Most people don't know what FTA satellite TV is

[Bill_KY]

Maybe this site's members could check a box for support for FTA bill in congress and Canada? Wishful thinking? Probably. Or don't ask don't tell because they might scramble the whole lot on FTA for spite?

There is a old saying, don't poke a sleeping tiger. I think a better approach would contact stations and networks that are not on any satellite now...and ask them to go to FTA and mention on how it could increase their audience.

I think some of the LP stations might be good candidates for FTA. WOTH 25 (aka WKRP) in Cincinnati is a LP station, TWC in Cincinnati does not carry them and most of the other cable companies don't carry them either...(Insight does). FTA would be perfect for them.

I'm sure there are other LP stations across the country in similiar situations where the local cable companies don't carry them. FTA would be a great way for to increase their audiences, local, fringe and national...

So how much would it cost a LP station to go FTA? That would be the first question the station would ask...

 

[Sadoun]

The OP and this thread was about how to promote FTA in general.

That is true. The more people know about FTA, the more channels will be available on FTA.

Look at where the advertising dollar are going now a days: Yes, you guessed it, the INTERNET. If you think about it, the internet is kind of an FTA medium where people can watch shows, and other people's videos for free (i.e. You Tube, Google, Yahoo, etc).

The networks realized that more and more people are spending more time on the internet than actually watching TV, so they have changed their advertising offer / strategy.

The same thing with Sunday and daily local newspapers. Do you remember when the Sunday newspaper used to be 4 inches thick? Now ii is less than 2" thick. Poeple are not subscribing anymore and instead are reading the news online (where it is free). Most local newspapers will disappear from print in 2-3 years and will become exclusively online.

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has signed into law the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, unleashing $7.2 billion to expand broadband access and adoption. The law attaches open Internet conditions to broadband funds and directs the Federal Communications Commission to produce a national broadband plan.

There you have it. Go where the audience are.

The same thing with FTA TV. In Europe, Middle East, Asia, most people watch FTA TV. The channels and advertisers know that. That is where they spend their money.

 

[tradewinds]

Not really FTA sat related, but here in my neck of the woods (most likely elsewhere or nationally), there seems to be some uncertainty with free antenna broadcasting. The NAB are running the ads. Here is an article:

NAB Takes To Airwaves - Tech Daily Dose - Tech Daily Dose

This may just be the start as sat companies can argue that they have enough bandwidth and transponders to carry all locals so no need to the OTA free stuff.

 

[guapoharry]

... I think a better approach would contact stations and networks that are not on any satellite now...and ask them to go to FTA and mention on how it could increase their audience.
...

OK, let's go with the premise that they could increase their audience.

How would they know? Would the ratings companies (Nielsen, etc) tell them?

Guess then, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstation"][U]they would[/ turn into a Superstation... except that the delivery method is TVRO, not cable...

 

[ikki]

The part the confuses me is that if the a cable network gets its money from advertising dollars what possesses them to encrypt the uplink. I see not logic. I can understand why HBO would want to encrypt uplinks, but fox?, or CNN. Come on give me a break.

 

[Bill_KY]

The part the confuses me is that if the a cable network gets its money from advertising dollars what possesses them to encrypt the uplink. I see not logic. I can understand why HBO would want to encrypt uplinks, but fox?, or CNN. Come on give me a break.

Because Fox , CNN and the others charge the cable and satellite providers as a condition for carrying them. If the signals were not encrypted then anyone could get the signals and bypass 'the system". So CNN for example gets money from the commercials and also get money from cable and satellite.

Bottom line, it is big business and big money that keeps you from watching CNN, Fox and the others on FTA.

 

[toucan-man]

Because Fox , CNN and the others charge the cable and satellite providers as a condition for carrying them. If the signals were not encrypted then anyone could get the signals and bypass 'the system". So CNN for example gets money from the commercials and also get money from cable and satellite.

Bottom line, it is big business and big money that keeps you from watching CNN, Fox and the others on FTA.

You're right.

There's more to it than that. Cable formed their monopolies back in the horse and buggy era and are resisting what all monopolies fear: real competition. In the OTA world, the NAB recently appeared slightly less comatose, and offered this response:

"There's a movement among special interest groups to limit free antenna TV, and millions of Americans who depend on it would lose out."

NAB Takes To Airwaves - Tech Daily Dose - Tech Daily Dose

The issue is broader than what's stated in that ad. Mike Kohl mentioned more about this on Sat Talk last week. OTA as we know it could become a thing of the past.

Cable and sat and other subscription services recently rewrote the dictionary, and now "collusion" means something other than what they are doing together to limit the impact of the Internet on their business model. Who will prevail? Ought to be interesting.

It would truly sadden me if the Ted Turners were hurt by changes in the real world. I mean, it's hard out there for a billionaire these days. :

 

[Corrado]

I hope the networks brace themselves for losing viewers. This type of thinking could easily backfire. In my case, I wouldn't bother to sub if it went dark. I mainly watch the nets for my local news and weather. Certainly not worth subscribing to.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Claude sells Dish...need I say more?

He is a broken record when it comes to FTA...he hates it

I actually purchased Claude a full FTA system so he could see what true FTA was about.

Unfortunately I don't think he ever installed it. Hes one of the folks who think that FTA means your are doing something illegal which is not the case at all.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Hes one of the folks who think that FTA means your are doing something illegal which is not the case at all.

I'm with Claude.
Sorry too many law suits flying around about FTA and stealing signals.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Well I'm thinking this could be an interesting year for OTA and FTA. A lot of local stations are struggling I'm sure. Bill Ky mentioned one of our locals WKRP. Most of the cable companies have refused for whatever reasons to carry the little low power guy. They have the main channel and three subs....One of which is RTV. It's like they don't care if it fails. Oh well not that we'll ever see FTA like they have in the U.K. But I'd like to know more about how it works over there? How is it promoted? Surely they have their competition from cable or the pizza guys. BTW if Claude doesn't want his FTA system I'm sure one of us would put it to good use lol.....Blind

 

[classicsat]

I think a better approach would contact stations and networks that are not on any satellite now...and ask them to go to FTA and mention on how it could increase their audience.

There audience is likely limited by license to a particular market, and they will have trouble doing FTA if they have any network affiliation or carry syndicated programming. An FTA audience, if measurable, might not count.

Even assuming they could make an FTA clean schedule, FTA would need to be a worthwhile audience for them to invest in both uplink hardware (or feed equipment to an uplink), as well as ongoing costs.
It would be a chicken/egg paradox.

 

[Bill_KY]

Oh well not that we'll ever see FTA like they have in the U.K. But I'd like to know more about how it works over there? How is it promoted? Surely they have their competition from cable or the pizza guys. .....Blind

It looks they add channels on FreeSat every couple of months there!


hxxp://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/freesat/132132-new-channels-changes-bbc-freesat.html

replace the xx with tt

 

[classicsat]

Oh well not that we'll ever see FTA like they have in the U.K. But I'd like to know more about how it works over there? How is it promoted? Surely they have their competition from cable or the pizza guys. BTW if Claude doesn't want his FTA system I'm sure one of us would put it to good use lol.....Blind

From what I researched, there is only one UK wide satellite platform (on astra at 28.2e) that supplies TV for homes to receive, which is opererated by Arqiva; the same company that operates the terrestrial TV network. The promotional end of both are operated by organizations funded by the stations/networks, and those organizations set the specififications for receivers for those services.

Sky is a customer/partner of Freesat/Arqiva which aslo has a number of pay channels. A Sky receiver will receive most of the FTA channels from Freesat, as well as its pay channels. Sky is not a wholly separate system. Oh, and some of the broadcast channels are encrypted on Astra. Somehow Freesat receivers get them, and Sky receivers need a special card to get them without Sky subscription.

I am not going to pretend how the back end of the TV networks distribute, but I believe some trasnmitter sites receive the same signal from Astra that home TV dishes get.

As I said in another post, that works because cable didn't establish them as a programming monopoly as they did in the USA.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I'm with Claude.
Sorry too many law suits flying around about FTA and stealing signals.

But that is not real FTA.

Thats the thing.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Classic and Bill, I saw something like 140 plus channels in the UK on that website. Maybe I'll save my pennies and go over there someday and check it out. Nah it would take too long to save that much. Blind

 

[zamar23]

I just went through Sadoun's website looking for some components. The website is very clean, and contains a lot of component, installation and carefully crafted system setup info. But I couldn't find an answer to a simple question: What FTA Satellite TV is? May be that gives an idea, why "most people don't know..., how to promote..."?

 

[Sadoun]

zamar

Thanks for your note about the website. We have a button on the right hand side menu called "First Timers" also another link at the bottom called "FAQ".

Sadoun Satellite Sales (1-888-519-9595)

Since it wasn't clear on the page, we have to do something about it. Any suggestions?

 

[Wescopc]

I'm with Claude.
Sorry too many law suits flying around about FTA and stealing signals.

I install FTA and I can tell you that all of the channels that I tune for people are meant to be received at home by the broadcasters! There is no theft, it is a partnership between the listener and the content provider. I have installed for Thai, Ethiopian, Spanish, Muslim, Christian, Coptic and those wanting to see whats up there. I can assure you that it can't be theft - When the broadcasters promote the sale and installation of FTA equipment in the home.
Bob

 

[Wescopc]

zamar

Thanks for your note about the website. We have a button on the right hand side menu called "First Timers" also another link at the bottom called "FAQ".

Sadoun Satellite Sales (1-888-519-9595)

Since it wasn't clear on the page, we have to do something about it. Any suggestions?

Jamal, I noticed that your "American FTA Channels" Free To Air FTA Satellite Channels from USA, Europe, Middle East, Asia Arabic, Chinese, Persian, Turkish, Kurdish TV Television Galaxy 25 97W
Is very dated. It shows lots of channels on 123W that are now gone. I could go on, but we have lost a lot of FTA programming within the last year.
Bob