Possible update on USA Network HD

[jokeworm]

The funny thing is, Fox Soccer is the reason I'm with Dish also.

Yup ... your canary gave you away

 

[xgdavis]

Just out of curiosity, I emailed NBC Universal:

Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 11:08 AM
To: Lane, Laureen (NBC Universal, CNBC)
Subject: SciFi HD


Do you know when SciFi HD will be available on the Dish Network?
If not, can you let me know who would know?

Thank you,
Greg

And received:

Hi Greg, you need to contact Dish, but I have heard 1Q 2008

Laureen Lane
Director
Affiliate Field Marketing & Advertising Sales NBC Universal Networks 900 Sylvan Avenue
1 CNBC Plaza
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

 

[nlk10010]

She probably heard it on this forum!

 

[aperry]

Eh, at this point, I'll believe it when I see it with USA and Sci-Fi in HD. I'm tired of waiting, and if it weren't for being only about 5 mos into my contract, I'd be considering switching to Direct (esp if they would offer their PC DVR box thing they showed at CES).

That being said, I have confidence Dish will add the channels at some point.

 

[Hitman7s]

Interestingly, it's the top show among young people with incomes of over $100,000... obviously the exact opposite viewership from WWE...

I watch both religiously. What does that say about me?

 

[broadcasttheworld]

I watch both religiously. What does that say about me?

Hey I make over 100,000 and my wife and I never miss WWE. We have watched since Highschool. Even attend the local events. She even made a sign one year HEHE

 

[Rwwatson]

Ditto....

 

[tinydoughboy]

Tell me about it. . . I go to Fayetteville, NC for Raw all the time and always get floor seating and stand in the back like a nerd and try to get autographs......!!! Been that way since I was a little doughboy!!!!

I want my WWE in HD!!!!!

 

[TNGTony]

Guess, only a guess, this is a guess pulled out of a certain oriface that should not be mentioned in public.

A week from tomorrow, on Jan 30. Why? Just before the price increase hits and new HD packages show up. Official release date Jan 31, but available at 2pm Eastern Wednesday 1/30.

This has been a guess. This only a guess. Had this been actual fact you would have heard whooping and hollering accompanying this message.

See ya
Tony

 

[kstuart]

When you are negotiating, you have to convey that the other side's current ("unreasonable") offer is not acceptable.

As a satellite or cable provider, your only way of doing this is by not carrying the channel (at least temporarily).

As a channel, the only way of "calling the bluff" of the provider is by having special programming that causes the customers to put pressure on the providers.

It seems to me that this "WWE Raw HD" premier served that function for both channel and provider - it put pressure on Dish and also allowed Dish to say "see we are not going to cave, plesae give us reasonable terms"...

 

[FitzAusTex]

I admit I know nothing about 'reasonable terms', but how unreasonable could the terms really be? D*, Time Warner, etc have come to terms with NBC Universal over USA and SciFi, and the package price points btwn D* and E* are really negligible (a couple of bucks either way, back and forth, here and there).

I cant really imagine that E* would have to end up being more expensive than D* if they negotiated carriages as 'quickly/painlessly' as D* seems to.

Again, I know nothing about any of this.

 

[rad]

I admit I know nothing about 'reasonable terms', but how unreasonable could the terms really be? D*, Time Warner, etc have come to terms with NBC Universal over USA and SciFi, and the package price points btwn D* and E* are really negligible (a couple of bucks either way, back and forth, here and there).

I cant really imagine that E* would have to end up being more expensive than D* if they negotiated carriages as 'quickly/painlessly' as D* seems to.

Again, I know nothing about any of this.

You might want to listen to this weeks pod cast. Scott is now saying what he is hearing is contract issue, not technical like when Sci-Fi and USA were first uplinked. The rumor is that NBC/Universal wants a package deal with Bravo/USA/CNBC/Sci-Fi and some interactive Olympic coverage. But as you said other providers have come to terms and with the D* and E* price increases for 2008 it doesn't look like it makes that much of a difference in the big picture.

 

[nlk10010]

You might want to listen to this weeks pod cast. Scott is now saying what he is hearing is contract issue, not technical like when Sci-Fi and USA were first uplinked. The rumor is that NBC/Universal wants a package deal with Bravo/USA/CNBC/Sci-Fi and some interactive Olympic coverage. But as you said other providers have come to terms and with the D* and E* price increases for 2008 it doesn't look like it makes that much of a difference in the big picture.

Well, as I'm sure even Scott will admit, no one REALLY knows what's going on.

But this doesn't surprise me: after all, Charlie can wait. What incentive does he have to cut a deal?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Nope I have no definate answers, as I mentioned before the info I got came from friends in the cable industry, and again I found it strange that they were coming to the defense of Dish Network.

 

[digital echo]

Would you have Direct or cable?

Id have D, my bro in law has it with no issues.

 

[digital echo]

Oh sweeeeeeeet it's 3:47 PM in KC and im watching Monk on USA in SD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shorrock]

I found this from an article on Digg about why you can't get programming a-la carte.

Note that for USAHD the american cable association states that USAHD requires you to carry Chiller and Sleuth.

I wonder if the sticking point is that since we have the voom channels, Charile sees this as a redundant programming requirement?


Here's a few examples of bundled channels from the ACA's FCC filing:
If you want: Disney Channel
You get: ABC Family, SoapNet, Toon Disney, ESPN Channels
If you want: USA
You get: MSNBC, CNBC, Sci Fi, Comedy Central, Bravo, Olympics surcharge
If you want: ESPN
You get:ESPN2, ESPN News, ESPN Classic, ESPN 360 (Internet), ESPNU
If you want: USA HD
You get: Chiller, Sleuth
If you want: Disney Channel HD
You get: ABC Family HD, Toon Disney HD, ESPN News HD
If you want: Fox Sports
You get: National Geographic, Fox Soccer, Fox Business, Fox Sports College, Fox Reality, Fuel, Big 10 Network, Fox Movie Channel
If you want: Food Network
You get: HGTV, DIY, Fine Living
If you want: CNN
You get: Headline News, TBS, TNT, WTBS
If you want: MTV
You get: TV Land, CMT, VH1, Nickelodeon, Noggin, VH1 Soul, CMT Pure Country, MTV Jam

 

[Jim S.]

I doubt that Comcast has Chiller since they have FearNet on VOD, so again I think we're not getting the whole story.

 

[Dishlover]

I think the sticking point for this and SCI-FI HD may then be the new "HDs only" package. If so, Charlie needs to tell them- it's not HIS fault those other channels aren't available in HD!