Would you leave Dish if they stop carrying CBS?

[James Long]

Why all this talk about losing CBS. The feds are requiring Dish to carry all the local stations in a market it they carry any -

Not quite. The rule is that they must carry stations that elect to be must carry, and must pay or come to some other arrangement for stations that elect consent to carry. If a station doesn't want to be on satellite, they can elect "consent" and say no.

There is nothing a network station can do to prevent a satellite provider from carrying them as a distant (outside the Grade B of all affiliates ot the network). But as a local the station can certainly refuse to be carried.

JL

 

[Neutron]

You guys outta here the automated message when calling into the main DISH number. They are blaming Viacom and asking us subs to call their CEO and gives his number for this weekend.

 

[bsic]

i have to diagree. its not blackmail. viacom has the right to offer just package deals to dish just like dish offers us package deals. we can't pick and choose each channel. we have to take the whole package . so why does dish think they should be able to pick and choose. i like dish but they are being hypocrits in this case. viacom is right.

Well dish isnt allowed to offer channels ala carte. Some stations require that if you get one channel, you get a bundle. Dish HAS to offer packages. Just like every single other content provider.

The difference is that DISH is allowing you to choose your own programming. Viacom wants to FORCE programming on you and take up more E* bandwidth, and not letting E* have a say in the matter of its own business of content distribution. Bandwidth is already tight. They are also forcing YOU to pay for more channels just to recieve the publically available CBS feed. But this is ok with you i guess.

Extortion is the word here. Your analogy really isnt valid. A better analogy is that you have cellular service, and to renew your contract they say you have to buy a new $1000 phone AND they will raise your rates, and they tell you you can only use the phone at certain times... when the new phone isnt even required for you to recieve calls, and it "works" all the time. I guess you would just take that offer.

 

[CMB]

I will email Charlie over this. If I lose CBS-HD [March Madness, The Masters (and other PGA golf in HD) and their primetime programming] I will switch to Directv. I don't care about the cost of the programming. What's a couple more bucks. I called Directv and they will give me a good deal on a HD receiver and programming credits to dump Dish and come back. If Charlie loses Viacom he may lose many customers. Directv already has big advantages - much better hardware and NFL ticket...

 

[red hazard]

Fence Sitters Will Jump Ship

No doubt there are many that have thought about leaving E* because of a number of other issues discussed (and cussed) in these forums that will now be pushed over the edge and go to D*, Voom or Cable. I'll wait to see what they replace the Viacom channels with. If it's just a bunch of gargage channels (and we already got plenty of them) then it's adios. Loyalty is a 2-way street--something E* has forgotten. :!:

 

[bcshields]

I don't have CBS... can't get a waiver.. in a DMA with two channels powered by hampster wheels... no hills, flat.. no reception.... don't care if Viacom takes them away or not. Now take my Comedy Central away and I'll be ready to shoot someone... but I'll live. One thing I learned since I've worked in this industry is that people take TV way too seriously.

 

[DISHMAN]

Get a life guys: This is just another ploy by Ergen to get his way. If its not him doing the srewing then its not ok. He's going to screw his cutomers just like his loyal and long time dealers. He's already done the same thing to many of his foriegn program providers who have left dish for other platforms. Many channels are on dish at present without a contract. Directv will soon have a Foriegn slate up and the migration of channels will start, But its seems america likes the Walmart mentality, but in the end we will all lose.

 

[omard.]

If they take away these major stations what will they replace them with or will they just leave them blank? Will my package still cost the same? They will have less overhead will I benefit from this? Don't get me wrong these channels are not just any channels they are important to me and I assume they are to others, but I need to know the answer to these questions before I just up and switch to a new provider.

 

[korsjs]

Extortion is the word here. Your analogy really isnt valid. A better analogy is that you have cellular service, and to renew your contract they say you have to buy a new $1000 phone AND they will raise your rates, and they tell you you can only use the phone at certain times... when the new phone isnt even required for you to recieve calls, and it "works" all the time. I guess you would just take that offer.

Very well said. I agree with you.

 

[AndyMon]

Personally, I could care less since I get CBS digital OTA just fine, thank you. And it's free, as it should be.
Bottom line should be to keep our costs down.
Somebody has to make a stand. Many of you seem to care little for spending ever increasing $$$ just to watch TV. Just wait until getting a full package of channels in HD costs over $200 p/mo in a couple of years.
Some of you must be incredibly well heeled or just plain dopey. Which is it?

 

[jds44]

A friend of mine with Dish has a ratings diary. I don't think the local Miami CBS will be happy to loose him watching CBS.