# Dish's anti-anglo HD policy



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Somebody at Dish has a problem with the Brits. British shows are regularly carried on BBC, PBS, Sundance, and IFC. I'm particularly irked that there is no indication we'll see BBCA or PBS in HD any time soon. Yeah, I know Charlie has a suit against Rainbow Media which owns Sundance and IFC, along with AMC.

But the idea that neither PBS in most DMA's nor BBCA can be seen in HD is downright anti-anglo.


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## finniganps (Jan 23, 2004)

Does Direct have these in HD? If so, you may want to consider switching since as you know there is no telling when new channels will be added.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

finniganps said:


> Does Direct have these in HD? If so, you may want to consider switching since as you know there is no telling when new channels will be added.


The darned redwood trees keep us from having LOS necessary for Direct which does carry Bay Area PBS HD but not the others I listed yet. the cable system that Comcast inherited in the Adelphia bankruptcy deal doesn't have the capacity to offer HD except for a couple of premiums. And AT&T decided not offer 21st century services here.

It bugs me that quality English language programming carried on PBS, BBCA, Sundance and IFC, including British, Canadian, Australian, and South African programs, aren't available in HD through Dish.

If they didn't try so hard to be the source for "international" channels, maybe I wouldn't be so irked. I don't have any problem with them offering a good selection of Hindi channels.

The English-speaking world is larger than the area from New York to Los Angeles and perhaps every bit as creative. I'd even pay for an International Anglo package that included those four and maybe something from another country. Actually, it would great if we had an HD channel that brought us a selection of non-American English language drama and comedy series programming. Examples of Australian drama programming include:

All Saints (Seven Network 1998-November 2009)
Bed of Roses (ABC1 2008-present)
Carla Cametti PD (SBS 2009)
The Circuit (SBS 2007-present)
City Homicide (Seven Network, 2007-present)
The Cut (ABC1 2009)
Dirt Game (ABC1 2009)
East of Everything (ABC1 2008-present)
East West 101 (SBS 2007-present)
Packed to the Rafters (Seven Network 2008-present)
Rush (Network Ten 2008-present)
Sea Patrol (Nine Network 2007-present)
Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (Nine Network 2009)

Yes, like us, they are heavy into crime dramas, but it's nice to see something from another perspective.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Don't give a diddly-squat about HD, but I would like to see more shows from Canada, Britain and Australia. BBCA is more of an American channel than BBC.


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## paja (Oct 23, 2006)

phrelin said:


> The darned redwood trees keep us from having LOS necessary for Direct which does carry Bay Area PBS HD but not the others I listed yet. the cable system that Comcast inherited in the Adelphia bankruptcy deal doesn't have the capacity to offer HD except for a couple of premiums. And AT&T decided not offer 21st century services here.
> 
> It bugs me that quality English language programming carried on PBS, BBCA, Sundance and IFC, including British, Canadian, Australian, and South African programs, aren't available in HD through Dish.
> 
> ...


Since you seem to know about Autrailian programming, maybe you know if PRISONER CELL BLOCK H is still being shown down under.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

paja said:


> Since you seem to know about Autrailian programming, maybe you know if PRISONER CELL BLOCK H is still being shown down under.


Not that I know of.

For those unfamiliar with the series _Prisoner: Cell Block H_ was a drama set in a women's prison called Wentworth Detention Centre that ran for eight seasons on Australian television, from 1979 to 1986, running 692 one hour episodes. It was popular in Britain and episodes ran uncut for two years on KTLA. There was other US syndication but it was in a 30 minute cut version because...well...because it is the U.S. and they could keep in the sadistic violence loved by Americans, while cutting the lesbian sex stuff hated by Americans. Today it would be on Showtime, of course.

It's a cult classic considered a very dark soap. Amazon has the _Prisoner Cell Block H_ DVD Set 1 and Set 2 if anyone needs a fix or is curious.

Apparently it's also still around in the bit torrent sphere.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

I remember seeing it. I thought it was on PBS, but it may have been on a local syndicate.


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## oldave (Dec 22, 2003)

SayWhat? said:


> Don't give a diddly-squat about HD, but I would like to see more shows from Canada, Britain and Australia. BBCA is more of an American channel than BBC.


There are few shows from Australia... very few.

Most of the native Aussie shows are on the 7 network, and even those are slowly being supplanted by reality shows. All Saints, for example, is ending its run this year.

Since McLeod's Daughters ended on 9, they only have Sea Patrol, and that runs 13 episodes. Thank God You're Here moved to 7 this year, but it's also a short "season" (referred to as a series down under).

Over on 10, there's Australian Idol... that's about it.

Sure, there's Home & Away on 7 and Neighbours on 10, which could interest some as a daily "soap."

SBS has a bit, and the ABC does have some as well (though that Kath & Kim abortion can stay down under as far as I'm concerned... the NBC version wasn't any better).

There have been some quality shows down under. But "reality TV" is so much less expensive to produce, and apparently draws large audiences.

It would be interesting to have an Australian channel here... showing older shows from down there, like The Flying Doctors, Blue Heelers and the older series of All Saints.

For those of us who're fans of Aussie drama, at least Netflix has McLeod's Daughters.


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## oldave (Dec 22, 2003)

phrelin said:


> Examples of Australian drama programming include:
> 
> All Saints (Seven Network 1998-November 2009)
> Bed of Roses (ABC1 2008-present)
> ...


We love All Saints, City Homicide and Sea Patrol.

Packed To The Rafters is our favorite of the current series down under.

Incidentally, City Homicide moves to Wednesday this week.


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