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Dirictv vs Viacom getting very UGLY
- Thread starter Kenny Atkinson
- Start date
benwolf said:
As much as I think DirecTV is overrated and has made some boneheaded decisions in the past few years, I can't defend Viacom. They're notorious adding more commercial clutter to the breaks on their networks (sometimes shows on TV Land are scheduled for 40 minutes because they add 10 more minutes of commercials to the program!). Their networks have long since strayed from their roots ("National Lampoon's Vacation" and "Married...With Children" reruns on CMT? Six-year-old "SNL" reruns on VH1? "Boy Meets World" on MTV2?). I feel as if I lost a few brain cells passing these networks as I scroll through the electronic guide. Their worthwhile "digital suite" channels (CMT Country, VH1 Soul, etc.) aren't (or in the case of DirecTV, weren't) even carried by the two satellite companies. Add poor performance at the Paramount movie studio, and one can argue that Viacom needs a management overhaul.
You got to give props to DirecTV for handling the PR situation semi-professionally (with the exception of the "Don't believe Viacom's hype" name-calling banner ads seen in this forum). The other guys could learn a thing or two from them after their disputes turned into PR nightmares. You can also score one for DirecTV for having a customer retention team that rivals that of AOL's former iron-clad retentionistas.
Eric Stein said:
Exactly! Content, personal tastes, or not, Viacom has created this problem for themselves. If you want people to care to watch then stop kowtowing to the notion of the only thing that matters is the bottom line. If people aren't missing your networks then it tells you that something is up and that something is going to be a long term problem that will come to haunt them when the economic conditions start to improve...
Viacom might need to become a little more aware of why people don't care about their networks and why people aren't jumping ship on DirecTV in droves although the most subscribers now known their channels are blocked out at the moment.
FYI, I'm in the heart of their target demographic group (18-34), college educated, and doesn't give 2 craps and a commode flush about those networks being off-the-air on my DirecTV subscription. Viacom needs to STEP IT UP on quality programming and leave quantity to buffet restaurants like Sizzler, etc.
kilamanjero said:
I think you're misreading this completely. People ARE missing their networks. That's why DirecTV is offering all these freebees to keep them, and assuring their customers that those channels will return soon. Fans of Comedy Central and MTV and Nick TV are calling and complaining. You may not care, but obviously someone does. Otherwise, DirecTV wouldn't be giving stuff away.
TheBigA said:
Those three are the only channels most viewers care about -- Comedy Central for "The Daily Show" an "Colbert Report", Nick for their teenybopper programming, and MTV for "Jersey Shore". I wonder how many people give a hoot about missing reruns of the Bundys on CMT?
Also, it seems that Viacom is playing more of the "crybaby" role by suspending streaming of their TV shows, affecting everyone who depends on them, whether they watch DirecTV or not.
It irks me everytime these carriage disputes come up, as it practically takes the viewers hostage while the programming suppliers try to entice the carriers to pay a higher fee that the carriers don't agree with.
azumanga said:
DirecTV should be telling their subscribers to hook an over-the-air antenna to the back of their TV's and inform them about subchannels. A lot of subscribers without TV Land are in reach of a Me-TV or Antenna TV affiliate, and they share a number of programs. Plus, Me-TV doesn't have as much commercial clutter.
landtuna said:
Now THAT would make no sense for DIRECTV to do. Telling subs to watch shows online as compared to telling them to watch over an OTA antenna is a completely different story. Online viewing, in a way, can supplement a cable/sat subscription when an OTA antenna can completely substitute a cable/sat sub.
However, I did notice yesterday that one of the channels Viacom pulled off the air, MTV Tr3s, is still available on DIRECTV on a local independent affiliate here in Los Angeles, KBEH 63. That channel actually shows a few shows that MTV regularly airs, such as Punk'd, Wild 'n' Out, Teen Mom, etc.
radiojomo said:
It makes as much sense as when DirecTV tells customers to go online to view programs, because many DirecTV subscribers go through CABLE providers such as Comcast, Cox, and Time Warner, for Internet access. Most modern TV setups to receive DirecTV go through HDMI or composite inputs, so the "Antenna In" is most likely not being used. Subchannels like Me-TV, Antenna TV, etc. should compliment, not compete with, DirecTV's offerings ("SportsCenter" will never be seen on free over-the-air TV).
Eric Stein said:
But those digital subchannels are compliments to your local channels carrying content from ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, etc. A small, but sizable portion of DIRECTV subs probably watch a majority of their content from their local channels. If DIRECTV led them to check out using an antenna and they realize that they don't need a DIRECTV subscription after all, that's another subscription lost.
In contrast, a majority of DIRECTV subscribers ALREADY have an internet connection with a cable/telcom provider. If this theory that many people are presenting that using a certain company's internet connection will lead people to bundle were true, DIRECTV would be suffering extremely right now. But millions of people are still with DIRECTV. Will some go ahead and bundle their service? Of course. But many DIRECTV subscribers would rather stay with the company because they like the service, the price and want to avoid having to go through with another installation. Also remember, DIRECTV has NFL Sunday Ticket, so a lot of commercial/corporate subscriptions can't be lost to cable.
radiojomo said:
DirecTV can still market the antenna/subchannel option in a way where it's not considered "cord-cutting" (i.e. you can still watch "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke" without TV Land, but keep DirecTV for access to NFL Sunday Ticket and "The O'Reilly Factor"). There could be that rare case where Me-TV becomes the viewer's favorite station, but that's the exception, not the rule.
radiojomo said:
I'm not disagreeing with you here. DirecTV's calling card is exclusivity to NFL Sunday Ticket and money is made from selling commercial accounts to bars, restaurants, etc. They're not going to hurt unless they lose exclusivity to Sunday Ticket.
Eric Stein said:
You're right, their main card is NFL Sunday Ticket, and to a lesser extent, sports in general (over Dish), and international channels. If they could perm drop the Viacom channels (which have no sports) but fill their sports lineup, they'd have the sports customer. They do lack CSN Philly which should be available to them now.
Regarding Comedy Central's "Daily Show" and "Colbert Report", right now they are in reruns, but I wonder the long term appeal.
'Daily Show' did highlight Bush's shortcomings quite well and it helped build up the youth audience, many who voted in great numbers for Obama. But, it's the same thing now, and nothing new to be watched from the show. Unless something significant like a big hit to the economy, like prior to the 2008 election, there isn't much exciting with the Obama vs. Romney president race as to be seen from Daily Show.
Anyways-It's still a good block of an hour, but not as much as a must-see, for that audience in other words. Anyways, that audience is less likely to be fixed with a DirecTV account and more likely to watch the shows streaming at a Starbucks or buying them from itunes now.
Eric Stein said:
But...why?
I just went through the TV Land schedule and checked out the schedule. Found that Gunsmoke and Bonanza are airing on Encore Westerns, a channel that was provided by DIRECTV for free during this dispute. TV Land also airs Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement and The King of Queens, both airing on TBS. Shows that also air like I Love Lucy, M*A*S*H, That 70's Show and Roseanne regularly air in syndication on the main outlets of many local channels.
I would say it would be more complicated to inform viewers about an OTA antenna hookup and digital subchannels than to tell them where else to find this programming on their very schedule. In addition, if needed, DIRECTV may make a carriage agreement to carry MeTV if the Viacom are not successful. In fact, in some markets, DIRECTV is carrying MeTV because it lands on a main outlet. Here in Los Angeles, KVME (MeTV) is carried on DIRECTV on Channel 20.
ding12 said:
I guess you dinged on my noun usage!
ding12 said:
Stewart and Colbert are back to new episodes starting Monday. I would also have to agree that they are the best hour of programming on Comedy Central, but definitely not as MUST SEE as they used to be. I believe that the full episodes of those shows won't be available, but clips will still be distributed, which I believe is how people watch the show.
radiojomo said:
That's my set-up; I have TV service with DirecTV (and I still have another year to go on my agreement), and internet service with Time Warner. My main motivation with staying with DirecTV, other than not wanting to pay a termination fee, is they have a wider selection of sports programming; plus we all know that TWC doesn't carry NFL Network on their systems. I watch plenty of movies as well, and both systems pretty much carry the same amount of movie channels, although on DirecTV you would have to upgrade to HD to see the extra channels provided by HBO (Comedy, Zone), Cinemax (ThrillerMax, ActionMax, WMax, 5-Star Max), Showtime/TMC (Beyond, Next, Women, TMC Xtra), and Starz (Kids, Cinema, Comedy); those same networks on TWC are carried in standard-def.
As far as getting digital subchannels, one thing I could suggest if you have a DirecTV HD/HD DVR box is to purchase the AM21 add-on converter, which enables you intermix your local digi-subs into the DirecTV lineup. It costs $50 (give or take), and you would have to add antenna (preferably an outdoor antenna for better reception) to get the stations. Unfortunately, you can't purchase the AM21 on DirecTV's website; you would have to go to a third-party retailer or call DirecTV directly, ask for one (you would have to pay for it upfront). It sort of makes things easier instead of switching back and forth between "TV" and the "A/V" or "HDMI" component to watch DirecTV.
ShawnHill1 said:
Of course this would be the perfect time to drop DirecTV as they no longer are carrying the channels for which you signed up for - I bet it would be considered a breach of contract no matter if it wasn't caused directly by them. I bet you'd have a good legal standing if you called them and cancelled under those terms and didn't cave to take anything from their retention department.
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