Satellite owners unite on this bill!!!!!!!

[Hogwild]

Whatever brand of Satellite system you have, let me encourage you to begin contacting your federal legislator about this bill. It was introduced today by my U.S. Representative:

Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock News Article

 

[Zero327]

And rehash distants again? I don't think so.

 

[Derwin0]

Looks more like a significantly viewed issue.

 

[jessshaun]

I like that bill. I think I will do just that.

 

[Hogwild]

Looks more like a significantly viewed issue.

That's exactly what it is. Since the "significantly viewed" legislation didn't seem to help many folks, like it was INTENDED, Congressman Ross has come up with this bill. In a nutshell, the purpose is to give us consumers a CHOICE...which is how things should be done in the first place. It's absurd that I live 3 miles north of my town and can only get ONE set of locals..and it's for out of state stations that I could care less about.....while people who have cable in town can get both.

 

[digitalartifact]

I would be in favor of this... Instead of having a few hundred DMA(s) have 50! Gee something thats logical...

 

[Harold]

Hogwild I'm in the same boat as you. I live in SE Ky and get Knoxville, TN. I would love to see more of my Wildcats! And I'll bet Lex gets its HD on dish before Knox, if it has not already!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I believe we should indeed support this as it give us (the consumers) more choices.

I honestly believe that if we have cash in hand and something is available to us then we should be able to buy it.

 

[Harold]

Just an idea, but should we send this news to dish (and direct) to get them to get behind it and push? Might go a long way in getting it passed and passed faster (Football starting soon, need my lex locals NOW! ).

Press release from Mike Ross:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ar04_ross/062107tv.html

 

[thedamaja]

This would be great

 

[Hogwild]

Just an idea, but should we send this news to dish (and direct) to get them to get behind it and push? Might go a long way in getting it passed and passed faster (Football starting soon, need my lex locals NOW! ).

Press release from Mike Ross:
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ar04_ross/062107tv.html

Harold,

I don't see where it could hurt. I tell you someone else who ought to be EXCITED to help out in this effort, is the satellite retailers. If this, or other similar types of bills, get anywhere in Congress, these guys will probably stand to make a little money.

 

[waltinvt]

I believe we should indeed support this as it give us (the consumers) more choices.

I honestly believe that if we have cash in hand and something is available to us then we should be able to buy it.

"available" being the operative word here.

 

[dishcomm]

Whatever brand of Satellite system you have, let me encourage you to begin contacting your federal legislator about this bill. It was introduced today by my U.S. Representative:

Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock News Article

I ran into a situation that I barely escaped from regarding this issue. I went to a little town in SC where viwers received locals from Charlotte,NC and Columbia,SC thru cable...The area is inside the Charlote DMA...I walk into the home and the guy has a virtual shrine to U of South Carolina football...Here's the problem..USC games are shown every saturday from the Columbia stations....With Dish, they would get locals from Charlotte..USC is an SEC school..North Carolina is more or less an ACC state..So with Dish, this guy gets his locals from an NC city..Guess what?..No more USC games....I didn't even think of it and I had driven 70 miles to do the job..He sort of said he couldn't wait ot watch the Gamecocks that saturday. Just as I was leaving after completion. There was no way I was going to get into that mess. So I said nothing..To some , that may seem unethical..But I didn't want to have to pull the EQ out and 3 hours plus drive time would have been wasted..I figured he would find out eventually and call Dish to complain...Never heard from the guy..Maybe he kept his lifeline cable(local stations only)..I think it's pretty stupid to be in a DMA where areas can be 50 to 100 miles from the signal origin...Columbia is actually closer to this area that Charlotte....Go figure..
I thnk this legislation is doomed..Lobbyists representing broadcast interests will urge legisaltors to kill it..

 

[dishcomm]

I would be in favor of this... Instead of having a few hundred DMA(s) have 50! Gee something thats logical...

Hmm. You are forgetting the "law of unintended consequences"...Suppose the number of DMA's is ,let's say reduced by half...Now that may seem logical to satellite and cable subs..But remeber this..There are many areas that are un-cabled and plenty of people who, because of LOS reasons, cannot get a sat signal or cannot afford said system.That leaves them with OTA as their only option...In sparsely populated wide expanses of the Western states that would leave many people with no tv at all....

 

[CapeFish]

I ran into a situation that I barely escaped from regarding this issue. I went to a little town in SC where viwers received locals from Charlotte,NC and Columbia,SC thru cable...The area is inside the Charlote DMA...I walk into the home and the guy has a virtual shrine to U of South Carolina football...Here's the problem..USC games are shown every saturday from the Columbia stations....With Dish, they would get locals from Charlotte..USC is an SEC school..North Carolina is more or less an ACC state..So with Dish, this guy gets his locals from an NC city..Guess what?..No more USC games....I didn't even think of it and I had driven 70 miles to do the job..He sort of said he couldn't wait ot watch the Gamecocks that saturday. Just as I was leaving after completion. There was no way I was going to get into that mess. So I said nothing..To some , that may seem unethical..But I didn't want to have to pull the EQ out and 3 hours plus drive time would have been wasted..I figured he would find out eventually and call Dish to complain...Never heard from the guy..Maybe he kept his lifeline cable(local stations only)..I think it's pretty stupid to be in a DMA where areas can be 50 to 100 miles from the signal origin...Columbia is actually closer to this area that Charlotte....Go figure..
I thnk this legislation is doomed..Lobbyists representing broadcast interests will urge legisaltors to kill it..

University of South Carolina home games, like any SEC school, would air on either CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, or Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly JP Sports).

So if WIS (or WBHQ) are airing the game in Columbia, then WAXN in Charlotte should air the game as they are the SEC affiliate for Lincoln Financial Sports in Charlotte.

Lincoln Financial Sports has the ACC rights as well and those games air on WBTV (or WWWB/WJZY) in Charlotte and on WOLO (or WBHQ/WZRB) in Columbia.

WAXN's Website: Action 64, Action News at 10, Oprah, Dr. Phil, Andy Griffith, Friends

 

[jerseyfla]

This would be an extreme help to Satellite subscribers in Central New Jersey because Mercer County is considered in the Philly DMA but the cable companies give this area both locals from New York and Philadelphia. Not only that, but the cable subscribers also get 5, yes, count them 5 RSN's (SNY, FSNNY, MSG, YES, and CSN Philly). Monmouth and Ocean Counties are in the New York DMA and their cable gives them both markets as well. I know Comcast will never give up SportsNet Philly to satellite but at least give these areas Both New York and Philly Locals and all New York RSN's with no blackouts.

I think the FCC should give you locals and RSNs from your state by default. But again the issue comes up that New Jersey and Delaware do not have local stations (except for low power Atlantic City NBC affiliate WMGM). Here is the solution, just give New Jersey residents New York and Philly stations and Delaware residents Philly and Salisbury, MD or Baltimore stations. Someone has to speak up that satellite companies should be able to follow "Significantly Viewed" rules as well.

 

[jhamps10]

this would be a HUGE help here too, as Cable here offers locals not only from St Louis (which is our DMA) But Evansville,IN and Terre haute, IN. EVV and TH are both only 60 miles away as the crow flyes, where as STL is almost 100 miles. While the St Louis stations lately have been covering this area more with like severe weather and such, the Indiana markets are still hands down better in covering us.

 

[jfabi82]

This would be good and all, but E* is not allowed (right now) to show "Distant Networks," so something would have to change there first. In addition, there are MANY local, non Big 3/4 stations that E* doesn't carry just beacause they don't meet "Must-Carry" as in "Must-Not-Care Much." A few DMA's aren't even carried by E*, period. (And they just care about adding HD's!) If it all works out, this would benefit many, but Dish will need to once again be able to carry Distant Nets.

 

[dishcomm]

University of South Carolina home games, like any SEC school, would air on either CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, or Lincoln Financial Sports (formerly JP Sports).

So if WIS (or WBHQ) are airing the game in Columbia, then WAXN in Charlotte should air the game as they are the SEC affiliate for Lincoln Financial Sports in Charlotte.

Lincoln Financial Sports has the ACC rights as well and those games air on WBTV (or WWWB/WJZY) in Charlotte and on WOLO (or WBHQ/WZRB) in Columbia.

WAXN's Website: Action 64, Action News at 10, Oprah, Dr. Phil, Andy Griffith, Friends

Yes, one would think this would be the case. But it isn't...Ch64 usually handles Sunbelt conference or MEAC football....On occasion if the local ABC affiliate isn't showing an SEC game featuring the Gamecocks, ABC will allow another station in the market to pick up the game..But not up against an ACC game. WBTV CH 3 has that contract. this is for ratings purposes...The ACC games get the majority of viewers here..

 

[dishcomm]

This would be an extreme help to Satellite subscribers in Central New Jersey because Mercer County is considered in the Philly DMA but the cable companies give this area both locals from New York and Philadelphia. Not only that, but the cable subscribers also get 5, yes, count them 5 RSN's (SNY, FSNNY, MSG, YES, and CSN Philly). Monmouth and Ocean Counties are in the New York DMA and their cable gives them both markets as well. I know Comcast will never give up SportsNet Philly to satellite but at least give these areas Both New York and Philly Locals and all New York RSN's with no blackouts.

I think the FCC should give you locals and RSNs from your state by default. But again the issue comes up that New Jersey and Delaware do not have local stations (except for low power Atlantic City NBC affiliate WMGM). Here is the solution, just give New Jersey residents New York and Philly stations and Delaware residents Philly and Salisbury, MD or Baltimore stations. Someone has to speak up that satellite companies should be able to follow "Significantly Viewed" rules as well.

I agree..The cable co's due to Must Carry and siginificantly viewed criteria are actually required to put these stations on their systems. Satellite co's however are not saddled by theis requirement.If anything i think this would go the other way. Meaning the cable co's would want to get rid of the above requirements to clear channel space..
RSN's are in a different situation..The RSN's do not determine team territories, the teams and/or leagues do that. One may get RSN's from other markets but that doesn't mean the elimination of blackouts..
I think as pay TV subs we should have the right to receive any programming we wish as long as we are willing to pay for it.
I believe these DMA and sports blackout rules are archaic.