Re: When Will Directv add more channels?

John Duncan Yoyo wrote:

> If had the choice of two DMA's worth of channels on cable It
> might sway me.  Are both DMA's on basic?

Both are included in even the lowest package, and this has been the
case since before I was born. (twenty-three years ago)

Contractually, the fact that New York City's and Philadelphia's ABC,
CBS, NBC, Fox, WB and UPN stations are owned by the same five media
conglomerates must be very helpful.

ABC: WABC 7 / WPVI 6 (both Disney)
CBS: WCBS 2 / KYW 3  (both Viacom)
NBC: WNBC 4 / WCAU 10 (both General Electric)
Fox: WNYW 5 / WTXF 29 (both News Corporation)
WB: WPIX 11 / WPHL 17 (both Tribune)
UPN: WWOR 9 (News Corporation) / WPSG 57 (Viacom)


> We had Baltimore and DC when I first moved down here but
> that soon ended.

Cable television systems are permitted to carry duplicate network
stations (without blackouts), but only those that are "significantly
viewed" over-the-air in the locality.

Quoth the FCC:

"For a network station to be recognized as significantly viewed in a
community or in a county, it must achieve in noncable homes a share of
viewing hours of at least 3 percent (total week hours) and a net
weekly circulation of at least 25 percent."

(That wording is slightly outdated and ambiguous; the FCC obviously
doesn't factor satellite viewing in the equation.)

It's likely that the Baltimore stations have remained "significantly
viewed" by DC residents, so this probably was a business decision on
the part of your local cable television operator. (perhaps involving
monetary compensation demands by stations that declined "must-carry"
status)


> Being a Philadelphian trapped in DC my one guilty pleasure
> when I get up that way is watching Action News on channel
> 6 to see if it is still as awful as I remember it.

It's very popular, of course, but I share your assessment.


> Is it still Murder-Fire-Murder or Fire-Murder-Fire in the first
> five minutes?

The late night replay of Tuesday's 11:00 P.M. newscast began while I
was typing this reply, so I tuned in to check.

Report #1: Murder
Report #2: Fire
Report #3: Michael Jackson

The fire (a case of arson) was specifically referred to as a "murder,"
however, so the classic pattern basically held up.


> They had so much fire footage at one point I thought that
> they must have their own arsonist on staff.

LOL!