# Superstations



## CarolinaGuy79 (Sep 9, 2009)

Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


----------



## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

CarolinaGuy79 said:


> Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


I used to when I was with E*. There is not a CW affiliate here. Heck back when I was with E* they were UPN and WB. I subbed to both of them. Dont forget that not all markets have a full compliment of locals.


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I did - until the WB / UPN local affiliates were available on Dish. Since then - I haven't seen the need.


----------



## levibluewa (Aug 13, 2005)

I use to, it was the reason I switched from Directv years ago. Dropped them last year because we weren't given the HD feed. If they ever offer us the HD feeds I would probably add them back.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Have had them since the first day they were available. Still watch for news and few programs they have that my locals do not. Worth the $7 for me.


----------



## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

For me the big reason to have them was conflict resolution. Having the shows available at an earlier or later time meant I didn't have to choose which to miss. Now that CW is in HD OTA here, I can record those shows on the 3rd tuner for the same effect so I no longer subscribe.


----------



## Ohioankev (Jan 19, 2006)

I had the superstation package up until about two months ago. I do not watch My NetworkTV and WSBK (formerly UPN38) is basically just another syndication/independent station. I dropped the package and kept KWGN & KTLA for $4/month instead of the $7 for the package, saving myself $36 a year.


----------



## PeggyD (Apr 6, 2006)

I got the whole package when I first got Dish Network in September, 1998, mostly because KTLA carried many Dodger games. I dropped them a few years later, but have since re-added just KTLA. I grew up in Southern California & still have a lot of family there, so I like to watch the LA news occasionally. And KTLA has the best Tournament of Roses Parade coverage.


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

At one point. could watch Red Sox, Rockies and Dodgers on them. If they were HD, I might consider them, without baseball or HD, not really worth it to me.


----------



## BillJ (May 5, 2005)

WGN often prempts CW programming for sports. Never sure when they'll get around to broadcasting the CW program - sometimes late at night, sometimes days later - so Superstations provide an alternative. Do watch some other programs on Superstations but that's probably the main use. The other is time shifting when we forget to set a DVR timer and catch the program later or when there are too many programs we want to watch at the same time to record them all.


----------



## gor88 (May 9, 2003)

I would subscribe to WPIX if it were offered in HD for the sake of my wife. Our CW affiliate in Jackson, MS, WRBJ, has marginal SD picture quality. Watching The Vampire Diaries is awful, as items in the darker scenes can't be seen. Viewing the same scene on their website looks normal. 

As far as I know, there are no plans for WRBJ to go HD. They have even taken down their website and facebook presence. I suspect this was because they got tired of being asked when they're going to broadcast in HD. They brought the station online in 2006, so I don't know why they didn't just go ahead and make it HD initially. I think that the decision was pathetic and short-sighted by management.


----------



## PeggyD (Apr 6, 2006)

garys said:


> At one point. could watch Red Sox, Rockies and Dodgers on them. If they were HD, I might consider them, without baseball or HD, not really worth it to me.


The Dodgers moved from KTLA & the Rockies from KWGN several years ago. I don't know about the Red Sox.


----------



## kc1ih (May 22, 2004)

The talk around Boston is that the MyTV network is going to WSBK.


----------



## Jon Ellis (Dec 28, 2003)

I subscribe mostly to see the New York, LA, Boston, and Denver newscasts. (I work in news so I'm not quite a typical viewer. Also get ABC & FOX from San Francisco and New York on waivers through All American Direct.) Having them is kind of like taking a brief trip out of town by turning on the TV!

Even if you're not interested in out-of-town news, it's still nice to have the SuperStations since shows are on at different times than they are on your local stations. Then you have more options at any given time. It's a lot easier than DVR'ing every show you might possibly want to watch. And for those concerned about them being CW or MNT affiliates, CW is only on the air for 4 hours a day and MNT only 2 hours!


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

If you are in the spotbeam coverage area, WWOR is now available in HD to superstation subscribers. It isn't mapped down, so only available at 6307 from 61.5 satellite.

Unknown if it will stay available to superstation subs (who are in the spotbeam) or if it is a mistake. Also, someone pointed out it really should be at 6305, so it might move there eventually.


----------



## wbowery (Jul 18, 2007)

We have had the Superstations for a long time. Mainly watch it of news from big cities around the country and to see old sitcoms. I check the Boston station in the fall for interesting ACC football games not on other channels.


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

tampa8 said:


> If you are in the spotbeam coverage area, WWOR is now available in HD to superstation subscribers. It isn't mapped down, so only available at 6307 from 61.5 satellite.
> 
> Unknown if it will stay available to superstation subs (who are in the spotbeam) or if it is a mistake. Also, someone pointed out it really should be at 6305, so it might move there eventually.


It is now available in HD to the NYC local subscribers (just like WPIX. 63xx are for NYC locals only). I would not expect it be made available to Superstation subscribers.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

garys said:


> It is now available in HD to the NYC local subscribers (just like WPIX. 63xx are for NYC locals only). I would not expect it be made available to Superstation subscribers.


But it is.


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

tampa8 said:


> But it is.


In HD?


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Yes in HD. If you are in the spotbeam coverage for NY, channel 6307 is available in HD if you get WWOR as a superstation. It is not at 238 with the SD version, only at 6307.
I am not in the NY DMA, I do not get WWOR as a network channel, the only way I get WWOR is via superstations. They turned HD on yesterday.
But it is not on CONUS, so you have to be within the spotbeam range to get it. I am in Eastern Ct and get a signal from the spotbeam. I would not get it in Florida if I was at that home, too far from the spotbeam.


----------



## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

CarolinaGuy79 said:


> Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


No My local CW affiliate told Dish to drop KTLA about 7 years ago. I don't miss it.


----------



## tony_s_fan (May 2, 2011)

CarolinaGuy79 said:


> Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


i have the superstations for the same reason, the news in cali and colorado.  i have a cw station here in connecticut, but i like watching the news in other states.  it's worth the $7 to me, too.


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

I think that would be California for those of us who actually spell things.


----------



## garys (Nov 4, 2005)

tampa8 said:


> Yes in HD. If you are in the spotbeam coverage for NY, channel 6307 is available in HD if you get WWOR as a superstation. It is not at 238 with the SD version, only at 6307.
> I am not in the NY DMA, I do not get WWOR as a network channel, the only way I get WWOR is via superstations. They turned HD on yesterday.
> But it is not on CONUS, so you have to be within the spotbeam range to get it. I am in Eastern Ct and get a signal from the spotbeam. I would not get it in Florida if I was at that home, too far from the spotbeam.


Do you also get WPIX in HD? I believe you may be getting WWOR in error. Don't be surprised it disappears before too long. If not, you are indeed lucky.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Guess you didn't read my post.......


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I'm surprised the error has not already been fixed. The channel should be regionally encoded and not in the guide outside of its own market or spotbeam.


----------



## epokopac (Aug 8, 2007)

CarolinaGuy79 said:


> Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


WWOR - Yankees Baseball
WPIX - Mets Baseball
KTLA - So that I can record Gossip Girl for my daughter at 9:00 PM PT (midnight here in ATL - too many scheduled DVR events on Monday at 9:00 PM ET); Ginger Chan - 4:30 AM PT Morning News Traffic Report - she's easy on the eyes at 7:30 AM ET.


----------



## n0qcu (Mar 23, 2002)

James Long said:


> I'm surprised the error has not already been fixed. The channel should be regionally encoded and not in the guide outside of its own market or spotbeam.


Why not? You get ALL the SD superstations on their 8xxx local channel numbers I see no reason why the same wouldn't be true if you are in the local spot for any of the HD channels


----------



## lacruz (Feb 24, 2005)

I live in FL and 6307 shows in my guide, but it won't come in due to the Spotbeam. Either they should make it CONUS or remove it from everyone's guide who doesn't have NY locals, so we will stop getting that annoying message when channel surfing.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

lacruz said:


> I live in FL and 6307 shows in my guide, but it won't come in due to the Spotbeam. Either they should make it CONUS or remove it from everyone's guide who doesn't have NY locals, so we will stop getting that annoying message when channel surfing.


Well there's one of the most selfish posts I can remember. Lock it out.


----------



## TulsaOK (Feb 24, 2004)

Well, they say the memory is the first thing to go.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Kent Taylor said:


> Well, they say the memory is the first thing to go.


lol.....


----------



## Jim5506 (Jun 7, 2004)

The hard drive usually goes before the memory.


----------



## tsmacro (Apr 28, 2005)

I subscribe to WWOR and WPIX during baseball season and it's also nice to have access to NY news.


----------



## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

I used to love super station package, watched them all the time.

Dumped them when I was with Dish as I mostly only watch HD channels now a days. The SD channels just dont look that good to me after watching HD.

If they made them HD I would switch back from DirecTV to Dish right away.
My DirecTV contract is up.


----------



## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

kc1ih said:


> The talk around Boston is that the MyTV network is going to WSBK.


Now it's official. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/470021-WSBK_Boston_Partners_With_MyNet.php

BTW, I also subscribed to the supers when I first got Dish, but I now have a hard time adjusting to SD after being spoiled by HD versions of syndicated shows. I dropped the supers last year.


----------



## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

James Long said:


> I'm surprised the error has not already been fixed. The channel should be regionally encoded and not in the guide outside of its own market or spotbeam.


There is nothing to prevent DISh from selling the supers in HD. Still I think something is wrong. Why list it in the guide in areas where it is not available.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Geronimo said:


> There is nothing to prevent DISh from selling the supers in HD. Still I think something is wrong. Why list it in the guide in areas where it is not available.


Yes ... something is wrong. The channel should be regionally encoded so it ISN'T showing up in guides where it is not available. Or simply restricted to it's own market (using channel authorizations similar to in market channels).

It isn't the only guide error. I've got four just in my market (and my market doesn't have a lot of channels). Occasionally I'll see an error fixed but there are too many that seem to go unfixed forever ... it is as if DISH corporate no longer cares about quality.


----------



## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

I agree it should not appear when it is not available. However the channel being available outside the DMA may not bea mistake. Until DISH comments or takes some action to c


----------



## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

James Long said:


> Yes ... something is wrong. The channel should be regionally encoded so it ISN'T showing up in guides where it is not available. Or simply restricted to it's own market (using channel authorizations similar to in market channels).
> 
> It isn't the only guide error. I've got four just in my market (and my market doesn't have a lot of channels). Occasionally I'll see an error fixed but there are too many that seem to go unfixed forever ... it is as if DISH corporate no longer cares about quality.


Is WWOR HD still available outside the DMA?


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Geronimo said:


> Is WWOR HD still available outside the DMA?


Yes. I still have it.


----------



## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

tampa8 said:


> Yes. I still have it.


Thanks. It looks less and less like a "mistake" to me.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

It should not be in the guides of people who cannot receive the signal.

The mistake is either letting people outside the spotbeam see it in their guide or not putting the channel on ConUS. Pick either one ... there is still a mistake in play.


----------



## david_jr (Dec 10, 2006)

I am outside the DMA. I have the superstation package and I do have it. Rather than a mistake sounds like an unadvertised benefit.


----------



## levibluewa (Aug 13, 2005)

tampa8 said:


> Yes. I still have it.


Tampa 8...do you have the WWOR signal in HD? and what part of the US are you located?


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Yes, in HD, on the Eastern Arc (I don't believe WWOR is in HD on the Western ARC) in Ct, outside the NY DMA, but in the spotbeam signal.


----------



## shadough (Dec 31, 2006)

still have the supers. since 1999 now. very usefull to catch Two & a half men at 8 on KWGN if I missed it earlier.......or at 10 from KTLA. also nice to catch those news shows every once in awhile. of course I still I have an sd reciever so.....


----------



## sliderbob (Aug 10, 2007)

I wish they would offer WGN Chicago on the SuperStations, instead of having to get the high priced package just to get that channel.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

sliderbob said:


> I wish they would offer WGN Chicago on the SuperStations, instead of having to get the high priced package just to get that channel.


It's in top 200, not Top250 or AEP. I guess it depends what your definition if high priced is.


----------



## bigrich (Jan 3, 2006)

WGN America is not a Superstation, and WGN CW 9 Chicago gave away it's US Superstation status.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

bigrich said:


> WGN America is not a Superstation, and WGN CW 9 Chicago gave away it's US Superstation status.


Ok, true, but that doesn't mean Dish couldn't offer it in that package if WGN agreed. I get what the OP meant by that, it seems more like a superstation.


----------



## SeaBeagle (May 7, 2006)

"sliderbob" said:


> I wish they would offer WGN Chicago on the SuperStations, instead of having to get the high priced package just to get that channel.


I agree.


----------



## SeaBeagle (May 7, 2006)

What would be neat is to have a superstation from every market as a programming choice. I would subscribe to that.


----------



## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

Except there are only 6 left in 4 markets: WGN, WWOR 9 NY, WPIX 11 NY, WSBK Boston, KWGN Denver and KTLA LA.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

RasputinAXP said:


> Except there are only 6 left in 4 markets: WGN, WWOR 9 NY, WPIX 11 NY, WSBK Boston, KWGN Denver and KTLA LA.


At least that is unique to Dish, and I still like it. I enjoy the news from different areas, as well as different times for programming even with a DVR. Sometimes I just happen on a show late at night that is what I missed here prime time. Sure I wish they were in HD, but not a deal breaker for me.


----------



## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

RasputinAXP said:


> Except there are only 6 left in 4 markets: WGN, WWOR 9 NY, WPIX 11 NY, WSBK Boston, KWGN Denver and KTLA LA.


No, there are ONLY 5...as bigrich already said, WGN is NO longer considered a SS & hasn't for years now. It is considered a "basic cable channel", due to the fact the WGN-A feed replaces SO much of the prog on the "local" WGN-9 feed w/prog that is cleared for national distribution. (ie: Syndex compliant) When you get right down to it, except for the local news & the Cubs games, WGN-A is really no different than TBS or TNT, for example.



tampa8 said:


> Ok, true, but that doesn't mean Dish couldn't offer it in that package if WGN agreed.


Once WGN-9 was NO longer being distributed as a SS, it lost it's SS grandfathering forever; the law re: supers was written specifically to forbid any more SS's from being distributed nationally in the US.

But besides that fact, it will NEVER, EVER happen, because there is TOO much prog that WGN is FORBIDDEN from distributing nationally. Even if WGN wanted to, it has NO authority whatsoever to distribute it's local prog nationally. (that's why there IS a WGN-A feed - get it???)

For starters, ALL of the CW prog that WGN-9 carries would have to be blacked out nationally, because the local CW affiliates in every DMA would NO stand for a "national feed" coming into their markets - just like your local ABC, CBS, etc affiliates don't, either.

Then you have all the syndicated prog WGN-9 carries that would have to be blacked out or altered to comply with Syndex rules that ALL local stations would have a cow over.

If it makes you feel better, I have both WGN feeds, & while the WGN-9 feed has more local Chicago newscasts than the WGN-A feed & Chicago Bulls games, the rest of the prog is pretty much the same syndicated fare you most likely already get on your local stations.


----------



## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

RasputinAXP said:


> Except there are only 6 left in 4 markets: WGN, WWOR 9 NY, WPIX 11 NY, WSBK Boston, KWGN Denver and KTLA LA.


That is 5 in 4 . WGN is not a superstation.

But I beleieve what some are asking for is that WGN America (not the Chicago WGN) be made part of the superstation package.


----------



## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

dishrich said:


> Once WGN-9 was NO longer being distributed as a SS, it lost it's SS grandfathering forever; the law re: supers was written specifically to forbid any more SS's from being distributed nationally in the US.
> 
> But besides that fact, it will NEVER, EVER happen, because there is TOO much prog that WGN is FORBIDDEN from distributing nationally. Even if WGN wanted to, it has NO authority whatsoever to distribute it's local prog nationally. (that's why there IS a WGN-A feed - get it???)
> 
> ...


That's all correct and interesting, but not what we are talking about. The WGN that we all get, whatever you want to call it, is what would still fit with the superstations, and other than an agreement with WGN, nothing would prohibit that channel from being in the superstation pack, no more than it is in the top120 package. ANY national channel could be in the superstation package if Dish and the channel wanted it to be. WGN would be a good fit.


----------



## Jon Ellis (Dec 28, 2003)

Though it isn't possible to create any new "superstations," it would still be possible to create a channel mixing newscasts from markets across the country. Gannett was talking about doing that several years ago but it never happened. I still think it's a good idea. Might work best with a particular station ownership group, i.e. the "Tribune News Channel" or a network's owned-and-operated affiliates. t would have to be a mix of live and recorded newscasts since there are some times of day when there wouldn't be any live feeds available. It would never be a ratings goliath but it would probably generate some interest.


----------



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Jon Ellis said:


> Though it isn't possible to create any new "superstations," it would still be possible to create a channel mixing newscasts from markets across the country. Gannett was talking about doing that several years ago but it never happened. I still think it's a good idea. Might work best with a particular station ownership group, i.e. the "Tribune News Channel" or a network's owned-and-operated affiliates. t would have to be a mix of live and recorded newscasts since there are some times of day when there wouldn't be any live feeds available. It would never be a ratings goliath but it would probably generate some interest.


There was one a few years ago ... "America's News" or something like that. If I recall correctly, Voom's HD News channel also ran on local news stories from across the country.


----------



## renegade (Jul 28, 2011)

CarolinaGuy79 said:


> Does anyone here still subscribes to the Superstations and if so why? I get all the Superstations even though I get all my locals cause I like watching the news in other states, I mean I will watch WGN just for the Chicago news, so I was just woundering why everyone else has the Superstations if they do.


worth the $7/month to me


----------

