[opendtv] Re: Echostar make or break
- From: John Willkie <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2006 22:58:50 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
I'm sorry if I gave you that imression, Barry. I believe you are more than a
bit confused.
Broadcast stations are licensed to cities, not DMAs. I am not aware of a
single market where stations provide news and local event information over the
entire DMA. Indeed, that might not be called local, but regional.
Confused might sound a bit harsh, but the antidote for you not having coverage
across the entire DMA isn't getting local news from a city hundreds or
thousands of miles away: the solution doesn't address your desires, but seems
like you want to punish the stations closest to you.
Did you ever consider that it's hard to maintain a news department, let alone
one with regional coverage, when EchoStar has illegally provided a good number
of people in the market -- unlawfully -- access to distant signals and robbed
stations of the eyeballs, hence revenue, to support local stations?
You seem to have been spoiled after being unlawfully granted -- for a while --
access to NY and LA programming. In 1999, using a hijacked DirecTV box of a
friend, I was spoiled watching the news on Washington, DC's network affiliates.
But, they never covered Sheppardstown, WV! (Just barely in the #6 DMA, and
some 175 miles from DC.)
As I write this, I am watching live coverage via Tribune's KTLA of a high-speed
car chase on the Harbor Freeway of a car that carries people allegedly involved
in the armed robbery of a McDonalds. I'm sure that is much more relevant to
you than I. Cox Cable San Diego only provides KTLA's morning news zoo block,
and the 10 P.M. news. Long gone are the days when we could watch Joe Pyne live
on KTTV.
You attest that you want more localism in your TV signal choices. But, you
started off this thread because you said you couldn't acquire the local
stations. How do you know what they offer?
I'd love to see San Diego stations cover Tijuana like the twin city that it is;
heck, I'd settle for them covering San Diego matters like they did in the
1970's. But, they don't. Television is not a medium of breadth or depth.
And, "news" is where your camera is.
Confusion abounds. This can be a tough "room." And, I'm not being rough.
John Willkie
Barry Brown wrote
You seem to have the impression that I'm anti-local. This is not the case. I'd
be very happy to watch and support local stations if they provided good local
programming involving all parts of my DMA. I'm not wanting an LPTV to serve my
area, but a couple of super stations providing 24/7 local programming would
best serve our entire metro area including my community. Instead, we have about
8 stations providing network or syndicated programming and a bit of local
programming 3 times a day, covering all the bad news there is to find.
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