LOCAL CABLE/DIRECTV/DISH CHANNEL CARRIAGE

[sdwulfdawg]

I know this is probably not the best fit topicwise for this section:

If one were to have a startup LPTV station which they would hope to have carried citywide in a market and available on local cable systems and locally on Directv/Dish, FIOS, AT&T, 1) Who would one talk to at these companies about carriage, 2) What kind of incentive would have to be given for these media outlets to carry a LPTV station on startup?

 

[rgseark2009]

It would be very rare. Dish Network carries LPTV station WNBD-LD which is an NBC affiliate for Greenville/Greenwood Mississippi. WNBD-LD is also the sister station of WABG (ABC, FOX via 6-2 subchannel) which is in a Bottom 25 market.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I have NO LPTV stations on my DirecTV. I don't even have a full slate of full-power local stations.
(WINP, the local ION affiliate, was dropped back when their programming was all Home Shopping).
And of the other locals, only PBS and the Big 3 are in high def. None of their digital side channels are carried.

My brother has Dish Network and they likewise do not carry LPTV's. The major LPTV here,
WBGN, was dropped by Comcast cable a couple of years ago (they had apparently been paying to
lease a channel from Comcast but did not keep up on the payments). This allegedly came close to putting
them out of business. They are carried on Verizon FIOS.

Good luck with your efforts to start an LPTV station!

 

[tripinva]

Where is your LPTV?

- Trip

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Question would be better asked in a local forum because the answer varies. My city is served by two smaller cable companies, and both have a local manager who would be the contact point. If your area is served by Time Warner, Comcast, or another of the giants, your mileage will probably vary.

 

[sdwulfdawg]

Question would be better asked in a local forum because the answer varies. My city is served by two smaller cable companies, and both have a local manager who would be the contact point. If your area is served by Time Warner, Comcast, or another of the giants, your mileage will probably vary.

Actually when the NBC affiliate tried their hand at Latino programming and ultimately failed, they had carriage of the LPTV station on the local cable TV companies...... Once the Latino programming ended the systems dropped the channel.

 

[CrankyYankee]

My understanding is that, in most cases, if a TV station can be received with a reasonable signal at the cable company's headend
antenna, it has to be included on the 'basic/lifeline' channel lineup. Satellite coverage seems to be limited to network outlets for the most part. Any others want to comment.

 

[BRNout]

My understanding is that, in most cases, if a TV station can be received with a reasonable signal at the cable company's headend
antenna, it has to be included on the 'basic/lifeline' channel lineup. Satellite coverage seems to be limited to network outlets for the most part. Any others want to comment.

Low power stations are execepted from must-carry; and I do not believe that there's any requirement to carry multiple subchannels either. That's one reason why I wouldn't consider Direct TV or Dish here in the Chicago area: MeToo (available OTA via a LP and subchannel signal) is not offered on either one. But our Comcast system offers most subchannels in this market.

 

[dave73]

My understanding is that, in most cases, if a TV station can be received with a reasonable signal at the cable company's headend
antenna, it has to be included on the 'basic/lifeline' channel lineup. Satellite coverage seems to be limited to network outlets for the most part. Any others want to comment.

Low power stations are execepted from must-carry; and I do not believe that there's any requirement to carry multiple subchannels either. That's one reason why I wouldn't consider Direct TV or Dish here in the Chicago area: MeToo (available OTA via a LP and subchannel signal) is not offered on either one. But our Comcast system offers most subchannels in this market.

For now, the FCC does not require OTA digital subchannels for Must-Carry. As a result, satellite refuses to offer them. Satellite doesn't like offering some low power stations either. I remember DirecTV didn't even want to carry what was then WWME-CA (before they even added their digital companion channel) to their service, & refused to add MeToo, U Too, & This TV to their Chicago service package. Because of this, WTTW hasn't been able to get WTTW Prime on satellite either. I hear that DirecTV & Dish Network will only consider carrying local subchannels, if one of the top 4 networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, & Fox) are on a subchannel (usually a case in small markets with few TV stations).

As for cable, they too aren't required to carry low power TV stations, or carry subchanels from any TV stations. Most cable systems are however adding the subchannels, but they're putting them in the digital tier. The LPTV stations might either be in the basic package, or strictly in the digital tier (check your local cable company if your LPTV station is available, & which part of the service). Comcast is the only service in my immediate area, because AT&T Uverse is not available in all neighborhoods of Gary, IN. Uverse in my area does not have the local subchannels, but not sure if they have the LPTV stations.