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DIRECT TV & KCRG Channel 9?

Hawkbiz

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Apr 21, 2012
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As a DIRECT TV customer it has been frustrating to not have KCRG Channel 9
for months as these two entities continue to "negotiate". All of my calls and complaints
basically have not proved helpful other than to get $10 off my DIRECT bill and a few
free months of HBO.
The answer from both sides is basically to blame the other side and to tell me to keep
checking their web site (???)

Any hope out there for a quick settlement or is it time to switch from DIRECT TV?

thanks
 
Sweeps ended the other day so expect this to come to a conclusion in the next 3-4 weeks when the numbers come out.
 
KCRG seems to be full of crap on this one, the reasons on their website look like total nonsense to me. The fact that they ignore the price issue that DTV mentions is the dead giveaway to me.
 
From KCRG Website.

Updated Feb. 26

Conversations between KCRG-TV9 and DIRECTV are ongoing, but there has been little to no movement.
Tuesday night we received communication from DIRECTV stating among other things, that "marquee" programming has passed, and there are "few programming drivers" upcoming. It is disheartening to realize that DIRECTV thinks so little of what KCRG offers their customers and our viewers. KCRG-TV9 provides top rated programming in the way of local newscasts, ABC network and syndicated programming plus vital weather information and alerts, each and every day (not just during sweeps). We hear from viewers every day who are missing their favorite local news teams and ABC programming.
Sadly, this communication did not include any offer or opportunity to find long term resolution to this situation.
Please call DIRECTV (800-531-5000) and educate them on why you miss KCRG-TV9.
We appreciate your support.
 
I own an outdoor antenna exactly for this reason. Haven't missed a single show of theirs I watch. One button macro on the Logitech and I'm there.

Next year it'll be KWWL, the next Fox/CBS...been there done that for a decade now.
 
I assume things will be patched up by the fall. If not, then I'll get pissy. There is literally no other time I watch KCRG. I also find it hilarious they offered the same explainations with Dish a few years ago.

This post was edited on 2/27 3:02 PM by TailgateTom
 
I thought I would miss them, but aside from the Oscars... really haven't had a desire to watch ABC at all. Between all of the other channels, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon I have plenty of things to watch.
 
I remember this happening years ago through mediacom and while this was going on they provided the Q.C. Channel 9 to us over here. I'm assuming Directv doesn't give two shits about doing this.

I thought I would miss Beth Malicki's ample breasts but I guess I don't.
Posted from Rivals Mobile
 
Originally posted by bagdropper:

I own an outdoor antenna exactly for this reason. Haven't missed a single show of theirs I watch. One button macro on the Logitech and I'm there.

Next year it'll be KWWL, the next Fox/CBS...been there done that for a decade now.
KCRG's coverage map is a joke. I live on the SW side of IC, below the Benton street hill and can't get a sniff of their signal unless I stand on my roof and hold an antenna up in the air. I refuse to pay the $$ to put up a rooftop antenna. KGAN and even KWWL come in via an attic antenna. KCRG doesn't even have a pulse.

I didn't tell Directv that I also subscribe to broadcast basic on Mediacom but I did get some credits from them when I complained. They told me it was against FCC rules to put a national ABC feed on without a waiver from KCRG. My request for a waiver from KCRG was of course denied. As a result, I'm not watching KCRG anyway.

KCRG is no longer receiving any compensation from Directv and people have started complaining to their advertisers. Sooner or later something will have to give.
 
We complained and now we get channel 396. It is ABC's channel from New York. Obviously we dont get the local news but we now get all the nightly silly shows my wife wants to see.

It took a couple weeks to get it but its an option if it fills your needs.
 
Was told by someone in the industry that this will be resolved very soon. Guess we will see.
 
Originally posted by r4hawks:
We complained and now we get channel 396. It is ABC's channel from New York. Obviously we dont get the local news but we now get all the nightly silly shows my wife wants to see.

It took a couple weeks to get it but its an option if it fills your needs.
I asked them about this option a while back and they said they couldn't do it. How did you convince them otherwise?
 
Got an email from Directv yesterday in response to my previous complaints. They reiterated that they couldn't turn on the national feed without a waiver from KCRG. Giving me $10 credit on my bill each month for the next 12 months. There was also a paragraph suggesting I could use that $$ to subscribe to Hulu Plus and watch ABC programming there.

I didn't ask for anything except expressing my frustration about the situation and wanting an explanation as to why we couldn't get the national feed.
 
Originally posted by Hawkbiz:
What is "sweeps"?
When the networks and local stations have their ratings recorded and as a result they then can set their commercial rates based off of how many people are watching their programming. It's when the networks roll out what they consider to be their best programming. There is another Sweeps in May when all the season finales happen.

For local stations it is when their local news rates are set, which is the life blood for local station income.

At face value kcrg not being on directv should hurt their ratings enough to where they may back off some of their demands.

But since this market is determined by people filling out diaries and sending them back in, it's a crap shoot if it will, since the sample size is pretty small.
 
Originally posted by BondHawk:


Originally posted by r4hawks:
We complained and now we get channel 396. It is ABC's channel from New York. Obviously we dont get the local news but we now get all the nightly silly shows my wife wants to see.

It took a couple weeks to get it but its an option if it fills your needs.
I asked them about this option a while back and they said they couldn't do it. How did you convince them otherwise?
My wife spoke with them I didn't but , she said they suggested it. You can call Directtv and if you talk to 4 different people you'll get 4 different answers.
 
Originally posted by r4hawks:
Originally posted by BondHawk:


Originally posted by r4hawks:
We complained and now we get channel 396. It is ABC's channel from New York. Obviously we dont get the local news but we now get all the nightly silly shows my wife wants to see.

It took a couple weeks to get it but its an option if it fills your needs.
I asked them about this option a while back and they said they couldn't do it. How did you convince them otherwise?
My wife spoke with them I didn't but , she said they suggested it. You can call Directtv and if you talk to 4 different people you'll get 4 different answers.
That is astonishing if a CSR did that. I went through the waivers process in the 90's before DTV did locals nationwide (Guttenberg), and it took 3 months to make it happen. And that was with the ACREC/CWA Skyways doing all the work for me.
 
The 5 meteorologists KCRG has aren't going to pay for themselves. Having what may be the largest weather staff of any local TV station in the country comes with a price.

Then again you could switch to Mediacom and get 9.2 with Hawkeye classics and 9.3 Antenna TV as well.
 
After about 3 weeks of not receiving KCRG, I called Direct TV 4 days in a row. As R4 stated, got a different "solution" every time. On the 4th day, the DTV rep said they could put in a request for a waiver from the local station (KCRG) and if granted, channel 396 would broadcast ABC programming. They told me to check every so often and if we started to receive 396, we would be charged $3 a month. They told me it could take up to 45 days, which at the time I thought the conflict between Dtv & KCRG would be resolved. Glad I called when I did. We started receiving it 2 weeks ago.
Received a notice in the mail from DTV yesterday stating:

Here are your local TV stations' responses to your request for permission to receive the signals of network affiliates from outside your local city area (DIRECTV channels 379-399) This permission is known as a "Waiver".
NETWORK Waiver Status
ABC: Waiver granted by your local TV stations.

We do have an antenna hooked up so we can watch KCRG, however can not dvr anything using the antenna, so I like having 396 so I can watch "my silly programs" as r4 described them. mrsr4
 
This situation is now going on with channels 5 and 17 in the Des Moines area. We still have an antenna and tuner so we should be good. (Though the signal sometimes drops due to our location.)
 
After about 3 weeks of not receiving KCRG, I called Direct TV 4 days in a row. As R4 stated, got a different "solution" every time. On the 4th day, the DTV rep said they could put in a request for a waiver from the local station (KCRG) and if granted, channel 396 would broadcast ABC programming. They told me to check every so often and if we started to receive 396, we would be charged $3 a month. They told me it could take up to 45 days, which at the time I thought the conflict between Dtv & KCRG would be resolved. Glad I called when I did. We started receiving it 2 weeks ago.
Received a notice in the mail from DTV yesterday stating:

Here are your local TV stations' responses to your request for permission to receive the signals of network affiliates from outside your local city area (DIRECTV channels 379-399) This permission is known as a "Waiver".
NETWORK Waiver Status
ABC: Waiver granted by your local TV stations.

We do have an antenna hooked up so we can watch KCRG, however can not dvr anything using the antenna, so I like having 396 so I can watch "my silly programs" as r4 described them. mrsr4
 
I pulled the plug years ago. Kodi with Netflix, antenna and some of the nefarious addons from Kodi in conjuntion with a debrid (Real Debrid or Premiumize) service plus a few others. If you want to go really sketchy there is Area 51 and a VPN. Costs you about, $12 a month and provides hundreds of channels including multiple CBS, NBC, TBS and ABC stations from most of the big metro areas and most of the PPV stuff. Right now I pay for DirectNow but we almost never watch it. I keep it for the B1G10 Network and Monday Night Football in the fall. So I am paying around $70 a month all in, not including the internet connection which I need anyhow. I could do it for half that b dropping DirectNOW if I wanted to use a VPN and Area 51 but I cannot count on my wife to turn on the VPN when needed.
 
No CBS or ABC for me. I don't blame directv for not paying what they want since they give those channels away for free over the air.
 
After about 3 weeks of not receiving KCRG, I called Direct TV 4 days in a row. As R4 stated, got a different "solution" every time. On the 4th day, the DTV rep said they could put in a request for a waiver from the local station (KCRG) and if granted, channel 396 would broadcast ABC programming. They told me to check every so often and if we started to receive 396, we would be charged $3 a month. They told me it could take up to 45 days, which at the time I thought the conflict between Dtv & KCRG would be resolved. Glad I called when I did. We started receiving it 2 weeks ago.
Received a notice in the mail from DTV yesterday stating:

Here are your local TV stations' responses to your request for permission to receive the signals of network affiliates from outside your local city area (DIRECTV channels 379-399) This permission is known as a "Waiver".
NETWORK Waiver Status
ABC: Waiver granted by your local TV stations.

We do have an antenna hooked up so we can watch KCRG, however can not dvr anything using the antenna, so I like having 396 so I can watch "my silly programs" as r4 described them. mrsr4
Can't imagine the silly programs you would like ;>)
 
Over the air broadcasters should be happy that cable providers and satellite providers rebroadcast their signals. The fact they demand fees is pretty ballsy to me.
 
YouTube TV is the direction I took. If they keep adding junk channels and raising $’s and looking like the Directs of the world I may be forced to re-evaluate
 
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Over the air broadcasters should be happy that cable providers and satellite providers rebroadcast their signals. The fact they demand fees is pretty ballsy to me.
The broadcasters have to pay to be a network affiliate, and DirecTV wants to distribute the network content to that market. There's no reason the broadcaster shouldn't pass on some of that cost.
 
All I know is my wife almost lost her sh!t last night when she thought she couldn’t watch the Bachelorette. Fortunately found a pirated stream.
 
YouTube TV is the direction I took. If they keep adding junk channels and raising $’s and looking like the Directs of the world I may be forced to re-evaluate

Vue just raised their rates by 5$. It’s still around 60$ a month which is still cheaper than Direct/Dish. Also I like I can add a channel and delete it within the same month. Unlike Direct/Dish where you have either 3 or 6 month trial periods.
 
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The broadcasters have to pay to be a network affiliate, and DirecTV wants to distribute the network content to that market. There's no reason the broadcaster shouldn't pass on some of that cost.

That's a sunk cost even if nobody rebroadcasts the signal. It has nothing to do with being a network affiliate. Advertising rates are based on viewership. The local channels get more viewers if their signal is rebroadcast, and it's cheaper than having to put out a more powerful signal to fringe areas.
 
DirecTv is actively trying to get subs off the old dishes anyway. I guess if they do this enough it speeds up the process. The problem with trying to migrate subs to their streaming model is that it sucks in comparison to YTTV, Vue, and Hulu.
 
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