Syndex Rule

[WPPCProductions]

Has anybody in their tv market having Syndex blue screen taking over your favorite tv show.so far in my area Entertainment Tonight is blue screened on ch2 New York because of ch3 Hartford CT. I guess the other local stations 8,30,61,59,26 dont give a hoot about the NY channels airing the same tv shows on cable.like Extra/Access Hollywood is on ch4 New York and ch30 here in Hartford CT, These shows are not blocked out.I remember about 15 years ago , all stations were doing it,and it stop a couple years later, and until a couple months ago it started up again.heres a link on detailed info on the Syndex ruling. http://www.copyright.gov/title37/258.html

 

[anotherguyTN]

I don't know if this applies on network signals, but I've seen Charter in Jackson, TN handle this differently, probably according to what the local station wants. I've been told that WBBJ ABC 7 wants to be the only ABC station on the system, so they don't carry ABC from Memphis or Nashville. Yet nothing is said or done on syndex rules on anything that WBBJ carries that is on another station from Memphis or Nashville like Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy. Those shows are still carried from the other stations. WJKT Fox 16 asks for WHBQ Fox 13 in Memphis to blocked when Fox programming is on, but not on syndicated shows at other times.

 

[BRNout]

I believe that it is up to each individual station to enforce their rights under "syndex" for market exclusivity. Sounds like WBBJ exercised its exclusive network carriage rights (most likely during renegotiation with the local cable system) by forcing the other ABC signal off of cable in their local market. They can do that, as long as that other station doesn't have 'significantly viewed' status. They were playing hardball because some stations (like WJKT) only insist on exclusive rights to network programming. Either way, WBBJ's owners weren't thinking in terms of syndex. Network exclusivity and syndex are two different issues, believe it or not.

One nasty letter from their lawyer to Charter Cable would probably be the end of many showings of syndicated programs from those other markets. At least the ones that WBBJ carries - and the ones for which syndex applies. Remember, it doesn't necessarily apply to all syndicated programs.

 

[chuckydoll]

so far in my area Entertainment Tonight is blue screened on ch2 New York because of ch3 Hartford CT.

Are you on DirecTV or cable? DirecTV carries WCBS-2 as an out-of-market local in New Haven, Waterbury and Torrington.

 

[WPPCProductions]

so far in my area Entertainment Tonight is blue screened on ch2 New York because of ch3 Hartford CT.

Are you on DirecTV or cable? DirecTV carries WCBS-2 as an out-of-market local in New Haven, Waterbury and Torrington.

I have Comcast,For now It's the only channel effected with syndex.

 

[BRNout]

That means that Meredith (WFSB's owner) is enforcing Syndex. I am surprised that LIN TV (owner of WTNH and WCTX) doesn't do so as well.

One other note on this and network exclusivity for your area. It looks like your NBC affiliate WVIT is being sold. NBC didn't really care that much about overlapping service with WNBC and WJAR (which they used to own) because all were members of the family. So, NBC4 and NBC10 are more available on the fringes of the H/NH market than many other out of market channels in the same areas. The new owner (depending on who they are) may get around to quashing that idea. Folks in Litchfield, New Haven and Tolland counties had better look out because unless they can argue that NBC4 or NBC10 are significantly viewed in their areas, they could lose those channels from cable.

It already happened with WWLP (NBC ch 22 from Springfield); management at WVIT played hardball with them and got them booted off of several local cable systems in the Hartford area. Only where LIN TV (WWLP's owner) could argue that they were "significantly viewed" were they allowed to stay. Mostly in systems serving border communities. Look out for the new owner - that's who will enforce stuff like "syndex" and non-duplication of network programming.

 

[KML0224]

I get no hint of WJAR or WNBC here in New Britain, CT, which is also the city of license of WVIT. I get a crappy signal of WWLP. It's not necessarily a weak signal, because I got them fine when I lived on the east side of New Britain in 1991. Also, their Provin Mountain site in Agawam, MA is actually closer than Mount Tom of Holyoke, MA is (in regards to WGGB and WGBY). I know the cable system over in Vernon, CT carried WWLP for the longest time (western Tolland County near Manchester). As for border cities, I would imagine that WWLP will stay on the cable lineup in Enfield, CT. Despite being in northern Hartford County, Enfield is closer to Springfield, MA than Hartford.

 

[ansky212]

Isn't WWLP carried on cable systems in Middletown? Which I never understood because Middletown is really nowhere near Springfield.

A friend of mine used to have Comcast in the Atlantic City, NJ area. WPIX is carried on that system and with the exception of local news and NY Mets games it was pretty much a blue syndex screen all day long.

 

[BRNout]

I get no hint of WJAR or WNBC here in New Britain, CT, which is also the city of license of WVIT. I get a crappy signal of WWLP. It's not necessarily a weak signal, because I got them fine when I lived on the east side of New Britain in 1991. Also, their Provin Mountain site in Agawam, MA is actually closer than Mount Tom of Holyoke, MA is (in regards to WGGB and WGBY). I know the cable system over in Vernon, CT carried WWLP for the longest time (western Tolland County near Manchester). As for border cities, I would imagine that WWLP will stay on the cable lineup in Enfield, CT. Despite being in northern Hartford County, Enfield is closer to Springfield, MA than Hartford.

Well, that's what happened. The WVIT vs. WWLP thing played out a few years ago when NBC successfully got WWLP off of most metro Hartford systems. It remains on Vernon/Tolland's system. It was actually yanked off of Enfield's system, which still carries WGGB (unlike the aforementioned cable systems). Not sure how NBC managed that, but they did. WWLP actually has a better signal in most of that area, yet they are not offered. On the other hand, I'm not sure how the system in Middletown continues to carry WWLP (and Fox 5 from NY) but they do. Very strange situation.

I know that you don't get a wisp of NBC4 or WJAR, but you're right near Hartford (IIRC). Cable subs in metro Waterbury, Torrington, Wallingford, New Haven and points south all get NBC4 as well as 30. Cable subs from Willimantic eastward all get WJAR. A new owner for WVIT could threaten their ability to have those stations on cable.

 

[DJKraze]

I get a very strong signal from WWLP here in Middletown, I'm sure just about anyone here would and might think it a local. It's on the cable for that reason. It's the same reason we have WNYW Fox 5 here, because in the southern portion of this system's franchise, they get WNYW as a local.
The same can't really be said of WGGB or WGBY or most of the other NYC stations.

 

[BRNout]

I get a very strong signal from WWLP here in Middletown, I'm sure just about anyone here would and might think it a local. It's on the cable for that reason. It's the same reason we have WNYW Fox 5 here, because in the southern portion of this system's franchise, they get WNYW as a local.
The same can't really be said of WGGB or WGBY or most of the other NYC stations.

If that were the sole criteria, WWLP would be carried on cable in Enfield/Suffield as well as in the Farmington Valley. It's not. So clearly there is more to it than that.

 

[JayR]

A friend of mine used to have Comcast in the Atlantic City, NJ area. WPIX is carried on that system and with the exception of local news and NY Mets games it was pretty much a blue syndex screen all day long.

How true!

I was in AC three summers ago. I saw WPIX on the tv listing (back when it was still on basic cable). Every time I would flip to the channel, the blue screen was always up. What a waste!

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

so far in my area Entertainment Tonight is blue screened on ch2 New York because of ch3 Hartford CT.

Are you on DirecTV or cable? DirecTV carries WCBS-2 as an out-of-market local in New Haven, Waterbury and Torrington.

On the SportsMix channel, they feature the New York channels over local channels EVERYWHERE for some oddball reason. Yet, when you hit the SELECT button, it is only then that you're redirected to your local channel. I say this because I live in Denver, CO and have watched channels via the SportsMix because I can't get them (CBS College Sports being an example of this) and have noticed this on the weekends.

You would think that DirecTV would have the sense to feature the local ABC, CBS, NBC & FOX stations rather than those out of NYC but I guess not.....

Just my opinion....

Cheers

 

[smaug07]

I get no hint of WJAR or WNBC here in New Britain, CT, which is also the city of license of WVIT. I get a crappy signal of WWLP. It's not necessarily a weak signal, because I got them fine when I lived on the east side of New Britain in 1991. Also, their Provin Mountain site in Agawam, MA is actually closer than Mount Tom of Holyoke, MA is (in regards to WGGB and WGBY). I know the cable system over in Vernon, CT carried WWLP for the longest time (western Tolland County near Manchester). As for border cities, I would imagine that WWLP will stay on the cable lineup in Enfield, CT. Despite being in northern Hartford County, Enfield is closer to Springfield, MA than Hartford.

Well, that's what happened. The WVIT vs. WWLP thing played out a few years ago when NBC successfully got WWLP off of most metro Hartford systems. It remains on Vernon/Tolland's system. It was actually yanked off of Enfield's system, which still carries WGGB (unlike the aforementioned cable systems). Not sure how NBC managed that, but they did. WWLP actually has a better signal in most of that area, yet they are not offered. On the other hand, I'm not sure how the system in Middletown continues to carry WWLP (and Fox 5 from NY) but they do. Very strange situation.

I know that you don't get a wisp of NBC4 or WJAR, but you're right near Hartford (IIRC). Cable subs in metro Waterbury, Torrington, Wallingford, New Haven and points south all get NBC4 as well as 30. Cable subs from Willimantic eastward all get WJAR. A new owner for WVIT could threaten their ability to have those stations on cable.

Well it certainly is ironic that WVIT forced WWLP off of Connecticut cable systems, yet WVIT is still on in Hampden County, Massachusetts cities and towns such as Springfield and Holyoke. One would think that WWLP would exercise network exclusivity and force WVIT off of the local cable companies. WVIT is really still the only CT network signal on in Western, Mass. WTNH from New Haven was on for many years, but was booted off thanks to WGGB, channel 40. And WFSB, channel 3 in Hartford, which was a staple station in Springfield for decades, is off thanks to a new CBS 3, operated by WFSB, which is just for the Springfield area. And soon (if not already), WTIC, FOX 61 in Hartford, which has served the Springfield area, will be replaced by a new FOX 6, operated by WGGB. When this occurs, Springfield will be down to just WVIT and Connecticut Public Television as the only CT stations. You just gotta love progress and greed!!

 

[BRNout]

Well it certainly is ironic that WVIT forced WWLP off of Connecticut cable systems, yet WVIT is still on in Hampden County, Massachusetts cities and towns such as Springfield and Holyoke. One would think that WWLP would exercise network exclusivity and force WVIT off of the local cable companies. WVIT is really still the only CT network signal on in Western, Mass. WTNH from New Haven was on for many years, but was booted off thanks to WGGB, channel 40. And WFSB, channel 3 in Hartford, which was a staple station in Springfield for decades, is off thanks to a new CBS 3, operated by WFSB, which is just for the Springfield area. And soon (if not already), WTIC, FOX 61 in Hartford, which has served the Springfield area, will be replaced by a new FOX 6, operated by WGGB. When this occurs, Springfield will be down to just WVIT and Connecticut Public Television as the only CT stations. You just gotta love progress and greed!!

Agreed. The whole matter doesn't make sense sometimes.

However, LIN Television never felt the need to bump WVIT off of local cable systems. Perhaps channel 30 was able to argue that they were "significantly viewed" in the area. Given their signal, I suppose its possible.

About the situation in western MA, FOX 61 is supposedly offered on digital cable now. I know that's not a lot of help to many, but it does keep the channel on some folks' cable.