RSSEchoStar Responds to Fox Ruling
By Ed Oswald | Published October 24, 2006, 1:01 PM
EchoStar responded to a injunction that would prevent it from transmitting network television stations to those who may not be able to receive the programming otherwise over the air on Monday, expressing its disappointment with the ruling.
The injunction was issued on Friday by a U.S. District Court in Miami.
The company, which owns DISH Network, had reached a $100 million settlement with affiliates of ABC, NBC, and CBS over the transmission of their channels. However, Fox network owner News Corp. objected to the ruling and was successful in having it overturned.
"EchoStar will continue to do everything possible to prevent consumers from losing their distant network channels," the company said in a statement. "We will ask Congress to clarify the statutory language, and ask the courts to re-consider their decision."
About one million of DISH's 12.46 million subscribers use the "distant network" service, the company claims. Federal law prevents companies from offering these services except in limited circumstances. The company said the injunction would not affect those who receive their own local market channels via satellite, it said.
"In the limited areas where local channels are not available by satellite, we also intend to protect our customers by providing free off-air antennas and other alternatives," EchoStar said.
I subscribe to distant channels, New York and LA. Dish called me today and said I was losing them on Dec 1.,but would not say exactly why. They told me I could get local channels, Spokane, Wash. I live in White Bird, Idaho. 3 and one half hours away. I don't want those channels, the news on these channels do not affect me at all. I like LA because my daughter lives there, and my parents live on the east coast, and I get to watch my shows early instead of late. I've had these channels for over 3 years, I've paid a lot of money to have them and do not feel it's fair to have them taken. They do not offer a local programing that applies to me. Thank you, please do something.
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|Greedy corporations are all alike. They do not care if millions of people CANNOT even see their programs on OTA television signals. Why do thieves charge $ money, to stream crap like a Rush Limbaugh etc., which is simulcasted on hundreds of AM stations, the WRNO shortwave outlet and supported by COMMERCIAL advertising.
A neither do they care if TV channels 2, 5 and 6 are subjected to interference from CB, ham radios and FM broadcasts. Go looking for an alternate affiliate on the cable system's dial, and you get a damned blue screen about some FCC regulations, that were bought and paid for by the frigging NAB lobbyists...
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|It's really not a great loss, given that network TV is loaded with either reality or 'Law & Order' variants five nights a week, and that virtually all sports are on Cable now, from soccer to the NFL to MLB next year and the NBA has long been cable-only.
But to echo others, yes, Fox is NBI — nothing but idiots.
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|"Why would someone want to pay for something they can get for free anyway?"
If I could get it free I would. Where I live only NBC is available and clear, CBS can be seen but it looks like a broadcast from Mars. And that's all we can get here nailzs.
Actually I use bitorrent for the shows I want to watch so I do get them free. And for any FOX execs here, that means commercial free. NO possibility for you to generate revenue. Neilson could have counted those viewers for you if you had left well enough alone. ABC gets it, so does NBC, were you guys born dumb or was it an aquired skill.
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|FOX is stupid in this regard.. why not offer in DMA areas, if consumers want it!? FOX is dumb if they want to reduce their network exposure.
- Josh van Hulst
Josh@simstuff.com
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|Naturally this ruling was pursed because Fox owns competitor DirecTV.
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|Not everyone can get OTA. Where I live there is a big mountain in the way.
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|Why would someone want to pay for something they can get for free anyway?
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