Hearst Television Inc. blacks out DISH customers in 26 markets

[patmurphey]

A lot of angst for a 14 hour blackout?

 

[KAB]

A lot of angst for a 14 hour blackout?

Wadaya mean? Still going on, is it not?

 

[patmurphey]

Wadaya mean? Still going on, is it not?

Got suckered by a 3 year old article on the other site...

 

[KAB]

Got suckered by a 3 year old article on the other site...

LOL, I almost did too, when I googled Dish and Hearst agreement.

 

[ekilgus]

I totally agree with this 100%. The solution isn't to scream at Congress. They haven't done anything in years. Let free market forces work it out. Pass the costs along to the consumer and once people cancel their locals and reject those charges, the local nets will back down.

The primary advantage of such an approach would be to eliminate the need for negotiations and blackout threats because whatever the broadcasters want, it will be up to the subscriber to decide if they want to pay it or not. Besides, I think it patently unfair (and more than a little irrational) that some people are forced to pay for what others receive free, simply depending on how the signal is received.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I would like the Hopper 4 have 4 built in OTA tuners.


Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[KAB]

I would like the Hopper 4 have 4 built in OTA tuners.


Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!

That would be The Bomb!

 

[Gobucks]

I would like the Hopper 4 have 4 built in OTA tuners.


Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!

They should do that so people who can receive them over the air can drop them. They won't because I'm sure there is a nice little profit for keeping locals in the package.

Maybe they will charge a local free fee. I wouldn't put it past Dish to do that.

 

[pattykay]

It's because Dish (all MVPDs) are reselling the product and making money off of it. If MVPDs would have said "locals are free" from the start, I don't think you would have had this issue.

And this is where breaking out the $10 charge for locals could backfire on Dish. If Dish didn't itemize the charge for locals (or only charged $5 per month) then Dish could tell the broadcasters that they are not making any money on selling locals (or not making very much money). Now, the broadcasters see that the price Dish charges for locals has soared to $10 per month, and they say "You're charging customers more for our channels, so we want a piece of that." This leads to broadcasters asking for even more money than they otherwise would have, which leads to even more disputes and local blackouts than we already see.

 

[lparsons21]

'soared' isn't a good word in this case. The local cable company charges about $7 as a surcharge in addition to what is already buried in the basic subscription for the locals. I would almost bet that the sat companies are paying more than $10/month for the locals in most areas.

 

[pattykay]

'soared' isn't a good word in this case. The local cable company charges about $7 as a surcharge in addition to what is already buried in the basic subscription for the locals. I would almost bet that the sat companies are paying more than $10/month for the locals in most areas.

Okay, but let's break down the price Dish charges for Welcome Pack. In the fine print on page 2 of the Dish bill, you will see that the base package price includes a $9 per month lease fee for the first receiver. So, when you subtract the $9 receiver lease fee and the $9.99 per month for the national cable channels (that is how much Welcome Pack used to cost without locals) that means that Dish is only charging Welcome Pack subscribers $1 per month for locals. ($19.99 - $9.99 - $9 = $1) Now, the broadcasters see that Dish is charging most of their subscribers ten times that amount for locals and they think that Dish is being greedy and charging the customers more than what they previously told the broadcasters they were charging.

 

[The Fat Man]

My wife pulled the whole we're getting rid of Dish if this continues. "Um, no hun." Here you go, look up the shows you want and when they're on, and I'll set up manual timers. It's alright. That's why I climbed on the roof and mounted the OTA antenna.

That's a benefit that I had and took advantage of, which I know many people affected might not have...or never planned for.

 

[ekilgus]

OK and then what you going to use for the guide to record the shows? Dish need to figure out a way for the people that have OTA to KEEP the guide

I have full guide info for my OTA channels provided by Dish, so what's the problem? For the record, I use the antenna to receive channels from a neighboring DMA and the guide info shows right alongside Dish's guide info.

 

[bryanw20]

Well at least this is the last for me for X years, NBC during the Olympics, CBS what first of the year & now ABC, so just wait it out & I'll be good for a bit,

Since I dind't see a post on the new OTA hopper dongle: Glad I did splurge for it a few weeks ago. Sadly unlike my 722, the guide just says Dish removed XXX channel. But it does work, just need to set manual timers for now.

And for those gloating about online/streaming, umm some of us still live in the sticks, so no broadband speed with which to stream with =(

 

[fmj77]

And for those gloating about online/streaming, umm some of us still live in the sticks, so no broadband speed with which to stream with =(

I'm in the same boat. My only broadband option is satellite internet with low caps. No OTA either in my area, so Dish or Direct with locals are my only options. Almost makes me want to move to civilization.

 

[sam_gordon]

I think it patently unfair (and more than a little irrational) that some people are forced to pay for what others receive free

I know people who raise their own corn, raise hens for eggs, or get their own milk from cows. I'm forced to pay for those items. I guess that's "unfair" also?

I would almost bet that the sat companies are paying more than $10/month for the locals in most areas.

I'll take that bet.
I bet most stations are getting ~$1/month. Figure five stations per market (Big 4 plus 1 independent, I'm assuming PBS isn't getting paid). So that gets you to $5. Granted, some markets have a lot of channels, but that's the exception, not the norm. Just my opinion.

 

[dare2be]

It's easy enough to get a ballpark figure.

7.2 billion in retrans revenue in 2016. Estimated 100 million pay TV households in 2014 (considering that number might be lower due to cord cutting over the last 2 years, which has been estimated up to 1 in 7 households). So take the best case scenario, assuming the full 100 million and that everyone pays for locals in their packages, that gets to at the very least $6/mo. That is best case scenario, which means it's probably more like $7-8. That is just the locals' cut. Add in overhead and margin, I can see that number easily getting to $10.

 

[Bruno]

I have full guide info for my OTA channels provided by Dish, so what's the problem?

What channel did you lose? I lost ABC and have 622 and 612 and mine shows the SAME ole DISH crap about trying to work to get them back.

 

[Bruno]

You've been around these boards long enough to know that if you get an OTA signal, you get guide data. It's probably not 7 days worth, but it's still enough for scheduling. Dish REFUSES to allow customers to use that data. Oh, that's right, they're "looking out for the customers".

Sam the OP is about if you lost a Hearst Local Channel. If you did lose one the GUIDE is NOT on my 622 and 612. I cannot speak for someone with a Hopper. You are correct i can switch to the antenna on the tv and see that guide but it does not set up timers to record. You have to set manual times.

YOU was CORRECT i have been around a LONG time.

 

[Bruno]

I would like the Hopper 4 have 4 built in OTA tuners.

I am not that greedy..I would just like to have the GUIDE.