Senators reactions to your emails send through www.savemychannels.com or your calls

[rockymtnhigh]

Saw my Congressman (J. Salazar) at a campaign event today; talked to him about the issue, but to be honest, I don't think he either understood or cared. He told me to followup with his chief-of-staff; someone who I used to work with. I will do that. I am going to take the E* is a COLORADO company, you need to act to help them out.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Here is the response I received from U.S. Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO):

Thank you for contacting me regarding distant television signals received by subscribers to satellite television. I appreciate hearing from you.

Access to major television networks is extremely important for many Coloradans. For the past several years, satellite provider EchoStar has been in a court battle with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) over providing customers with signals of distant network stations, rather then local affiliates.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued an order rejecting the joint settlement agreement between EchoStar and the broadcasters and entered a permanent injunction requiring EchoStar to shut off its distant network channels to all its customers by Dec. 1, 2006.

I have been in regular contact with both parties to try and find an equitable solution for all involved. Please be assured that I will continue to work to ensure that all Coloradans continue to receive television access.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Ken Salazar
United States Senator

 

[odbrv]

Thank you for contacting me to express your concern about a
recent court decision affecting satellite subscribers of EchoStar
Communications, which owns and operates Dish Network. I
appreciate knowing your concerns.

As you know, on October 20, 2006, a U.S. District Court Judge in
Florida ordered EchoStar to end distant network station feeds of
ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox programming to all of its subscribers
nationwide.

Like you, I believe this court decision is overreaching. While it
was found that EchoStar was illegally providing distant network
channels to some of its customers, many subscribers were legally
eligible to receive distant network service as defined in the
Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of
2004, which I supported in Congress.

As a result, this blanket injunction does not allow EchoStar to
continue to provide distant network broadcast channels to eligible
satellite subscribers. Furthermore, this disproportionately impacts
many West Texans, who may not be serviced by other satellite
providers.

At this time, EchoStar is appealing the court decision to the 11th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. It is my hope that this blanket
injunction will be limited to those subscribers who are not eligible
for distant network broadcast channel access.

Please know that I will continue to monitor the developments of
this situation, and will certainly keep your views in mind should
Congress address this issue.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to
contact me if I may be of service to you in the future. If you would
like to receive updates of my actions in Congress, please visit the
19th District's website at www.randy.house.gov and sign up for
regular e-newsletters.




Sincerely,

Randy Neugebauer

 

[boba]

I Emailed and have received no replies. I called my Senator and left my message at her office, I was never asked for my information. My feeling is Charlie has cried wolf one time too many, Congress is fed up with his tactics and feel he earned the punishment.

 

[RobbW]

I thought this was an interesting response....any thoughts? Buck's in Southern California by the way.

Cheers,

RobbW

Thank you for contacting me regarding the regulation of
distant network channels.

As you may know, the Florida Southern District Court
found EchoStar Communications Corporation (the DISH Network)
guilty of violating the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of
1999 on October 20th, 2006 and issued an injunction that EchoStar
must stop providing distant network channels to all subscribers as
of December 1, 2006.

Distant network channels are ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox
broadcast channels that originate from a market outside the
community in which a subscriber lives. The ruling does not
involve, and there is no danger, that DISH Network customers will
lose their local ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox network channels, or any
other programming available from EchoStar's DISH Network.

EchoStar has stated that they will continue to do everything
possible to prevent consumers from losing their distant network
channels. They have planned to ask the Congress to clarify the
statutory language, and ask the courts to re-consider their decision.

Currently, I am unaware of any specific legislation that
amends the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 to
allow EchoStar customers to keep their distant network channels.
However, should such legislation come before me, you will be
pleased to know that, depending on its details, I would be inclined
to support it.









Again, thank you for contacting me. I look forward to
hearing from you on other matters of interest or concern.





Sincerely,
Buck McKeon
Member of Congress

 

[Scorpion.sting]

Maybe Buck McKeon should sponsor some legislation to change the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and sponsor Act of Reauthorization Act of
2004.



Cheers