Needs More HDTV

http://www.tvpredictions.com/ash113006.htm

HD Observer: DIRECTV Needs More HDTV Movie Channels
By James Ash
HD Observer

Editor's Note: DIRECTV says it will add more High-Definition TV channels next year. But for some subscribers, such as HD Observer James Ash, that's too long to wait.

Washington, D.C. (November 30, 2006) -- I've been a DIRECTV subscriber for five years; an HD subscriber for almost two. When I finally bought the set (Sony Grand WEGA 50-inch flat-screen) and HD/TiVo, I decided to trim down my movie programming package since I presumed that the HD experience would spoil me.

Boy was I right.

Now I fear I should have made a similar suggestion to the rest of the 1.5 million other HDTV customers of DIRECTV. Turn off your standard definition only movie channels to tell DIRECTV that you only want them in HD. Make them a priority by voting with your pocketbook.

This can only help us get them to move Cinemax HD and Starz HD into the line up others have enjoyed for almost a year at Comcast and EchoStar. I don't think they can ignore us if we all vote with our dollars.