SKY ANGEL NEWS RELEASE: 3ABN, Golden Eagle, Spirit, prohibited from reinstating

[laseradam]

As you may already be aware, on April 14th, Good Friday, we experienced a sudden loss of programming on 10 of our 36 channels. EchoStar Communications Corp., owner of the DISH Network satellite service, communicated to us that this loss was due to a technical failure of its EchoStar III satellite that we are currently sharing with EchoStar per a technical agreement we have with the company. We were successful in working with EchoStar to get seven of our 10 channels back on the air fairly quickly. Regrettably, three channels were not reinstated, and this technical failure evolved into contractual issues with EchoStar that, due to confidentiality restrictions in our agreement, we cannot publicly discuss. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were unable to negotiate through the issues and are now prohibited from reinstating the channels that carried Three Angels Broadcasting, Golden Eagle Broadcasting and SPIRIT. Now that there is finality concerning our negotiations with EchoStar and it is certain that we will not be able to provide these three channels at this time, I wanted you to understand the reason.

I deeply regret the inconvenience that this interruption in programming may have caused you. As many of you know, we’ve faced a number of challenges with our relationship with EchoStar over the past few years; the Lord has guided us to positive outcomes in these cases (Romans 8:28) and we will continue to trust in Him for guidance and strength (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Presently we are exploring an option that might enable us to add one or two channels sometime in the future. We are happy to be able to continue carrying “3ABN Today” on our Angel One channel and hope to work with 3ABN to air special events, such as 3ABN’s “Ten Commandments Weekend” special that we carried in May on our special events channel, Angel Two. We continue to carry Safe TV which airs several of the same programs that 3ABN airs, including Sabbath programming. Additionally, in early June, we are trading the SuperChannel TBN feed with the national Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) feed on Channel 9709. TBN carries many of the same programs that aired on Golden Eagle and many others that were not previously airing on Sky Angel. Also, there are programs that aired on Golden Eagle that are airing on other Sky Angel channels as well, such as Richard Roberts’ “Hour of Healing” on our Angel One and Angel Two channels. Additionally, while Sky Angel already offers more contemporary Christian music than any other cable or satellite provider, we will be looking for ways to add more Christian music in cooperation with SPIRIT Television. If you are not a subscriber to our monthly printed TV guide, “Sky Angel Guide”, I encourage you to visit our free online program guide at www.skyguide.org or by clicking here to find out when your favorite shows are airing.

I ask for your prayers as we continue to move forward with the vision the Lord gave my father, Robert Johnson, Sr., for this project a little more than 25 years ago. Sky Angel’s mission is to build and operate a global direct broadcast satellite system, using our own satellites, as the most effective means of assuring that the Gospel will penetrate every nation, culture and people—even the most unreachable regions of the world. To build and launch our own satellite will cost in the neighborhood of $150 million dollars to achieve. It’s an awesome mission in both magnitude and cost, however, one that our studies have shown is attainable with the dedication of our staff and the growing support of Christians here in America subscribing to the Sky Angel service. We have been in negotiations with a satellite manufacturer for some time and have begun an effort to identify sources that will be helpful in raising the necessary funds. Sometimes the challenge seems almost beyond comprehension, but I’m constantly reminded that with God’s help everything is possible and that God’s will always prevails. As we grow, it is my prayer that additional resources will become available that will enable Sky Angel to support various other works of ministry around the world with one common purpose: to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

Yes, Sky Angel is a television service, still delivering into your home, church or business a wonderful array of TV and radio channels to edify, inform and entertain. But Sky Angel is also a unique work of ministry whose impact for the Kingdom has the potential to be huge. I pray that we can count on your support as we continue to trust in the Lord to guide us during this challenging yet exciting journey.

In His service,


Rob Johnson
CEO


P.S. Please understand that our call center representatives have no further information to provide.

 

[Gary Z]

and I cancelled my subscrition. I know it is not Sky Angels fault but I want my 3ABN. FTA is the way to go.

 

[mwgiii]

Source?

This would be bad news for Sky Angel. Obviously SA didn't have a clause in the contract with Dish that if a failure occured on a transponder SA was using, that SA could take back a transponder that they leased to Dish.

 

[dstrouth]

see skyangel.com/outage

 

[TNGTony]

and I cancelled my subscrition. I know it is not Sky Angels fault

Well, it really is. Had Dominion followed through and actually built a satellite and uplink center rather than talking about it for 20 years, they would be controlling their own fate.

I understand they do not have the money and this is the best they can do. Well... Then they choose to have some one else be the "gate keeper" to use one of Bob Johnson's tag lines.

Tony

 

[drfreeman]

I have been thinking of not renewing my sky angel subscription(up in june)
yes it sounds like some mistakes on sky angels part....
Mr Johnson sounds honest in the above statement,so because of that
I will renew for another year.

 

[digiblur]

What I still don't understand is if the TP is still active why aren't the channels on the TP. Either the TP works or it doesn't.

 

[Mr Tony]

supposedly only part of it works. Remember, they can fit 12+ channels on a TP and right now 3 video channels don't work (or at least thats what's been said sicne day one....instead of PIDS 6666 video 6667 audio as an example, its outputting 0000 for both)

 

[greggor48]

I just stack two LNBF on my 180cm dish and I am located in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean and i am now receiving IA5 (telstar 5) and AMC4 to get all the Christian programming from the 2 satellite. The dish is on Telstar 5 at 97W and the other LNBF is about 4" above left of the center LNBF and I get AMC 4with good signal (85% signal) and 65% quality.

You guys can try it. The hard part was to figure out how to get the LNBF install and I did it using some tapes and a piece of board. Will put a pic one day. Who need Sky Angel!!! There is nothing special there.

 

[Mr Tony]

Good job Greggor!

Yep. If you have 2 "block" type lNB's (that are square) just put them right next to each other (may have to adjust it a liitle bit)

Heck, I just hooked up a DirecTv Phase II for the free audio on Nimiq1 and I put a KU LNB in the middle slot and get KUIL at 75 quality and 3ABN at 70 quality. And this dish is undersized (the normal is 30" but this is 24x20")

 

[dish_in_the_sky]

Setbacks do happen

There are two sides to this:

1. Business viewpoint

Without sufficient funds, Dominion cannot put up a satellite and uplink station of their own. Their timeline to do so is lengthened by the loss of the channels because their service is now a bit less marketable, thus reducing their income.

Given the issues with Echostar 3, it is a matter of time before the satellite fails (no satellite operates forever,) and Sky Angel will either (1) find new transponder space on a(nother?) satellite, (2) build their own satellite, (3) buy an existing satellite or (4) slowly drop out of the (satellite TV) picture due to an unsustainable business.

2. Christian viewpoint

God uses Sky Angel to spread His word and His teaching as part of His church; Sky Angel can be considered part of His body [the church] which performs a specific function. God will honor His name. If He wishes Sky Angel to continue its work, they will do so regardless of the above reasoning. If not, they will not. If not, He will see to it His Word and His Name are spread in other ways and at other times.

The people working at Sky Angel need to be certain they are (and continue to be) faithful to God's Word, because teaching what is not His Word will displease God--and displeasing God is NOT a good thing. Pleasing God will result in His blessing.

I believe the time of the Tribulation, etc. is very near. As Christians we all need to follow God and His Word carefully. Thos who do not believe in Jesus Christ need to do so now while there is still time.



Note that I have a lifetime subscription to Sky Angel. I'm building an FTA system whic can pick up the Ku band from 11 to 12.75 GHz and I may find the missing channels that way.

 

[dish_in_the_sky]

Hypothesis on the reduced channels

It is possible there is less power available to the satellite due to solar cell degradation/transponder aging or other factors.

A certain level of output power is required to maintain a particular BER (bit error rate) while using the entire transponder bandwidth.

If the output drops, the bandwidth must then drop (fewer channels) to maintain the same BER. Therefore a transponder degraded below a certain level cannot handle as many channels without resulting in bad video/audio, which is anathema to a satellite TV provider.

I have noticed the "signal level" on my Echostar 3900 (DISH) receiver dropped to 50 from 75. (I measured the 75 level several months ago.) This was after I changed from an 18x22" oval dish (with DISH 500 LNBF) to a 36" round dish (with single DSS LNBF) which gives tremendous signal strength. (basic sat meter was at -2 to -4 with the small dish and all the way down (-8 and slams the needle) with the 36" dish. The sat meter knob is marked from -6 to +6

Probably the "signal level" is really a [logarithmic] BER (bit error rate) meter on this receiver. I believe a "signal strength" meter on the FTA receivers are just that, with the "quality" meter being a BER meter.

Thoughts on this post???

 

[JeffH]

Who need Sky Angel!!! There is nothing special there.

I need Sky Angel.

I strongly believe that they are a very special and important service; therefore I will continue to support them.

For those in the SDA church and watch 3abn programming, who is Ellen G. White?

I find excellent teaching from John MacArthur on "Grace to You" carried on Bott Radio Network ch 9781 as well as Sacred Favorites and Moody Radio. I highly recommend his Bible teaching

Jeff

 

[digiblur]

supposedly only part of it works. Remember, they can fit 12+ channels on a TP and right now 3 video channels don't work (or at least thats what's been said sicne day one....instead of PIDS 6666 video 6667 audio as an example, its outputting 0000 for both)

It still has the same symbol rate right?

Might have to swing over to it and take a look at the datastream.

 

[Chris Freeland]

I need Sky Angel.

For those in the SDA church and watch 3abn programming, who is Ellen G. White?


Jeff

She was one of the early leaders when the SDA church was just starting out, she wrote many inspiring books and letters to individuals in the early church on many subjects that where way ahead of her time. Many but not all SDA's believe she was a profit, however none of here writings contradict the Bible, and we do not consider her writings as equal to the Bible or base are basic doctrines on them.

 

[Mr Tony]

It still has the same symbol rate right?

Might have to swing over to it and take a look at the datastream.

yep 20000

 

[ShaneLinder]

I enjoy Sky Angel programming although I am going to miss Spirit a lot.

For those in the SDA church and watch 3abn programming, who is Ellen G. White?

3ABN is run by an Adventist but not by the Adventist church itself. Many Adventists consider 3ABN to be quite conservative. Hope TV is available on an FTA dish and is the church's official television channel.

Adventists have sectarian beleifs. They do beleive that Ellen White recieved messages directly from God via visions, dreams and angels. However they do not base any of their doctrine on her writings alone and do not believe her writings to be infallible as the Bible is. The Adventist church is perhaps the only denomination that believes in a recent prophet and is not considered a cult by mainstream Christianity (Christianity Today & Protestant theologen Walter Martin).

I am impressed the Sky Angel has been so generous and kind to 3ABN, since Adventists are sectarian and not bashful about it. This tells me that Sky Angel cares most about the gospel of Christ and not just one version of it. They are willing to move things around on Angel One and Angel Two to make room for Adventist programming.

 

[JeffH]

Thanks for your replies to my question about Ellen G. White and the spirit in which it was written. I may not agree with the SDA Churches doctrine and for that matter I don't agree with many other "TV Preachers" doctrines, but being that Sky Angel is a "forum" (as stated in the past by a Sky Angel representative) I believe that there is room at the table for them.

The programming I follow most on Sky Angel as I stated in the last post is John MacArthur's Grace to You and the Word Pictures series produced by CrossTV (I find their teaching to be excellent), my favorite networks are FaithTV, TLN and Worship, but I watch and listen to many of the other networks as well.

It's time to open our check books (which I have) and support Sky Angel above and beyond our subscription costs (particularly lifetime subs) and move Sky Angel to the next level. Imagine what they will be able to do with their own uplink center and satellite with all 8 transponders.:up

Sky Angel is a special service, and I need it.

Jeff

 

[mattb]

You know its amazing they can still contiune to carry FOX NEWS and HGTV and HALLMARK which are all avaiable via DirectTV and Dish Network but NOT spirit which is ONLY avaiable via C-band (10 ft dish most cant put up) or via the web....

Kinda stinkss. =(

I know I shouldnt feel this way but I REALLY hope for the sake of skyangel once they build their satellite and get it launched (im still hoping they do) that They yank their transponders back from Echostar faster than you can say yelp, I dont see how hard it would be for E* to let skyangel have place for 3 channels, I realize legal agreements and stuff but it seems like in this case, for once echostar is being the pain and not helping skyangel, I wonder if the recent adition of Daystar back to Dish network was something skyangel agreed to to try and get their 3 channels back up.


--Matt

 

[jashobeam]

We will continue our subscription, but I will miss Spirit. It was a great channel to leave on all day. GEB had kids shows my daughter loved. I hope they don't go under. SkyAngel is about the only thing we watch besides DVDs. I would love to see them add channels, but I'm not holding my breath.