Dishnetwork losing Viacom channels.... (1 Viewer)

[Brian Bunge]

The only decision you can make regarding a rate increase is whether or not you choose to keep the Dish Network service if there is a rate increase. You would have no choice over the amount of the increase though. What if I were unwilling to pay an additional $1? What if I think $.50 is a fair increase? Do you think Dish will allow me to specifically drop all Viacom channels because I don't want to pay an extra $1? What if Viacom's asking price forced Dish to increase rates by $10?

Not being one to jump onto the conspiracy theory types of bandwagons, I'd have to assume that the rate increase would be much more substantial than $1 for Dish to balk at Viacom's contract. Knowing that the average consumer probably would not go for that, I assume Dish refused to sign the agreement because they'd actually lose more customers than by taking their current stance.

 

[Brian W. Ralston]

well....after a day of researching my options on switching from DISH to DirecTV....I am going to go ahead and switch to DirecTV tomorrow morning. A reputable place here locally in LA can do a same day install for me since the wiring is already done with my DISH install. They just have to change the dish and the boxes and they are good to go. They do all the "high end" installs for Ken Kranes in the San Gabriel valley.....so they come highly recommended.

With March Madness basketball coming up in a week....it is just too important for me to be able to follow my Arizona Wildcats....and have some March Madness parties at my place. If this timing was not an issue....I may be more patient with DISH......but I can't wait around for them hoping it will get fixed in a few days.....and when it isn't......I can't get my NCAA tournament.

I have been looking for an excuse anyway I suppose. Now.....I will give my Stand Alone TiVo box to my parents and get a DirecTivo box for this new setup.

Come next week....I bet DISH will lose a lot more customers in major markets due to the NCAA tournament being on CBS. I realize a lot of this is on Viacom......but in the end.....I am missing channels important to me....and that is all I as a customer care about at this point.

 

[Erik Pontius]

That is precisely what I'm getting at. I'm not saying I should be invited to the board meeting. I'd just like to know how much that rate increase will affect my monthly bill so that I can determine whether I feel that in order to watch MTV/MTV2/VH1/CBS, etc.. justifies an X dollar increase in my bill or if I should skip on over to DirecTV, which would then mean possibly buying additional hardware, installation hassle, etc... Right now as it stands, I'm going to be paying for another month of service, not getting to watch channels I like to watch as I wait for Viacom and Chuck to agree on something for a new contract...how long is that going to be? A week? six months? If I knew it was going to be a $50 increase in my bill, I'm calling DirecTV now...if it is $1 or $2, I'll stick it out and stay with Dish.

Erik

 

[Erik Pontius]

Ditto.

 

[RAF]

I've been following this thread and the events that precipitated the discussion and am totally blown away by the action that Dish took. And I'm not talking about who's right and who's wrong in the Dish/Viacom struggle.

A major reason that I dropped cable several years ago and installed an extensive Dish system (with two PVRs, an HD receiver and another receiver) was because Dish was able to provide me with my local major channels here in NY. And make no mistake about it. CBS is a major channel, not just a throw-in. There are lots of things I watch on that channel on a regular basis (and not just HD stuff and the NCAAs). I always have.

OTA is not an option where I live so my only real alternative is to switch to DirecTV completely (I already have one set-up for YES since Charlie was stubborn on that one too). But that would mean buying a lot of new PVR equipment at considerable cost (since I've already invested well over $1000 in Dish equipment) in order to keep the same level of flexibility.

When a provider chooses to drop a MAJOR station from its agenda - after providing it in the past - it just shows how little control the customer has over the situation. I couldn't give a rat's ass about some of the minor stations that all the providers offer but CBS doesn't fall into that category. It's an original!

Needless to say, I'm not pleased with E* and I can never think about them in a favorable light again. And I certainly can't recommend them to friends. A few days ago I was ready to drop some serious $$ on a Dish Model 921 PVR. Dish has lost a sale on that unit and probably a loyal customer who pays well over $100 a month for their "hindered" service.

I'll probably wait a few days to see if E* comes to its senses on the CBS offerings. If not, I'm bailing out since they seem not to really care about their customers no matter what they claim. I understand the on-going battles between distributors and providers but when the BASIC channels start getting held hostage that's just lunacy. The inmates are running the asylum!

 

[Brian Bunge]

Eric,

OK, I think we're on the same page now. I completely understand what you're saying. I for one could care less about basketball and usually only watch some of the March Madness stuff here and there. Sometimes I catch the finals but that's about it. Now if this were happening in the middle of the NFL Playoffs then I'd be extremely upset as well. Although, my CBS station is not owned by Viacom so I'd be in good shape. I'm much more upset about MTV and VH1.

I've thought about switching over to DirecTV ever since my dad did this past summer. If this turns into a giant PITA then I may too decide to switch. We'll see.

 

[todd s]

Well it looks like a settlement may be near. But, this was the last straw with Dish and I ordered Directv.

Here is the link to the new info:



http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/sto...MPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[Scott Kimball]

Certainly, you can flee to another provider if you like.

As the customwire article above point out, though, DishNetwork isn't the only company that has pulled channels after stalled negotiations. It doesn't make it any easier for those who can't seem to miss a show (for me, it's only television, but I understand some people are pretty serious about their MTV...), but be aware that the next channel pulled could be on the next provider you choose.

I think, from Dish's point of view, the stumbling point is more Viacom's attempt to dictate programming tiers (which effectively costs Dish money by allocating transponders according to someone else's desires) - it's not all about the money. And it's not about $.06. If it were about $.06, this would have been settled long ago. Both companies, in their inability to settle this quietly and without disruption, have lost millions - Viacom in lost exposure and lost ad sales, and Dish lost because they are the most convenient target for their subscribers to strike out against (by going to another provider).

The blame is 50/50 here.

I still predict this will be over by the weekend - and I have no intention of going through the hassle of changing providers for a couple of lost days of programming under these circumstances. I'll pop in a DVD instead of watching a rerun on Nick.

-Scott

 

[todd s]

Scott,

Your right. I wouldn't normally change for just this one thing. But, it has been brewing for a while. I have been waiting for almost 2 years for Dish to work out a deal to get the YES network so I can watch my Yankees. As with this situation. Each side blames the other. But, meanwhile Directv and most cable companies have been able to work out a deal with YES and I am still without it. So this was just made the decision a little easier.

 

[RAF]

I agree that this will probably be resolved in a few days. But that's just for this time. There will undoubtedly be a next time, just as there was a last time with the Dish/YES fiasco. I won't pull the plug immediately since I've already invested a lot in E* equipment. However this continual manipulating of its customer base has convinced me not to invest any more money in new Dish equipment. I was all set to purchase a Dish 921 HD PVR to add to my arsenal which also includes 721 and 501 PVRs. However, I've decided not to go ahead with this. Over the next few months I will figure out the most viable option for me to continue to receive HD programming and also have PVR flexibility. I have a lot of options and as VOOM and DirecTV HD PVRs and other technologies emerge I'm not limited to what I now have.

Yes, it's going to cost me a bit of money, but I'm tired of sticking with a provider who continually doesn't come through with features I want. (YES, CBS, TiVo compatibility, etc.) Like someone else pointed out, it's interesting that DirecTV and cable companies can work things out while Charlie Dish keeps things confrontational. Some people might call this "standing his ground." Others might see it as being incapable of The Art of The Deal.

In the words of The Donald, "You're Fired."

 

[Robert_eb]

I'm pissed that I can't watch the season premiere of South Park tonight.

I don't plan on switching any time soon but if this goes on for any great length, I may reconsider.

 

[Dave Voros]

Anyone know if dish will ever incorporate Tivo into their pvr's? Has anyone ever asked? Or is this a DirectTV only thing forever Just curious.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

I don't think that DirecTV has any kind of exclusive deal with TiVo. TiVo would like nothing more than to license out to additional providers to make integrated TiVo-powered boxes, especially cable.

But Charlie Ergen comes across as the kind of man who pinches a penny so hard it squeezes a booger out of Abraham Lincoln's nose. I don't think he is at all interested in licensing TiVo.

 

[Dave Voros]

Lol, i would tend to agree with ya Wayne, and thxs for the good laugh

Dave

 

[ThomasC]

Channels are back up!

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/p...es/index.shtml

 

[Chris_Morris]

It seems like they both finally blinked. There are no new Viacom stations on, yet Charlie did not get to remove Noggin, Nick Games and Sports, or VH1 Classics. Though I am still holding out hope for the NickToons channel
Charlie's dishing out some money too. $1 off each bill and a $3.99 PPV coupon to each house, but a large percentage may not use them (I still have one from a few months ago, just nothing on PPV that I can't rent on DVD).



Chris

 

[Chris_Morris]

Oops, look like Charlie did blink more:



Chris

 

[BrianEK]

I am very glad the channels are back. Only gone for 36 hrs. I feel sorry for all the people who canceled service and paid money for another. I was tempted to do the same but I figured there would be no way these channels would be gone for long. It would hurt Dish Network too much. I am assuming that the monthly bill will be raised since there are going to be new channels. Does anyone know any information on how much they will raise?

 

[Chris_Morris]

I don't think they will. Part of the Echostar press release was the Dish Network was still the lowest cost. That's not to say that this may not affect a future price increase, but I don't think prices will go up in the near future since they just went up $2 a month ago.


Chris

 

[todd s]

Brian,

I was one of those people who will be cancelling my Dish service and getting Direct. If I was just getting the same setup with Direct. I would be paying nothing. I am upgrading to HD. So the only cost is for the reciever, which I could have gotten for cheaper by asking Dish. But, Direct has some channels that Dish doesn't have (ie-YES & Trio) so them losing the Viacom channels wasn't the only reason.