Tribe fall victim in the Game of Groans
September 3, 2014Tomlin expects Steelers to face both Hoyer and Manziel
September 3, 2014By now, you’ve probably seen reports that DirecTV might not be able to show the Browns game on Sunday. They are currently battling Raycom media over a “carriage agreement” over 50-some local TV stations around the country. One of those happens to be the local CBS affiliate, WOIO Channel 19. Both companies are waging their wars to win the public relations battle, but like with all these things lately where companies are merely arguing about splitting up my money, I don’t care which one of the pigs thinks they’re right.
DirecTV claims consistently that they need to put their foot down so that they can keep customers’ bills under control. Raycom, of course wants to leverage their programming to get as much money as possible in a carriage agreement. I get it. It’s a negotiation. I won’t be a pawn. I pay too much money for my television service to be anyone’s pawn.
I pay more than $100 per month for my DirecTV service and far more than that when you consider I also pay for NFL Sunday Ticket. I am not dissatisfied with my DirecTV service, mind you. I think it’s pretty cool that I can watch Boston U. play hockey a few times per year on NESN while living in Cleveland. Sure, their “On Demand” isn’t really all that on-demand, but overall I’m happy. That being said, it’s largely impossible to buy into the NFL more than I have as a consumer in the United States between normal DirecTV service and added on Sunday Ticket. Yet I sit here today facing the possibility that I won’t be able to watch the Browns in my home on Sunday.
I hope Raycom and DirecTV enjoy their urination competition, because they’re going to be very sorry in the end. Things like this dispute, the one going on in the Los Angeles Dodgers viewing area, and previous ones like DirecTV against Viacom will garner the wrong kind of attention for all the involved parties from the government.
While not completely related, two senators are pushing the FCC on the NFL’s local TV blackout policies, saying “the rule unfairly harms consumers by insulating the NFL from market realities and punishing fans in cities with large stadiums and declining populations.” Additionally, Senators Jay Rockefeller and John Thune are pushing for a 2015 action involving the unbundling of expensive, comprehensive TV packages like the one I pay DirecTV for. This is on the heels of John McCain’s previous efforts to do the same when he proposed the “Television Consumer Freedom act of 2013.”
This legislation has three principal objectives: (1) encourage the wholesale and retail ‘unbundling’ of programming by distributors and programmers; (2) establish consequences if broadcasters choose to ‘downgrade’ their over-the-air service; and (3) eliminate the sports blackout rule for events held in publicly-financed stadiums.
You can’t tell me that this wouldn’t be popular legislation. I can’t think of anyone other than lobbyists in the industry who wouldn’t be in support of this.
So I say enjoy your little fight, DirecTV and Raycom. For once, I’ll be rooting for my government to step in and make it so I no longer have to pay anyone for things I don’t want to watch, let alone pay for. Instead of pigging out on the backs of consumers, DirecTV and Raycom are creating yet another example the government will use to prove that consumers need to be protected from being used as pawns in a P.R. battle to decide who gets the biggest slice of chocolate cake.
Eat up piggies. Eat up.
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Photo: Scott Sargent/WFNY
49 Comments
Actually, I hadn’t heard anything about this- of course, I live in DC. I’m a bit confused- the local dispute does not affect DirecTV’s ability to show the Browns’ game out-of-market, right? Via the package?
Wondering this same thing. We just signed up for DTv in Long Beach being that we couldn’t pass up the Costco offer.
I will be a might bit angry if they don’t at least carry the competitor’s broadcast.
Correct, out of market games that are broadcast on CBS or NFL Sunday Ticket are not affected. It really only impacts viewers of the Browns from WOIO, channel 19, in the Cleveland area. We are basically limited to 100.7 (radio). I wonder what the local Cleveland bars are going to be like, many of them have DirecTV for the NFL Sunday ticket. Unless they have a an alternate means of getting the game locally they are SOL as well.
Cable companies, DirectTV, etc. = every expletive I can possibly think of. If you have 13 minutes, please watch John Oliver rip these companies apart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU
Mmmmm, piggys
Mmmm, piggys
Spot on comment right here, iyam.
This is one of the reasons why I refuse to pay for TV service. Antenna + HDTV = Every Browns game for free. Of course, if I lived elsewhere I’m sure I’d pony up the cash to make sure I could watch my brownies.
Was so excited to dump AT&T (who also gets NFL Redzone) earlier this year, in the hopes that AppleTV or some other third-party source would team up with the NFL to get some sort of a la carte option for NFL Redzone/Sunday Ticket, etc. But alas, I’m back to paying the cable bill for the next four months so I can watch the games as here in Columbus, we often split time with watching the Bengals.
I got rid of DirecTV because of issues like this. I live out of market in Atlanta and would rather go to the local Browns Backers bar and watch it with other fans. I really hope that someday you can get this package a la carte. Until then you can get 150 channels for the low low price of 59.99! Did we mention that 125 of those are music and religious channels? No? Oh..whoops, too bad you already signed your two year contract.
I dont see why WOIO is characterized as pig. DirecTV’s entire business model is dedicated to marginalizing local TV stations. WOIO is trying to keep its doors open. This is not piggish… this is basic survival.
If I were WOIO I would give zero [blanks] about making my former, and DirecTV’s current, customers happy and even less about DirecTV’s concerns about keeping their customers costs down. Puh-leeze.
I never like political talk but i will say this:
If you’re a “government is too big, we need less of it” person, then you aren’t allowed to just say that it’s OK this one time. I’m not saying I am for or against big government, but I am for people living with the stances they choose.
says the man whose show airs on cable (paid) tv. just sayin….
Sorry for this uncomfortable fact of life, but there are lots of things we don’t want to pay for that we don’t use. Your tax dollar allocations are full of examples. We don’t always get the entitlement of a la carte.
Look, I don’t love big businesses, but without a big business we wouldn’t have the infrastructures to have broadband and satellites and other devices that beam Browns games to my home on the left coast. It doesn’t happen by magic, and it’s not free. Just because I don’t watch the Oprah Network, doesn’t mean my old lady neighbor shouldn’t have it in her home (while I pay .10 a month or whatever for that to happen).
Big businesses can be soulless and all sorts of other terrible, but it’s a service for which there is a cost. Old Major is dead, and your two “pigs” are ruling the farm, so better get used to it…or go to the game.
It stinks, but go by a HDTV antenna and you can still get the local channels. I suggest buying one that plugs in and has an amplifier. I used to do this when DISH/DirecTv charged more for local channels.
Haha. Doesn’t that make it even better?? Thats like working for a bank and ranting about the Wall St. bailouts in the middle of the NYSE.
It depends on the company who provides the local channels to DTV. I haven’t had CBS in days because of it 🙁 I know both companies are being greedy, but I hope DTV stands their ground. These are free over the air channels and Raycom wants to double the price. I think it is all because of CBS having NFL football now.
I think people are upset that we not only have the technology to provide more a la carte programming, but there is also a massive demand and market for it, and yet cable companies basically bend everyone over because they essentially all operate monopolies in different regions of the country. Its quite the antithesis of a free market. They also jack up the prices on you every year for the same service with little to no warning.
True story, one customer service rep tried to explain to me that my bill jumped from $90/month to $110/month in one year due to inflation. They are the worst. Everyone deserves better, and they intentionally are holding out due to monopolistic power on a product everyone wants/needs (TV programming).
This unfortunately is not possible for many of us. WOIO OTA broadcast signal is not good at all, their power level is far lower than most, and their spectrum is on VHF which is pretty poor as compared to UHF, buying an HDTV antenna is hardly a fool proof solution.
DirecTV is an avenue to expand WOIO viewership. WOIO directly receives more money from advertising because of DirecTV and their users.
Game is in Pittsburgh. Also, I’m not (totally) begrudging the bill or packages. I complimented the service I pay for. The problem is their greed causing interruption in that service. This greed is what is going to get their little tax system broken up if they don’t cut it out. I’m not doing anything but being a good little boy and paying my bill including fees for additional boxes, in-home DVR service (yes, they charge for this individually) as well as other things.
well, there goes that plan.
I’m not for big government, but it’s not like the FCC doesn’t already exist. It’s not like cable and satellite, etc don’t have some giant lobbyists. These things are controlled under licenses and copyright agreements and all sorts of government-touching things already. I’m not looking for an expansion of government.
I know DirecTV is a pig because I’ve seen my bill and the many ways with which they like to charge me for things like DVR that they didn’t invent or have to do anything to deliver on a monthly basis. Raycom is asking for more money and lots more if you believe DirecTV via Variety’s report.
DirecTV said Raycom was seeking “more than double” the fees compared to its most recent deal. The satcaster also described the situation as Raycom “withholding” its stations.
Over the air + Tivo, I can still record and watch when I want and haven’t paid a cable bill in almost 2 years. Who cares what these companies do they are destroying their market and more and more people are cutting the cord.
i don’t think it’s the same. there are way too many issues to get in to regarding the difference between Wall Street bailouts and DirecTV. But the same thing would hold true if those two were equal: either STFU and get back to work, or quit if you don’t agree.
standing on a hill and bitching about the rising tide doesn’t have the same effect as if you were swimming in it.
but them’s the two options. choose wisely.
i know i know. just breaking some balls.
dude – all you need to do is ask to have them for free. I’ve been with DirecTV for 5+ years, and i have ordered the NBA and NFL packages annually – they treat my like gold. They just gave me the full NFL ticket for the cheap price, plus threw in every movie channel for free, and then took $10 off my bill for a year, just because i asked.
I think they have the best customer service. Just give them a call and ask what they can do for you.
you THINK people are cutting the cord. Why? because they watch Netflix?? Guess what: Netflix pays the cable companies, Hollywood, and whoever else they need to in order to carry that content. So, in the end, you’re still paying their bills; just through a third party.
I’m against big government, AND against protections for the cable companies that currently exist. (And it was hugely disappointing that that company lost the SCOTUS decision recently that would have blown up the market, though not sure their argument was the greatest.)
I was dreaming that Google/YouTube would do a deal as rumored, and was shocked/disappointed that they didn’t.
I favored the following broadcasters and broadcasting groups
acquiring various TV stations from Raycom:
Gray Television acquires WALB with NBC on .1, ABC on .2 and MYNET on .3 while
placing WSWG in a divesture trust fund with striking an arrangement with
Sinclair Broadcast Group to acquire the CBS and CW Plus affiliations with WSWG
call sign to turn WFXL into WSWG with CBS on .1, FOX on .2, and CW Plus on .3
by giving WSWG for (WCIV)WMMP. Gray also acquires WFXG, WTVM/WXTX, WTOC, KPLC,
WLOX, WLBT/WLOO/WDBD, WDAM, WECT/WSFX, KCBD, KLTV-KTRE
Lin-Media General acquires KOLD, and KGMB with regaining former satellites KGMD
and KGMV plus gains back the CBS affiliation
Meredith acquires WBRC, WAFF, WSFA, WFLX, WFIE, WAVE, WAFB/WBXH-CA, WVUE, KSLA,
WBTV, WXIX, WOLO/WUAB, WTOL/WUPW, WCSC, WIS, WMBF, WTNZ, WMC, WWBT/WUPV
Nexstar acquires WDFX, KAIT, WPGX, KFVS/WQTV-LP/WQWQ-LP,
Sinclair Broadcast Group acquires KFVE with regaining the MYNET affiliation, and
KHNL-KHBC-KOGG retaining the NBC affiliation, plus acquire KMSB and KTTU from
Gannett
I think by next season that NFL will start working on subscribers. Something like $299/season is pricey – but affordable for those who want it in all areas, all networks. If they did that, it would force networks to be more competitive with their rates.
Everyone has missed the point the once upon a time, the satcasters were not forced to deliver national network broadcasts only by way of the local affiliates. Then all that changed when the local station owners drummed up enough influence, i.e., stuffed enough money in the right bureaucratic pockets to handcuff the content distributors, and not allow them to offer other options when content providers make unreasonable demands.
The government bred this environment of non-competition, and now people want the government to fix it. Some people will never learn that turning to the government for rational solutions is as irrational of a mindset one can have.
NFL and DirecTv are ironing out the details on what will be a 10yr agreement.
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/08/25/Media/DirecTV.aspx
Will rabbit ears work? Sometimes the best things in life are free.
Renee’
Here NBC is blacked out & one of our most popular local channels.
Not too much I care about on nbc except Blacklist & late night .
However,, we should have a right to our local channel & newscasters.
These guys are companies. I get that but this is ridiculous.
This is totally ridiculous. I think they all get paid way too much to begin with. Remember when TV was free and water too??? Stop being greedy and give the public what they are paying for. Isn’t half a loaf better than none!!
We have to pay for DVR and HD…oh and Whole home DVR . I called to get some sort of promotion or rebate and they basically said if i wanted to cancel, they would collect my equipment. I am on an older package right now that is not currently offered anymore. You have to bump up a package to get the same things I have right now.
This article is incredibly naive. They will lose nothing by it because Congress works for them, not for you. People in power, i.e media, the government, the companies themselves, will continue to pretend that it’s the “free market” rather than a government supported monopoly. Law enforcement will continue to battle “illegal streams” as though it’s a moral issue, and individuals will continue to resist using them for the same reason. Meanwhile, you will continue to claim “I won’t be a pawn” as you continue to be a pawn.
at a much reduced rate haha
and remember the Model-T, and Thalidomide, and asbestos? move on from the past. things are different.
WOIO wants to double the fee you pay to watch their free over the airwaves station. In some markets Raycom has tried to charge 10 times the current fee. This is just the first step in doing away with those free over the air wave stations. DirectTV does not want to pay for something that should be free and then pass it along to their customers. They were charging for local channels and had to stop doing that. I’m just wondering how hard it would be for CBS to find another affiliate in the Cleveland area. And by the way, it’s quite obvious that WOIO doesn’t give a [blank] about it’s customers. Raycom is going to come after every other cabledish provider at some point. T
‘double the fee.’
i keep seeing that talking point from dtv’s website repeated but i never see an actual ‘from what to what’ cited. if their fee was $5/year and they now want $10, then theyre doubling their fee, no? it’s equally likely that raycom is simply demanding market rate.
until you can provide meaningful data on this you’re simply carrying water for a 43B market cap corporation.
speaking of doubling.. directv is on the verge of doubling their contract with the nfl: $700M/yr in 2009; 1.4B/yr moving forward.
The NFL doesn’t have two different broadcasts like on MLB Extra Innings or NBA League Pass. One broadcast per game. The two participating markets simply receive the same broadcast. That broadcast will be blacked out in both participating markets on Sunday ticket, and only available on your local market station, which of course right now is unavailable.
Screw woio (raycom), they want a 400% increase.
Market value = FREE
If its free over the air and they are currently getting $5/ year then they are already getting way over market rate….
Raycom is the pig here why a week from the opener cut their programming so they could pump out their chest.