# Help, Wrong DMA Assigned



## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

I just helped a friend install his DirecTV and he lives about 10 miles from the Dayton towers/downtown. D* said his locals are to come from Cincinnati--where he lives 40 miles/45 min from. Even if you count his county @ the southern most point, it is still farther to Cincinnati than to Dayton. I know these zip codes are listed in the SHVIRA, but is there anything he can do to change it? D* just started providing Dayton locals, I am not sure if the timing has anything to do with it. Is there anyone he can contact to at least complain? Thanks in advance.


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## TonyM (Aug 14, 2003)

Depending on which county he is in, that is which locals he should get

Here are the Dayton & Cincy markets


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

Thanks, I have seen that map but it is wrong. I mean from a lifestyle perspective. He on the north-western tip of Warren county and no one in that city assosciates with Cincinnati, they are considered a suburb of Dayton. I just was wondering who made this map--who he/I can complain to. I realize it probably won't do any good.


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## TonyM (Aug 14, 2003)

the FCC...they are the ones who designed the DMA maps.

It does look dumb that you are barely in the Cincy DMA and much closer to Dayton. Where I use to live, we were in the Duluth, MN DMA...then they (FCC) decided to change us to the Minneapolis DMA. I'm 120+ miles from Mpls and 90 from Duluth


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Actually - blame the Nielson Media Company for the screwed up locals assignment. Their "survey" of viewers in your county indicated that more people watched the Cincy stations than the Dayton stations, so that's the DMA you got assigned. You can always use an OTA antenna / basic cable to get the Dayton stations if you prefer them.


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## Crystal Pepsi Ball (Jun 29, 2004)

Directv is moving some Zip Codes, including Cincinnati to Dayton DMAs this month. Call DirecTV and have them look us this info by zip code.


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

CPB, Thanks! I'll do that.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

Keep in mind that
Mason, Landen, Lebanon and Kimgs Mills which comprise most of the population of Warren County are economically linked to Cincinnati much more than Dayton.

I agree that Warren county should be a "dual dma". But it can't be. So as with most other things, Majority rules.

The maps are correct from a legal and TV marketing standpoint. Sorry

See ya
Tony


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## haggis444 (Jan 21, 2004)

Tony,

Looks like it can be. D* told me yesterday that Springboro would be getting Dayton stations in the next few weeks.


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## Bobby94928 (May 12, 2003)

southern_carolina said:


> Tony, new here but I have found this site fascinating. Could you show the DMA for the towns of Wagener, Salley and Springfield, SC? It is a very rural area in the uppermost right corner of Aiken County.....closer to Columbia, SC than any other metro. We worked, shopped, have relatives, went to school in Columbia, but apparently we aren't in their neighborhood.
> 
> We have just been switched to DTV when the Electric Co-op lost it's franchise on DTV.
> DirecTV told me it is against federal law to tell me what zip code would qualify us for local stations. As it is we watch no network regularly. The NBC station is a grade D- if that good.
> ...


It looks like you're in the Augusta, GA DMA, all of Aiken County is:

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/TVMarkets/Maps/south_carolina[1].gif


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

southern_carolina said:


> Tony, new here but I have found this site fascinating. Could you show the DMA for the towns of Wagener, Salley and Springfield, SC? It is a very rural area in the uppermost right corner of Aiken County.....closer to Columbia, SC than any other metro. We worked, shopped, have relatives, went to school in Columbia, but apparently we aren't in their neighborhood.
> 
> We have just been switched to DTV when the Electric Co-op lost it's franchise on DTV.
> DirecTV told me it is against federal law to tell me what zip code would qualify us for local stations. As it is we watch no network regularly. The NBC station is a grade D- if that good.
> ...


Carolina,

The site where all the TV markets are mapped out is http://ekb.dbstalk.com/TVMarkets

It is not agains federal law for anyone to tell you what zip codes qualify. I'm not even sire it's against the law (SHVIA) for you to misrepresent (lie about) your zip code. What IS illegal is for DirecTV or Dish to sell locals to some one who is outside the local market according to Nielsen Media's market definitions no matter how "close" one is to the line.

When Dayton becomes available, I want to check again and see if Centerville is indeed able to get Dayton. The zip code does not spill into Montgomery county so there is no way it can LEGALLY be done.

The only exception to the maps on the TV Market page are small portions of counties that have overlapping zip codes. DirecTV and Dish can provide service to qualifying zip codes regardless of county now. This is a recent FCC clarification.

Finally there are three different signal designations.
1) Grade A (City Grade) Able to recieve the channel with the most basic rabbit ears.
2) Grade B (requires a rooftop antenna) The weakest grade B signal is described as half the people in an area being able to receive the channel half the time using a cut antenna on a 20 foot pole (single story house) or 30 foot pole (two or more story house) IN THE MIDDLE of the street in front of the address in question.
3) White Area (Signal below grade B)

See ya
Tony


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

I don't understand why he just can't get both sets of locals? Don't some cable company's offer locals from 2 DMA's in some areas of the country? If cable company's can do it, why can't D*? And if a person can get 2 sets of locals with an OTA antenna, then why can't they get both with D*? This is getting ridiculous.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

That's the federal government and the lobbyists for you. You're right, it makes no sense, but that's the way it is. This topic is discussed often in this forum and others.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

theratpatrol said:


> I don't understand why he just can't get both sets of locals? Don't some cable company's offer locals from 2 DMA's in some areas of the country? If cable company's can do it, why can't D*? And if a person can get 2 sets of locals with an OTA antenna, then why can't they get both with D*? This is getting ridiculous.


Because the SHVIA doesn't permit it, that's why. There is currently NO PROVISION for "significently viewed" stations right now. The updates to SHVIA currently going through Congress - some of them have this, some don't.


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