# Small Markets Look to Dish (and Directv) for Help



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

*"...there is good news for the small-market broadcasters seeking the extra viewership...that satellite service would bring: Congress may soon pass legislation that would more or less compel Dish to deliver local-into-local service to all 210 TV markets over a two-year period. It would be even better if  DirecTV were doing the same thing..."*

From *TVNewsCheck*.com


> *Small Markets Await Satellite TV Salvation*
> By Kim McAvoy
> TVNewsCheck, Feb 24 2010, 4:28 AM ET
> 
> ...


Full story and a partial chart showing where the local satellite signals are and aren't, *here*


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## MSoper72 (Jun 18, 2004)

If what I read is true, Dish would be allowed again to offer distant networks again? Even though, it was banned from offering distant networks by a court order?


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## Greg Bimson (May 5, 2003)

It's a mis-nomer, delivering "distants". Remember, when "distants" were prohibited by the courts, the "significantly viewed" stations went along with them, because the out-of-market and signficantly viewed are tied to the same license which the court prohibited Dish Network from using.

If STELA comes to pass and be signed into law, then Dish Network will only be allowed to fill in those markets without certain networks by using a distant network. Being able to purchase a package of out-of-market network stations is still prohibited.


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## lwilli201 (Dec 22, 2006)

How do distant channels help with local news and weather?


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

lwilli201 said:


> How do distant channels help with local news and weather?


They don't, BUT this deal would allow Dish to have limited ability to give distants in return for Dish providing locals to all 210 DMAs. The ability to offer distants to, say, qualifying RV owners means that they don't lose all those accounts to DirecTV by default, as is the case now. Is that worth the cost of providing expensive satellite bandwidth for many tiny DMAs with tiny populations? I guess Dish thinks so...


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

Guys, Dish has provided distants all along, in fact to more homes now then ever. And it is very possible to not only get your locals, but to add FOUR more of each of the networks - NY, San Francisco, LA, Chicago, for each network.
Through American Direct, two of the cities are SD, two are HD. You can get them all plus your locals......
Not only did dish not lose any accounts, they gained because it is easier to get distants from them then from Direct, and more options. It was even talked about in one of the RV magazines.

And only because I had some people telling me this is impossible in another posting, don't bother, I am living proof, my father is, and others that he camps with.......you can get them all....(locals and all the distants for home, all the distants for RV) If you give American Direct your Zip that is in a white zone, you get them with no problems.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

I am familiar with KAIT. They chose to use a VHF channel, and marginal power to convert their signal over to digital from analog. If they cannot be received "on the other side of the hill", that is THEIR fault. That said, LIL is great, but as most of us in the tornado belt already know, if there is a storm bad enough to generate a tornado, you will be staring at a "Searching for Satellite" screen anyway, unless you have an OTA antenna on your roof.

Thats what Weather Alert radios with S.A.M.E are for. Those people "behind the hill" and out in the boonies.


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## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

> "In the rougher terrain and the far reaches of my viewing area you have people who are 60-plus miles from the station [and] if they are on the wrong side of the hill they have trouble picking us up over the air," explains Ingram. "I think some folks have failed to realize the ramifications of not having local into local service in all the markets," he says. ...


So if the broadcasters are concerned that people within their DMA aren't receiving their channel, why not add another tower?

This guy makes it seem as though its the sat services job to deliver their station, but charge them for it at the same time so the local broadcaster doesn't have to invest in infrastructure.


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## dishdude19 (Dec 8, 2003)

brant said:


> So if the broadcasters are concerned that people within their DMA aren't receiving their channel, why not add another tower?
> 
> This guy makes it seem as though its the sat services job to deliver their station, but charge them for it at the same time so the local broadcaster doesn't have to invest in infrastructure.


Hi, Brant, I think you make a good point!


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