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

Paul_Medenwaldt

Supporting Actor
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Feb 6, 2001
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650
This will not really change my viewing habits. Like I stated before, the only channel I watch out of all the Viacom channels is Comedy Central.

I appreciate what Dish is doing, by trying to keep my bill low. They have the right to take these channels off the air if they feel they are being charged too much for product.

For all those who said they are jumping ship to another provider, if i remember correctly when I first got Directv, from my scheduled installation date to the actual installation of the dish was 28 days. March Madness could be over by the time directv is installed. But thats just my opinion.

Paul
 

ThomasC

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But it's not like there isn't over-the-attenna coverage for CBS. Granted, you may live in an area where the signal is weak, so cable looks like the best option for fast installation, AFAIK.
 

Jay H

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Comedy Central is the only channel that I would watch and even then only on occasions. I still get our local CBS stations via our OTA external antenna on the roof.

I hate those black bars too, but then I saw them at my sister's house who has cable and figured it must be a Viacom thing that dish is blocking.

Jay
 

Robert_eb

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 14, 2001
Messages
965
The following is from an Q/A page from Dish Networks website:

"Will I be allowed out of my programming commitment if these channels go dark?

All programming commitments will remain in effect at this time. DISH Network will monitor the duration of the loss of channels for further decisions made for this."

Can someone tell me what legal standing I have to get out of this contract? It seems they have changed the terms and I should have the right to switch to an competitor as a result of this loss of major programming.

They are only going to credit their customers a $1.00 per month for the loss of these channels. Thanks Charlie.

I'm more than willing to pay a buck more a month to keep them!
 

Jay W.

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
139
Oh wow a whole $1 off this really makes up for it! Blow it out your ass Charlie!
 

BrandonL

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 12, 2000
Messages
69
Does someone have a full list of all of the Viacom Channels? $1.00 doesn't seem like much since in Los Angeles you pay $5.00 for 7 major local channels. Plus the other whatever amount that was lost divided by the total amount. I wonder what the outcome will be.
 

Jason Seaver

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Viacom-owned local stations (generally CBS and UPN stations in major markets)
MTV & related stations
Nickelodeon & related stations
Spike
Comedy Central
 

Ivan Lindenfeld

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 23, 2000
Messages
335
Does it strike anyone else that this is not the customer's problem? It's petty and small for Charlie to pull these stations off the air in a chicken fight with Viacom. I don't know and will never know what this is REALLY about, but taking away product from millions of customers as a negotiating tool is bad business. It shows a complete disrespect for the customer base WHICH IS THE EXACT FUCKING REASON I CANCELED MY COMCAST CABLE!!!!

Oh, and we happen to have extra kids in my house due to family emergency and the loss of Nickelodeon, particularly Noggin, is a big pain in the ass for my wife!!

But refer to my first paragraph for my real complaint.
 

Robert_eb

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 14, 2001
Messages
965


I saw bits and pieces of it as I was switching back and forth from the Tampa Bay/Detroit hockey game last night.

I noticed that they went on and on about the bingo games that they will have on channel 100 and how appreceiative we all should be because of this.

They did let a not to happy caller slip by and let Charlie know his intentions of switching to a rival if this blackout occurs. Charlie stated that he felt bad about it but did state that they would lower their customers bill if the blackout happens.

Lowering it by a buck a month is not lowering it enough to be loosing some major channels and it's a slap in the face to all their customers. I'm definitely going to try to get out of this one year contract.


I believe the Charlie Chat will be rebroadcast this Wednesday at 8:00pm est.
 

Scott Kimball

Screenwriter
Joined
May 8, 2000
Messages
1,500
I, for one, am happy that Dish is standing up against Viacom. Viacom's new propsed contract included an increase at about 10 times the rate of inflation - with no added services.

Is this really okay with all of you?

Blame Viacom, folks. They are being unreasonable.

Dish Network has done this before. Usually the channel provider will sign an agreement before the blackout date, or sign a temporary agreement shortly after blackout while negotiations continue.

I have plenty of other things I can watch for a week or so, while this is resolved.

-Scott
 

Chris_Morris

Screenwriter
Joined
Jan 4, 2002
Messages
1,887


You forget that Chuckie also told a caller that if they wanted to switch, to go right ahead, "We'll give you some names of places to switch to".

I didn't have a side to this until that "Screw you, don't let the door hit you on the way out" attitude. Shows alot of respect for his customers doesn't it? Not to mention the hype of a 40% increase, that amounts to $.06

Chris
 

todd s

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Joined
Jul 8, 1999
Messages
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I am curious as to how much more Viacom is really asking for? Directv just signed a deal with Viacom a month or so ago and I haven't heard about any major increase in the cost for subscribers. This reminds me of the fight between Dish and the Yes Network. They both blame each other and yet Directv and most cable companies seem to be able to work it out and Dish cannot.
 

David_Jr

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Hancock, MA - The Berkshires
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Dave
From the WBZ Channel 4 Boston website:

Attention Dish Network/Echostar subscribers: CBS4/WBZ-TV deeply regrets any inconvenience to our viewers resulting from Dish Network's decision to drop CBS4/WBZ-TV. Dish Network just raised rates for many subscribers by three dollars per month, yet they are refusing to pay Viacom barely 6 cents more per month so you can continue to get all of the CBS programs, CBS4/WBZ-TV's local news, weather and sports, and all of the Viacom cable channels including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. We are continuing to try to negotiate a fair resolution to this completely unnecessary situation, and in the meantime, we remind our viewers that our signal remains available for free over the air, as well as by subscription from DirecTV and your local cable operator. Thank you. Click here for more information.

$.06??????!!!!!!

My wife just called me. All the Viacom stations are out. Charlie taped a message and they are playing it on channel 101.
 

Robert_eb

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 14, 2001
Messages
965


I just wonder if this applys to the customers in the middle of their one year commitment.

Let's hope this all gets resolved quickly, as I'm quite satisfied with Dish Network service thus far and I really don't want to switch.
 

Paul_Medenwaldt

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
650
If you subscribe to the 180 package plus locals it is $49.99/month. The following is not sceientific and does not include taxes or extra fees.

On the average that is .27 cents a channel you are paying for. With the 10 channels they blacked out plus 1 CBS station in my area that is $2.97/month for those networks. With the reimbursment for $1 for the pay channels plus $1 for my local CBS aflliate i'm paying .97 cents for programming i'm not getting. Dude i'm getting screwed.

I believe this is more then just about .06 cents per subscriber. Viacom also wants to force Dish to add channels to the line up with this new contract that Dish feels are redudant in programming.

Paul
 

BrandonL

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 12, 2000
Messages
69
$.06 may not be that much to some. But multiply that by the user base. Then don't forget if dish did sign this, what stops viacom from increasing that rate every so often to force them to pay more and more. Thats what I assume is the problem. Of course I am probably wrong. Good thing I don't watch any of the channels that got darked out.
 

Scott Kimball

Screenwriter
Joined
May 8, 2000
Messages
1,500
Of course it's more than $.06 per subscriber. The origin of that figure, so far as I can tell, is Viacom - in reference to CBS.

As someone else pointed out - it's not just the money. Viacom is trying to strongarm Dish into carrying some of their lesser-known channels by threatening to remove access to popular ones.

Viacom lobbed the first shells in the public war with crawls on some of their channels on Dish, giving a rather unbalanced view of the situation.

I fully expect most Viacom channels to be back on Dish in under a week. If it goes on longer, Dish will have to revisit their $1 rebate.

-Scott
 

BrandonL

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 12, 2000
Messages
69
So what subscribers saw those crawls? Was it only Dish, or did other cable/sattelite companies see them?
 

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