# New Channel to be added - Starfish



## manicd (Jan 30, 2003)

EchoStar unveiled plans to add The Starfish Television Network to its DISH Network satellite TV platform. Starfish, the company said, is the only channel dedicated to providing information and news about charitable and other worthy causes to educate and entertain viewers.

DISH said Starfish Television Network's programming comes from the 1.5 million non-profit organizations across the country. Content airing on the network will fall into one of three categories: existing programming already produced by the organizations, co-op programming where new content is created with Starfish and the non-profits, and original programming produced by the network itself.

According to DISH, The Starfish Television Network has several strategic non-profit partners contributing programming to the net including:

Muscular Dystrophy Association, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Operation Smile, Points of Light Foundation, Profiles in Caring, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Difference Makers International, Children's Miracle Network, Mothers without Borders, National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Wheelchair Foundation, Physicians for Peace, Airline Ambassadors, Beating the Odds Foundation, Camie Awards, and Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA).

For more information, visit http://www.starfishtv.org.


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## projectorguru (Mar 5, 2007)

another useless channel


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## boba (May 23, 2003)

CH9408 already up and broadcasting.


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## dlt (Feb 21, 2007)

boba said:


> CH9408 already up and broadcasting.


Is it on sat 61.5? I dont have it on my recievers.


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## angiecopus (May 18, 2004)

Glad i don't get it then sounds like a boring channel.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

9408 is on 61.5° and 129° ... not on 148°

They are paying for their space (like any other PI) so they might as well be there.
Besides ... that's the way the government wants it!


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## nuzzy (Aug 29, 2004)

WOOHOO!! YES!!! Another channel that we don't need!!!!!!!! Way to go Charlie!!!


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## tnsprin (Mar 16, 2003)

nuzzy said:


> WOOHOO!! YES!!! Another channel that we don't need!!!!!!!! Way to go Charlie!!!


A necessary evil. Its a public interest channel and they needed to add one after RFD was changed from PI to regular channel. They are required to carry a certain percentage of these channels.


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## thxultra (Feb 1, 2005)

Glad I bailed to d* when I see dish add crap like this and still not carry logo. It will be interesting to see if they get more then 2 viewers for this one.


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## music_beans (Mar 21, 2003)

projectorguru said:


> another useless channel





> Glad I bailed to d* when I see dish add crap like this and still not carry logo. It will be interesting to see if they get more then 2 viewers for this one.





> WOOHOO!! YES!!! Another channel that we don't need!!!!!!!! Way to go Charlie!!!


You know, that disgusts me. This new PI channel supports many of the charitable organizations that help children with disabilities, health problems, and other issues that you don't appear to care about. The Starfish Channel is indeed promising as I for one support some of those organizations.

I don't care that its a PI channel, but its not useless, and its not crap. People who have donated to these organizations or have been helped out will find great benefit from this channel, and you don't appear to see that. Its like you don't care for those who have been helped by say, MDA or Children's Miracle Network. Another thing, Im sure the channel won't be boring. Its gonna have stuff filled with hope, optimism, and maybe even a few scientific breakthroughs for diseases like Muscular Dystrophy or Autism.

If you say the channel is usesless, its like saying all those organizations behind the channel are usesless as well.


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## projectorguru (Mar 5, 2007)

music_beans said:


> You know, that disgusts me. This new PI channel supports many of the charitable organizations that help children with disabilities, health problems, and other issues that you don't appear to care about. The Starfish Channel is indeed promising as I for one support some of those organizations.
> 
> I don't care that its a PI channel, but its not useless, and its not crap. People who have donated to these organizations or have been helped out will find great benefit from this channel, and you don't appear to see that. Its like you don't care for those who have been helped by say, MDA or Children's Miracle Network. Another thing, Im sure the channel won't be boring. Its gonna have stuff filled with hope, optimism, and maybe even a few scientific breakthroughs for diseases like Muscular Dystrophy or Autism.
> 
> If you say the channel is usesless, its like saying all those organizations behind the channel are usesless as well.


Don't take it out of context, the organizations are not the issue, we get all this crap at work tv commercials signs everywhere on helpin people, it don't belong on TV, thats why I won't watch it, I want good programming, not another ploy on gettin more money out of my pocket


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## elbodude (Jul 13, 2006)

Great! But where is my FSN HD!!!??


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## MURF (Apr 11, 2007)

I've got a wonderfully talented Dish Network Installer on my roof right now installing 61.5 so I can get all the Public Interest Channels that Dish carries. Public Interest Channels are a superb source of information, infinitely more accurate and objective than corporate owned media whose sole objective is profit for the parent company. The media in the USA is now officially an oligopoly, down to 5 major corporations from 50, 25 years ago. This is a very scary reality. This mass consolidation of media is a major threat to this Republic. If you haven't really watched these channels I would encourage you to search the listings for these various channels, record a few programs and see what you think. Here is a link to a list of the various free public interest channels and the sat. locations for each. I especially like LinkTV and BYUTV. Tolerance and respect for others is often demanded by all and given by few. Have a great day everyone, it's a gorgeous day here in Portland, Oregon.   

http://ekb.dbstalk.com/pi.htm

Murf
dish 500 w/ 2 legacy duals @ 110/119
dish 500 w/ 1 legacy dual @ 61.5
64 switch
7200, 7200 (all Legacy gear)


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## tommiet (Dec 29, 2005)

Darn... I was hoping for another shopping channel!


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## tampa8 (Mar 30, 2002)

To all those that are complaining about a public information channel - this will make your life more relaxing and enjoyable. Cancel dish now, no, not tomorrow, now. Bad news for you is the odds is Dish will add or change other Public Interest channels in the future. So to save your self the time of writing a post each time complaining, if you would just switch now to Direct TV you would be so much more happy, as apprarently some feel Direct TV and Cable do not have public interest channels. And getting a Public Interest channel is not preventing Dish from carrying YES or FSN HD.


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## music_beans (Mar 21, 2003)

MURF said:


> I've got a wonderfully talented Dish Network Installer on my roof right now installing 61.5 so I can get all the Public Interest Channels that Dish carries. Public Interest Channels are a superb source of information, infinitely more accurate and objective than corporate owned media whose sole objective is profit for the parent company. The media in the USA is now officially an oligopoly, down to 5 major corporations from 50, 25 years ago. This is a very scary reality. This mass consolidation of media is a major threat to this Republic. If you haven't really watched these channels I would encourage you to search the listings for these various channels, record a few programs and see what you think. Here is a link to a list of the various free public interest channels and the sat. locations for each. I especially like LinkTV and BYUTV. Tolerance and respect for others is often demanded by all and given by few. Have a great day everyone, it's a gorgeous day here in Portland, Oregon.
> http://


I HAVE SUPPORTERS!


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## nuzzy (Aug 29, 2004)

tnsprin said:


> A necessary evil. Its a public interest channel and they needed to add one after RFD was changed from PI to regular channel. They are required to carry a certain percentage of these channels.


I know, sorry. I'm just venting...I REALLY need NESN HD!


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

There are options ...


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## tsduke (Mar 20, 2007)

Odds are that D* will add it as well. I can't believe people are complaining about this channel. What gives?


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

projectorguru said:


> another useless channel


It's a public interest channel. I never go there.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

tsduke said:


> Odds are that D* will add it as well. I can't believe people are complaining about this channel. What gives?


People are all about themselves these days. If you don't like it, don't watch it. What a concept?


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Paul Secic said:


> People are all about themselves these days. If you don't like it, don't watch it. What a concept?


Absolutely correct!

Also, many people don't realize that some of these channels (PIs and Shopping channels) are paying to be carried, so they in effect are helping to keep our costs down since Dish makes money on those channels just by existing!


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## mplsjeffm (May 28, 2005)

why doesn't D* have to carry PI channels?
It was the supreme court said that sat casters have to have X% of programing in PI


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

D* has PIs ... but they are not adding capacity or changing PIs as fast as E* is doing.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

James Long said:


> D* has PIs ... but they are not adding capacity or changing PIs as fast as E* is doing.


I realize I am purely speculating here... but also there may be different allowances for carrying locals vs networks. For instance, if DirecTV lights up a bunch of locals in HD for a given market, some of that content is PI by nature because of what the FCC requires for local stations to do in their communities...

So, I'm thinking expansion by adding locals may not fit the same "must add another national PI to keep my % right" pattern as adding others.

Lately DirecTV has been adding more locals I think than nationals... so perhaps that also plays into things.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

The PIs have a specific law ... 4 to 7% of the active channels at each satellite location are set aside for PIs. Local channels do not count as PIs ... there could be some debate over how they count for capacity. It isn't a percentage of content ... it is a percentage of channels offered.

PIs pay for their space ... there is a limit on how much the satellite carrier can charge. Locals CANNOT be charged by the satellite carrier for carriage (if some special link is needed because the station signal cannot reach the local receive facility the station can pay for that).

The space must be made available but if there are not enough PIs applying (who are willing to pay the price) the satellite carrier can use that space for other things.

Currently E* is running 299 national channels in AEP, but only 187 are video. Add 29 RSNs, PPVs, barker channels and etc. They have 25 channels that are PIs, 9 are on 110, 8 are on 61.5° and the rest are on 119°. Some of the 61.5° PIs are also on 148° and recently 129°. There are also some channels that could be PIs that are not on E* as PIs. Not all the PIs are in the 9400 range but the 9400-9418 range is all PIs.

25 channels would represent 4-7% of 625 to 357 channels. Looks like E* is leaning toward the 7% (and counting spotbeamed locals in such a way that 9 is an appropriate number for the number of signals coming from 110°). Perhaps D* is closer to 4%. As long as the channels pay for carriage I'm not worried.


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## drfreeman (Aug 14, 2004)

most p.i. channel are not very good but......................
please check out 197 the documentary channel
there is some really good programs on it


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## BNUMM (Dec 24, 2006)

If no one is interested in these channels why are they called Public Interest channels?


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

PI is a legal description.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

They are FOR the public interest (public good) but not necessarily interesting to the public. Get it?

BTW I got to see some of V-Me today and ended up watching a very funny Spanish (as in from Spain) movie commercial free. I dropped my Dish Latino Bonus pack. This channel will save me $12 a month! 

See ya
Tony


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## jsk (Dec 27, 2006)

I don't understand why people are complaining about E* adding PI channels versus a non-PI channel. 

1) It's required by law. Nothing else could use that bandwidth anyway. If this really bothers you, complain to your congresspeople because they can change the law.
2) It doesn't cost E* or you anything extra.

Just be happy for the people that like these channels and edit them out of your favorites list if you don't like them.


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## Michael P (Oct 27, 2004)

tnsprin said:


> A necessary evil. Its a public interest channel and they needed to add one after RFD was changed from PI to regular channel. They are required to carry a certain percentage of these channels.


Do you know something about RFD that I don't? Other than being moved out of the "PI Ghetto" to a more respectable channel number, it still may have PI status.

There are many PI channels that do not make their home in the 9400's, including The Documentary Channel, EWTN, CCTV (the Chinese news channel) etc.

As for D*, they too fall under the FCC rules - to the same percentage, it's just not as obvious to you that these channels are there (possibly because they may not all be grouped in a "Ghetto").


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## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

Michael P said:


> Do you know something about RFD that I don't?


Only if you missed the December thread "FCC kicks RFD-TV off PI channels" http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=72054 
and the twin March threads "rfdtv gone from pi list?" http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=82533 
and "Why is RFDTV moving to channel 231?" http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=83846


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Michael P said:


> Do you know something about RFD that I don't? Other than being moved out of the "PI Ghetto" to a more respectable channel number, it still may have PI status.


FCC kicks RFD-TV off PI channels
In an order and declaratory ruling issued Dec. 4, the FCC found "that RFD-TV does not qualify for carriage on capacity set aside by DBS providers (for public interest networks) when it acts like a commercial entity and favors certain programming."

The FCC said that RFD-TV no longer qualifies as a PI channel "so long as it engages in this conduct". The request for the ruling came from Farm Journal, and a "number of parties, including ... Free Press" joined that side of the argument.​Something you may have missed in December.



Michael P said:


> There are many PI channels that do not make their home in the 9400's, including The Documentary Channel, EWTN, CCTV (the Chinese news channel) etc.


8 of the 25 PIs:
197 Documentary Channel [110]
210 C-SPAN
213 NASA
260 Trinity Broadcasting Network
261 Eternal Word TV
262 Angel One
265 China Central Television 9 [110]
652 KBS World [61.5/148]

PS: I type slow ...


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

BNUMM said:


> If no one is interested in these channels why are they called Public Interest channels?


PI channels are like cable access where non profits, churches produce shows.


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## kbuente (Mar 25, 2007)

Could a channel like PBS-Kids be used as Public Interest Channel? I miss the days of having a national PBS channel that we could watch. I thought we used to have one.
Does a public interest channel follow the same rules as a non-commercial or educational FM radio station in that they can have donor mentions but not commercials? 
I'd like to see NPR as an audio station feaured on E*---course that probably wouldn't work because NPR would rather have you listen to their local NPR stations and donate money to them....


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

They can have commercials, however the channel itself and the organization must be non-profit.

See ya
Tony


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## FTA Michael (Jul 21, 2002)

TNGTony said:


> They can have commercials, however the channel itself and the organization must be non-profit.


That's not how I read it. If you read the FCC ruling (PDF here: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-06-172A1.pdf), it specifically did not address the question whether having commercials is sufficient cause to revoke the channel's PI eligibility. (RFD's exclusive, commercial-looking relationship with one livestock auction house was enough for the FCC to rule on it.)

The rule is that the station must be:
* a noncommercial educational broadcast station, or
* a public telecommunications entity, or
* an accredited nonprofit educational institution or a governmental organization engaged in the formal education of enrolled students, or
* a nonprofit organization whose purposes are educational and include providing educational and instructional television material to such accredited institutions and governmental organizations, or 
* an other noncommercial entity with an educational mission.

*And* they must air *only* noncommercial programming of an educational or informational nature.

Another important consideration is that RFD cruised along until someone complained about it. Watching the commercial-filled anime blocks of Colours, for example, makes me wonder whether it would withstand a similar challenge. My guess is that it'll be around until someone is sufficiently motivated to spend the effort needed for a formal complaint to the FCC.

So non-educational nonprofits are supposedly not eligible, and *all* PI programming is supposed to be noncommercial. :sure:


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

FamilyNet was a PI while Dish had it and it had a ton of commercials. If it weren't for the SA law suit it would probably still be on Dish. But who knows how the FCC would have ruled on that complaint.


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## DJ Lon (Nov 3, 2005)

FTA Michael said:


> ...Watching the commercial-filled anime blocks of Colours, for example, makes me wonder whether it would withstand a similar challenge...


When the block originally aired, the commercials _were_ PSAs (which looked to be inserted/replaced by Colours). After a few months of this, that just stopped and was replaced with the current slew of commercials for Navarre/Funimation-owned properties.

To be honest, I enjoy the anime block even though it repeats a bit too much and would rather have Dish carry the Funimation Channel itself instead of having to rely on a PI to carry a small block of it anyway.


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## Elistan98 (Sep 18, 2006)

If Dish picked up Funimation 24-7 or The Anime Network I would have already switched to them.


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## jrb531 (May 29, 2004)

music_beans said:


> You know, that disgusts me. This new PI channel supports many of the charitable organizations that help children with disabilities, health problems, and other issues that you don't appear to care about. The Starfish Channel is indeed promising as I for one support some of those organizations.
> 
> I don't care that its a PI channel, but its not useless, and its not crap. People who have donated to these organizations or have been helped out will find great benefit from this channel, and you don't appear to see that. Its like you don't care for those who have been helped by say, MDA or Children's Miracle Network. Another thing, Im sure the channel won't be boring. Its gonna have stuff filled with hope, optimism, and maybe even a few scientific breakthroughs for diseases like Muscular Dystrophy or Autism.
> 
> If you say the channel is usesless, its like saying all those organizations behind the channel are usesless as well.


And to others, like me, it's nothing but another way to "beg" for money. Waste of space. Instead of spending whatever it costs to put up this channel, why not take that $$$ and use it for charity?

To most charities it is nothing but a business. Take their cut from the top and the table scraps go to those in need. People with $$$ only donate for tax reasons or as a publicity stunt to show how charitable they are.

For those "few" charities who actually put those in need first I am sorry for this post but each year I look at the percentage of revenue that goes to self-support the charity vs the percentage that actually goes to those in need and it sickens me.

When disaster hits and people send money hand over foot to help, a "huge" percentage goes to scam artists. It's gotten so bad that it's hard to tell who is really in need and who is scamming... it's gotten no different for many of these organizations.

Grrrrrr

-JB


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

jrb531 said:


> And to others, like me, it's nothing but another way to "beg" for money. Waste of space. Instead of spending whatever it costs to put up this channel, why not take that $$$ and use it for charity?


I hear what you are saying... but a lot of folks only give to charities when they get something back. For instance... folks will go and buy a special church $5 barbecue plate where some of the money goes to charity... say maybe $1-$2 of that amount actually goes to charity... BUT the same person who would spend $5 on the barbecue, would not just give away $1-$2 directly to a person in need.

People don't like to give away money for nothing... so while a lot of money gets "wasted" in charitable organizations with all the overhead... most people wouldn't just give money to be giving it out without the charity there to waste some of it. Weird catch situation.


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## wwfmike (Jul 17, 2006)

There really isn't a need to complain about this channel. I sure as hell don't care about it (I give to charities that I like already) and I will definitely edit it out of my favorite list, but as long as it doesn't cost me a penny, who cares.


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## Kevin78 (Apr 30, 2007)

Another channel I wouldnt watch  I guess HBO Zone , Thriller Max , MTV Hits, just to name a very few, will never been on the lineup.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Kevin78 said:


> Another channel I wouldnt watch  I guess HBO Zone , Thriller Max , MTV Hits, just to name a very few, will never been on the lineup.


Perhaps if those channels paid a few thousand dollars per month instead of charging a few hundred thousand dollars for carriage E* (and D*) would be more willing to give them space? It is telling that those three channels are not on either satellite service.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

Kevin78 said:


> Another channel I wouldnt watch  I guess HBO Zone , Thriller Max , MTV Hits, just to name a very few, will never been on the lineup.


Starfish "pays" Dish to be on. Regarding HBO Zone, they probably cycle movies like the current channels do.


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## Kevin78 (Apr 30, 2007)

James Long said:


> Perhaps if those channels paid a few thousand dollars per month instead of charging a few hundred thousand dollars for carriage E* (and D*) would be more willing to give them space? It is telling that those three channels are not on either satellite service.


I saw that they are carried on "HITS" according to Lyngsat


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

And where, perchance, do you subscribe to HITS (headend in the sky) service?
Not from E* or D*, the two satellite services named clearly in my post.

(Individual C Band subscribers can pick up the channels in packages ... $15-$20 for all the HBOs and $20-$30 for all the HBOs and Max channels. A little more pricy than E* and D* - and not a big deal for the provider since those feeds are there for cable operators to use for their systems.)


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