Network affiliates on cruise ship

[ansky212]

I just got back from vacation on a Carnival cruise. The TV channel lineup on the ship was very limited but one thing I noticed was that the CBS, NBC, and ABC affiliates were all Denver network affiliates. Does anybody know why they would carry Denver affiliates? I thought that was kind of odd. I was expecting to see NYC, LA, or even Miami stations (since that is where the cruise left from)...

 

[bhayes1016]

I assume they get their TV via satellite, which means it would have to be NY, LA or Denver. Odd that they chose Denver.

 

[Nertz!]

It would make better sense if they used stations near the time zones they have the boat in.

 

[Smittian]

In remote areas of west Texas, network affiliates on cable are also Denver stations. I would think it would be San Antonio or El Paso.

 

[Horns]

I was on a Carnival cruise recently too and noticed the same thing. One day, there was a bunch of severe weather in Colorado and all of the Denver stations were in severe weather coverage mode. It was strange to watch while 2000 miles off the US coast in the Caribbean. Several years ago, while on another Carnival cruise, the NBC affiliate was WNBC in NYC, the ABC affiliate was from Nashville, and the CBS affiliate was a really bad local station in Erie, PA! I've never seen a Fox affiliate, but when there's a major sporting event on Fox, they seem to find a Fox station to put on the in cabin TV.

 

[rch66]

The stations (Erie CBS, etc.) you listed were on C-Band via Primetime 24.

Dish Network also offers New York, Los Angeles, Denver and Atlanta as distant networks. The cruise ship may have been using Dish Network, or C-Band which also provides networks from Denver, called "Denver 5"

 

[azumanga]

The cruise ship may have been using ... C-Band which also provides networks from Denver, called "Denver 5"

Denver in the Caribbean isn't as uncommon as you think -- cable systems in the central and southern Bahamas also use Denver affiliates from the Denver 5, instead of Miami stations, despite the fact that these days, Miami stations are available via satellite in the region (in addition to the New York channels and, of course, PT24).

 

[dhett]

I've never seen a Fox affiliate, but when there's a major sporting event on Fox, they seem to find a Fox station to put on the in cabin TV.

I thought I read somewhere in this forum that their Fox affiliate is WUHF 31 Rochester, NY.

 

[Doctah]

Why Denver? Especially in the Bahamas, that would mean primetime wouldn't start until 10 pm! Unless local stations there demanded it...

 

[azumanga]

Why Denver? Especially in the Bahamas, that would mean primetime wouldn't start until 10 pm! Unless local stations there demanded it...

First of all, the Bahamas has only one TV station, ZNS, with only two transmitters (one each in Nassau and Freeport). Second, the northern Bahamas (including Nassau and Freeport) do offer the Miami stations on cable.

As for why the cable system there prefers Denver over the PT24 package (or even Miami or New York) for the southern Bahamas is beyond me.

 

[jimmyherd]

When I was on a Royal Carribean cruise last year, none of the network affiliates were on the cabin TV. Most of the few channels were from south america. The most unusual was watching CHiPs on TCM in the morning when we got ready. But this wasnt the TCM shown in the US. Besides we didn't have the TV on much anyway. We were trying to get away from it

 

[RexManning]

finally a question about my area of expertese

direcTV and dish network both dont have coverage over the atlantic.
they operate on a very tight coverage pattern (or spot beam) that drops off sharply out in the atlantic.

all of the denver tv stations are located on a cband satellite (AMC1) which has full coverage far out to the
ocean. the bigger thing is they are all on the same satellite as well.

this is the most likely reason.

 

[azumanga]

DirecTV and dish network both dont have coverage over the atlantic.
they operate on a very tight coverage pattern (or spot beam) that drops off sharply out in the atlantic.

Though DirecTV does have a Latin American service that includes Miami and New York affiliates, which has coverage throughout the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

 

[ansky212]

First of all, the Bahamas has only one TV station, ZNS, with only two transmitters (one each in Nassau and Freeport). Second, the northern Bahamas (including Nassau and Freeport) do offer the Miami stations on cable.

I was in Nassau about six years ago and I remember the cable system in my hotel carried primarily NYC and LA affiliates.

 

[Nock]

First of all, the Bahamas has only one TV station, ZNS, with only two transmitters (one each in Nassau and Freeport). Second, the northern Bahamas (including Nassau and Freeport) do offer the Miami stations on cable.

I was in Nassau about six years ago and I remember the cable system in my hotel carried primarily NYC and LA affiliates.

Couple years back while visiting Puerto Rico I noticed how popular Direct TV or Dish was just by the amount of Dishes mounted on the roof tops of every building in the old part of San Juan. Noticed that they were angled almost 90 degrees obviously picking up the fringe of the signal?

Nock

 

[Nertz!]

I think it may have had to do with getting the signal and how the earth curves.