Re: [Swprograms] OT: Regional sports networks

["Rob de Santos AFANA" <rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks, Joe.  You stated that in clearer terms than I could have.  I
also noted that Rich posted a link to the article explaining Comcast and
the Orioles, et al. are headed to the FCC over carriage of the team.  

Sadly, the "audience" is usually unrepresented in these situations
unless someone at the FCC or an enlightened judge considers them. 

-Rob 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joseph Buch [mailto:joseph.buch@xxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 6:27 AM
> To: rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx; Shortwave programming discussion
> Cc: 'Richard Cuff'; 'Shortwave programming discussion'
> Subject: Re: [Swprograms] OT: Regional sports networks
> 
> The rules for cable TV say if you never send your "local 
> content" channel anywhere via satellite, then you are not 
> obligated to make it available to Direct TV or DISH.  Comcast 
> uses terrestrial microwave (or maybe fiber these days) to get 
> its programming to its various service areas.
> 
> I believe the FCC acted in response to an intense lobbying 
> effort by Comcast to protect its "local content" from use by 
> competitors.  In addition to exclusive sports coverage of the 
> Phillies, Comcast has their own news channels with regional 
> news, advertising, and features of potential interest to its 
> customers.  Specifying that the programming could not have 
> been sent via satellite was the FCC's way of defining what 
> was "local content".  They did not anticipate the wide 
> availability of fiber paths which we have today.  Today cable 
> TV is making a bit of a comeback against the DBS competition 
> by offering bundled phone and internet service and digital, 
> on-demand programming.
> 
> As far as I know, there are no exclusive channels on the DBS 
> services outside of the barker channels and the "How to 
> install your new access card" type channels.  Charlie Ergen 
> does a monthly program on DISH for customer relations 
> purposes but no cable company would want to air that because 
> he is always telling folks about the great new services and 
> products DISH is planning.  DISH also has a lot of 
> international content that is not available elsewhere.  These 
> programs are produced by others like Italy's RAI, Polands 
> Radio Maria, and China's CCTV English, French, and Spanish 
> services so they are not in the same category as content 
> produced by DISH.
> 
> Joe Buch

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