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Here We Go Again: Local TV Vs. DirecTV

I don't have the link handy, but WGHP Greensboro, NC is about to be taken off DirecTV.

Didn't WXLV and WMYV just nearly get taken off Dish?

This is a real problem because people could end up switching from one to the other and having to switch again.
 
This seems to be happening more and more with local TV station companies and satellite providers. I think most of the time, the issue gets resolved before the channel even gets taken off, but this is a pretty stale topic. I also observed that in recent years, satellite TV has been phased out (in some areas, at least). I think it's partially because they don't have locals in HD in a lot of cities, and the fact that many communities have 2 or more cable providers, so there's more choice.
 
ssetta said:
This seems to be happening more and more with local TV station companies and satellite providers. I think most of the time, the issue gets resolved before the channel even gets taken off, but this is a pretty stale topic. I also observed that in recent years, satellite TV has been phased out (in some areas, at least). I think it's partially because they don't have locals in HD in a lot of cities, and the fact that many communities have 2 or more cable providers, so there's more choice.
Click to expand...
You're forgetting one thing. Some people live in the country. Cable doesn't go to a lot of rural areas. So your only choice is satellite.
For the local stations an antenna might work, but a lot of people outside the cities or a long way from the transmitters are finding out that's just not working with DTV.
 
As in most of these disputes, the station or network would seem to have a lot more to lose than DirecTV.

I'm not sure what the market penetration of DirecTV is, but seems to me losing 10-30% of your coverage
even for a little while could be the kiss of death to a local station.
 
My relatives 10 miles S of Yakima, WA cannot get cable down there (for some reason, Charter does not provide it like inside Yakima/Union Gap), so she has to watch Dish Network. Before that, it was only the main Yakima stations, 23/29/35/47, all antenna.

-crainbebo
 
Though I have considered both Dish and Direct TV as a way to save money over cable, I stick with Comcast - in good part because of the continuous hassles the satellite providers go through with content providers. I'm sure Comcast goes through these same negotiations, but I don't believe they've ever had to drop channels. I don't hold the content providers blameless - I'm sure they've been unreasonable at times, and the satellite companies have been right to drop them as a negotiation strategy.

Still - it's worth it to me to pay a little more. Doing without AMC, for example, as Dish subscribers are doing now - just isn't OK with me - AMC has too many good original series these days.
 
It should be noted this is the first time Local is negotiating on its own for a channel agreement for the stations they acquired from Fox; last time around when NewsCorp controlled DirecTV they had their carriage agreements enveloped with those of their former Fox Television Stations sisters.

Why the station groups are suddenly only giving us two days advanced notice rather than a month as they have in the past is confusing. Why so little time to man their resources lately?
 
I am so glad I cut the cord back in July 2010! They still send me junk mail U-verse, and Time Warner, and I call them and ask them "Do you offer A-La-Carte?" Rep says "What do you mean?" I say "Where I can pick the channels I pay for?" Rep says "Well we have Standard, Basic, and Digital." I say "What's basic?" Rep says "Basic is broadcast channels, C-SPAN, and WGN." I say "You mean the channels I already get over the air, along with 1 channel I can watch online, and 1 cable channel?" Rep says yep. Then I ask another question "Can I get Basic, Fox News Channel, CNBC, Boomerang, Hub, GMC, TV Land, and TV1?" Nope. I proceed to tell them "Why are you wasting postage mailing me advertisements for channels I don't want, at an unreasonable price, along with Digital Phone service when I already get it dirt cheap via Callcentric?" Rep says "I don't know" I then say "Goodbye" and end the call.
 
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