Me-TV on satellite....ever?

[carolinaradio]

Aside from a few random local affiliates carried on satellite, Me-TV, which is nearing 80% clearance in the US, is still absent from Dish Network and DirecTV, who aren't really interested in carrying subchannels.
I don't think AT&T U-Verse carries subs, either.

What's the chance of ME ever making it to satellite? It's just going to get more and more popular. I live in a more rural area, have Dish and plug an antenna in to my receiver to get it, but reception is maybe 7/10 at best most of the time. Reception's not always fantastic. So many people are missing out on it because of satellite not carrying it. I wonder of Me-TV could ever get a "national" feed for satellite to carry (sorta like Ion did)? Or would that go against their contracts with local affiliates? That seems like the only way they'll ever make it to satellite.

 

[visaman]

All that you are missing out on are ads for: catheters, reverse mortgages, and local spots for nursing homes.

I'm kidding! ;D

 

[carolinaradio]

Actually (and I know this is rather pathetic), I was impressed to see ads for Glade and Swiffer products recently.

Can't forget Colonial Penn.

 

[Darth_vader]

Yes, ever

I'd say the chances are pretty good, considering ME-TV has been available via satellite since the beginning. How do you think they distribute the programming to the stations? AMC 1 transponder 2, DVB, right in there with THIS TV. (http://www.lyngsat.com/AMC-1.html ) F.Y.I., this is also the true, bonafide "national feed" of ME-TV that you wondered about.

Granted, it's not *pay satellite* (which is a royal rip-off anyways) like the two certain unnamed systems you mentioned, and you have to be up to installing at least a 3-foot parabolic to have any hope of getting it *and* not making the neighbours b???h all the while, since it's on C-band...

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Re: Yes, ever

I'd say the chances are pretty good, considering ME-TV has been available via satellite since the beginning. How do you think they distribute the programming to the stations? AMC 1 transponder 2, DVB, right in there with THIS TV. (http://www.lyngsat.com/AMC-1.html ) F.Y.I., this is also the true, bonafide "national feed" of ME-TV that you wondered about.

Granted, it's not *pay satellite* (which is a royal rip-off anyways) like the two certain unnamed systems you mentioned, and you have to be up to installing at least a 3-foot parabolic to have any hope of getting it *and* not making the neighbours b???h all the while, since it's on C-band...

but who still has a C-band receiver? They might still have a BUD in their backyard

 

[FreddyE1977]

All that you are missing out on are ads for: catheters, reverse mortgages, and local spots for nursing homes.

I'm kidding! ;D

Actually that's pretty much on-target. Does not deter me from watching some of my
favorite old shows though.

What might is some of the time compression they are doing. Was home on a recent weekday
watching Hawaii Five-O, and the music tended to speed up and slow down constantly in a very
annoying fashion. Like back in the day when your turntable belt was about to give out.

 

[anotherguyTN]

I'd be for ME TV making themselves available on satellite and also cable where they don't have a local station already carrying it, or in areas like Jackson, TN where it's only part time.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

All that you are missing out on are ads for: catheters, reverse mortgages, and local spots for nursing homes.

I'm kidding! ;D

Actually (and I know this is rather pathetic), I was impressed to see ads for Glade and Swiffer products recently.

Can't forget Colonial Penn.

You don't necessarily need Me-TV to get all those ads mentioned above--you will get your fix of those on "The Price is Right." ;D

 

[dave73]

As long as Dish & DirecTV continue to reject carrying subchanels, I say never. They have made an exception in some smaller markets where Fox, CBS, ABC, or NBC is on a subchannel, due to the market having 1 - 5 full power stations. Because of that, it's also preventing stations that program subchannels locally from being on satellite as well. For Weigel Broadcasting (owners of This TV & MeTV), they can't get MeToo (local MeTV for Chicago) & U Too (locally programmed channels, with MeToo being a subchannel to WCIU, along with being on WMEU-LD), & This TV (national feed). The only reason MeTV is available on satellite in Chicago, is because it's coming from WWME-LD, & was a station DirecTV didn't want to add initially, and has since refused to add WMEU-LD, though Weigel isn't gonna charge to carry the station. For WTTW (PBS), they haven't been able to add WTTW Prime (locally programmed primetime PBS channel). For WYIN, they have 1 subchannel that offers 24 hour children's programming, programmed locally.

 

[carolinaradio]

As long as Dish & DirecTV continue to reject carrying subchanels, I say never. They have made an exception in some smaller markets where Fox, CBS, ABC, or NBC is on a subchannel, due to the market having 1 - 5 full power stations. Because of that, it's also preventing stations that program subchannels locally from being on satellite as well. For Weigel Broadcasting (owners of This TV & MeTV), they can't get MeToo (local MeTV for Chicago) & U Too (locally programmed channels, with MeToo being a subchannel to WCIU, along with being on WMEU-LD), & This TV (national feed). The only reason MeTV is available on satellite in Chicago, is because it's coming from WWME-LD, & was a station DirecTV didn't want to add initially, and has since refused to add WMEU-LD, though Weigel isn't gonna charge to carry the station. For WTTW (PBS), they haven't been able to add WTTW Prime (locally programmed primetime PBS channel). For WYIN, they have 1 subchannel that offers 24 hour children's programming, programmed locally.

I agree that they won't carry the subchannels. That is why I say their only hope, IMO, seems to be to offer the sat-providers the national feed of Me-TV to carry, much like Ion/PAX and Telefutura (they are broadcast, but also on Dish/Direct) do - they are available on a local basis, but also offer a feed to satellite providers

I don't know how difficult it would be for them to get picked up if available, and if there are contractual issues with the shows/existing affiliates that would prevent it, but I bet the providers would pick it up if available (especially Dish)

Then again, Weigel seems pleased with Me-TV being a subchannel network, and they've never made any attempt that I know of to get THIS distributed on satellite. I'd think Me is much more popular, though.

 

[Darth_vader]

"But who still has a C-band receiver? They might still have a BUD in their backyard."

Probably just about anyone who has any el cheapo, off-the-shelf consumer DVBS downlink equipment (set-top receiver, PCI board in the computer, etc.) these days has access to C-band. Putting both C and Ku reception in the same package is pretty much the standard practise these days. (Has been for probably the better part of the last 20 years or so.) I think the only real single-band receivers you're probably likely to find in the mainstream consumer market these days, brand new, are the dollar-a-dozen-at-Goodwill pay receivers (i.e. Echo$tar, Direct-TV, a few others.)

And you don't *have* to have a BUD to use C-band. You can get away with using a three-footer if you have to. Obviously you won't get the performance and stability you would have with a BUD, especially in bad weather, but it's better than nothing.

[size=8pt]And carolinaradio, THIS is also distributed via satellite; always has been. Did you not look at the chart I linked to above? Transponder 2, right up near the top.

 

[carolinaradio]

When I said they didn't seem to have attempted to put THIS "on satellite", I was referring to getting DirecTV/Dish Network to carry it.

Then again, I don't know how attractive THIS is when compared to Me-TV. Me is much, much better.

 

[Darth_vader]

Yeah, pay satellite; essentially "wireless cable" systems.

The generic term "On satellite" actually refers to the hundreds/thousands of (typically) free to air services that exist beyond those couple "walled garden" cable systems. ME and THIS, for instance.