The Ergen-Locast Link

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Albiondon

Albiondon

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Feb 23, 2010
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A smorgasbord of topics this week: (1) I don’t know it for a fact, but I know that it’s true that Charlie Ergen is the money behind Locast, the OTT service that is streaming local broadcast signals. (2) Retrans is also under attack from STELAR, the law that empowers satellite operators to import distant signals of network O&Os into areas where subscribers cannot receive local affiliates off air and is up for renewal. (3) With the emergence of the new Fox Corp. this week, a forecast finds that most of its broadcast fee growth will come from reverse comp. (4) A tip of the hat to FCC Comish Michael O’Rielly for taking on the Justice Department, which has been stepping on the FCC’s turf regarding local TV ownership rules.
The Ergen-Locast Link And Other Vital Matters - TV News Check
 
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I wouldn’t doubt that Charlie Ergen is behind this venture. He thumbed his nose at the broadcasters for years and gave anyone who wanted them distant locals from both east and west coast. He also pulled that trick where you could still get distant locals from a separate company you could access on your DISH satellite receivers. Why not behind this locast company too.
 
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I doubt that Charlie is behind Locast beyond offering his friend encouragement and advice. I don't think he'd want to risk scuttling it by being connected to Locast in any traceable way that could be used in court. That wouldn't prevent him from pressing company executives, relatives, and friends to make personal donations though. :)
 
MikeD-C05 said:
I wouldn’t doubt that Charlie Ergen is behind this venture. He thumbed his nose at the broadcasters for years and gave anyone who wanted them distant locals from both east and west coast. He also pulled that trick where you could still get distant locals from a separate company you could access on your DISH satellite receivers. Why not behind this locast company too.
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I still have Dish (For 20 years now), with streaming as an ad on. I still have the Super Stations through Dish too. I don't think they are offered any longer to new subs, but at least he has allowed them to be grandfathered in.
 
mwdxer1 said:
I still have Dish (For 20 years now), with streaming as an ad on. I still have the Super Stations through Dish too. I don't think they are offered any longer to new subs, but at least he has allowed them to be grandfathered in.
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I used to love having superstations in 97 when Star Trek Voyager was on UPN. That was the main reason we chose DISH over Directv. I have had DISH 22 years now and before them we had Primestar satellite.
 
The Local Choice proposal mentioned in this article is fantastic, excellent, and long overdue. This would turn all local channels into either "Must Carry" (at a $0 retransmission fee) or "Local Choice" where each local channel would set an amount of money, and each subscriber would choose which local channels they want, and pay for just those channels. So, say, if CBS in your area wants $4/month, you could decline that and not have to pay it. You could use an antenna for CBS or buy CBS All Access if desired. The great thing is, there would not be any blackouts, you would just decide if you want to buy each local channel, or not. Local channels would decide if they are free or if they want to charge.
 

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