# Superstation Package



## levibluewa (Aug 13, 2005)

Seems to me that one thing Charlie could do is to offer this package in HD (WPIX11, KTLA5, WWOR9). It would be a selling point since it is NOT available on Directv. It's about the only thing I can see that is working in his favor. Otherwise Directv is stomping on him.


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## HobbyTalk (Jul 14, 2007)

E* is now offering the Lin owned local stations in HD, this is something that D* does not have.


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## levibluewa (Aug 13, 2005)

LIN?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

http://www.lintv.com/about/television.html

A group of TV stations covering 9% of US TV households.

AUSTIN, TEXAS
KXAN-TV NBC
KNVA-TV CW
KBVO-CA TELE

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
KRQE-TV CBS
KASA-TV FOX

MOBILE, ALABAMA/PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
WALA-TV FOX
WBPG-TV CW

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN
WLUK-TV FOX

GRAND RAPIDS-BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN
WOOD-TV NBC
WOTV-TV ABC
WXSP-TV MNT

BUFFALO, NEW YORK
WIVB-TV CBS
WNLO-TV CW

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
WISH-TV CBS
WNDY-TV MNT
WIIH-CA UNI

FT. WAYNE, INDIANA
WANE-TV CBS

LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
WLFI-TV CBS

TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA
WTHI-TV CBS

DAYTON, OHIO
WDTN-TV NBC

TOLEDO, OHIO
WUPW-TV FOX

COLUMBUS, OHIO
WWHO-TV CW

PORTSMOUTH-NORFOLK, VIRGINIA
WAVY-TV NBC
WVBT-TV FOX

SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
WWLP-TV NBC

NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
WTNH-TV ABC
WCTX-TV MNT

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
WPRI-TV CBS
WNAC-TV FOX


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

I do not think that the Superstations will be available nationally after the Analog switch. The law that ALLOWS Dish to sell the superstations specifically lists the superstations with the call letters followed by "-TV". The HD channels are "-DT" stations, not TV stasions. Now Congress could change that, but a strict reading of the law would imply that Superstations (which are themselves a vestage of the "old days" when cable and satellite companies plucked stations off the airlike ripe apples and distributed them nationally without paying the copyright holders) would be finally gone.

See ya
Tony


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## jclewter79 (Jan 8, 2008)

So does that mean that us that do not have a local CW but receive ch. 251 instead, but, do not have the superstation package will lose that channel after the analog shutoff? I hope not and, I also don't see that happening.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

The CW carriage is a private contract between the CW network and DISH network ... those stations are not "Superstations" as defined by law. Perhaps they will continue from digital feeds ... or in HD, but that is up to the parties in the private contract - not a potentially expiring federal law.


The individual "Superstations" could sign private contracts with DISH ... but they would need to get national clearance on all of their programming in order to resell it. The "Superstations" law helps in this situation by overriding the copyright concerns and allowing DISH (and DirecTV, if they choose) to carry the channels paying a rights fee defined by law instead of defined by private contracts.


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## mattfast1 (Mar 26, 2008)

I would like to point out that KWGN2 (Denver) is also available in HD.

I don't foresee any shutoff of the superstations. But then again, I left my crystal ball at home today.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

I found the documentation. I remembered correctly about the specifics, just not where it was.

From http://www.fcc.gov/mb/shva/shviafac.html


> 20. Are satellite subscribers able to receive the "superstations"?
> 
> A: Distant TV signals that meet certain legal requirements are called "nationally distributed superstations" and include the following six broadcast TV stations: KTLA-TV (Los Angeles); KWGN-TV (Denver); WPIX-TV (New York); WWOR-TV (New York); WGN-TV (Chicago); and WSBK-TV (Boston)


Notice they used the "-TV suffix. At the time there was no "-DT" but that is irrelevant if some one wanted to make a legal argument. Now how well the argument holds up is anyone's guess. But the "superstation" clause has alway had a "sunset" date. This may be it.  Then again, I could be wrong as I often am.

--From the FCC Order (essentially the FCC's interpretation and ruling on the current law)
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/2000/fcc00388.doc


> 10.	In the Notice, we stated that the television broadcast stations that meet the foregoing criteria are limited to KTLA-TV (Los Angeles), WPIX-TV (New York), KWGN-TV (Denver), WSBK-TV (Boston), WWOR-TV (New York) and WGN-TV (Chicago). We also stated that since no other station could meet these criteria in the future due to the date-specific conditions set forth in the definition, the foregoing constitutes a finite list of the nationally distributed superstations covered by the statute. Commenters directly addressing this issue generally agree with our conclusion that this list of nationally distributed superstations is complete and finite.


See ya
Tony


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

First of all the provisions of SHVIA which is qupted above concerning the superstatiosn expired a few years ago. SHVERA is now the appropriate legislation. Quoting SHVIA language is pointless and both links above aer from SHVIA not SHVERA>

The superstations do NOT go away in February and the digital versions of those stations DO count as superstaions.

DISH is required to file a form that the US Copyrighht Office every six months listing the number of analog and DIGITAL subs to the supers. I keep asking people why this would bew required if the digital versions are not superdstaions. I jhave never received a reply but postings like this persist.

BTW the -DT suffix will go away in Feb 2009 and the digital sttatiosn will use the legacy call leters.

Sorry if I sound nasty but people keep trying to kill off the supers but they are here till SHVERA expires in and probably beyond that.

BTW even though I have posted this link many times before here is a link to the form 
http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formsci.pdf


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## GrumpyBear (Feb 1, 2006)

I wish there was a way we could completely redo, how stations are Broadcast, the rules they are using from the 50's are so outdated its not even funny. I miss my old white out area, yes I abused it, when I moved.
TV Stations are using old laws, and buring the fact they aren't really LOCAL, they are part of big Media groups, and its all about control. Society has changed and is to mobile compared to archacy 1950's rules, and needs to be changed with the times.


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