EKB News Archives: 2002

12/31/02

12/30/02

Loss of some channels yesterday reportedly caused by problems at the uplink center for the Echostar-5 satellite operating at 110W. Transponders 13 and 21-32

12/28/02

12/25/02 Merry Christmas

12/24/02

12/23/02

12/21/02

12/20/02

Ergen Talks on TNT Carriage (Sky Report)
DISH Brings Local TV Channels to Louisville (PR)
Daystar and FamilyNet public interest channels added to 61.5° and 148°
Z-73 radio (Albuquerque) now available in Sky Angel package

12/19/02

12/18/02

OUTSIDE THE BOX: 'Tis The Season for a DBS Celebration? (Sky Report)
Louisville locals to be available Dec 19, possibly without NBC

12/17/02

12/16/02

12/14/02

Spokane WA locals now include Fox

12/13/02

12/12/02

12/11/02

12/10/02

DISH Warns Subs on Possible Channel Losses (Sky Report)
Spokane WA locals to be available Dec 12 without NBC or Fox

12/9/02

12/6/02

12/5/02

12/3/02

12/2/02

12/1/02

11/30/02

11/29/02

11/28/02

11/27/02

Hail Mary pass for satellite deal (Yahoo! News..HollywoodReporter.com)

11/26/02

11/25/02

11/23/02

Colorado Springs locals added, except CBS and NBC. (11/21)

11/22/02

11/21/02

EchoStar, NBC Settle on Distant Nets (Sky Report)
EchoStar Wins Back Satellite License (Yahoo! News..AP)
EchoStar, NBC Settle Litigation (Yahoo! News..AP)
Buffalo locals to be available today
Des Moines locals to be available today without ABC

11/20/02

11/19/02

11/18/02

11/16/02

11/15/02

11/14/02

DISH Offers Caribbean/Central American Games (Sky Report)
Holiday Music channel now available to ALL Dish Network subscribers on ch 982
NBA TV now available to NBA League Pass subscribers on ch 560
KGMC Fresno added to Locals package

11/13/02

Ergen Talks Merger, DISH 301 and Locals (Sky Report)
Buffalo locals to be available Nov 21
Des Moines locals to be available Nov 21 except ABC
KGMC Fresno to be available Nov 14

11/12/02

Most Expect Good 3Q for DISH (Sky Report)
Dish outage angers clients (RockyMountainNews.com)
Tech Forum tonight, 9pm (ET) on ch 101 Summary

11/11/02

DISH Boxes Hit with Software Glitch (Sky Report)
Tech Forum tomorrow, 9pm (ET) on ch 101

11/9/02

11/8/02

11/7/02

Former DBS Licensee Back at FCC, Targeting Merger (Sky Report)
So What Did Murdoch Say? (Sky Report)
Las Vegas locals to be available today, without NBC

11/6/02

Companies Approach Court on Merger (Sky Report)
EchoStar, Hughes move to defend deal in court (Yahoo! News..Reuters)
Jacksonville FL locals available to subscribers today

11/5/02

11/4/02

11/2/02

11/1/02

10/31/02

10/30/02

DISH reportedly accepting subscriptions to NBA League Pass
Who Will Rule Satellite TV? (wired.com)
EchoStar chief meets with feds to resuscitate DirecTV merger (DenverPost.com)

10/29/02

10/28/02

10/26/02

10/25/02

10/24/02

10/22/02

10/21/02

10/18/02

10/17/02

10/16/02

10/15/02

10/14/02

10/13/02

Sorry, Charlie (Multichannel News)

10/12/02

10/11/02

10/10/02

10/9/02

10/8/02

10/7/02

10/5/02

FCC Staff Opposed to Echostar-DirecTV Deal -Sources (Yahoo! News..Reuters)
DVRs--are they hot or not? (c|net News.com)
EchoStar VIII Satellite Arrives at 110° Slot, Expected to be In Service Soon

10/4/02

10/3/02

10/2/02

10/1/02

9/30/02

9/28/02

Satellite Tax Breaks Get House Hearing (Multichannel News)
Liberty waiting for EchoStar deal to fail (DenverPost.com)
Liberty alters TV structure (RockyMountainNews.com)
KTEH San Fransisco PBS has been removed from the locals line-up due to poor signal delivery from the station

9/27/02

9/26/02

Another Merger Report: DirecTV Execs Eye Buyout? (Sky Report)
DirectTV execs weighing management buyout-LA Times (Yahoo! News..Reuters)
Justice may stop satellite TV merger (Yahoo! News..USA Today)
Vivendi CEO Vows to Cut Debt (Yahoo! News..AP)
DirecTV not considering management buyout - Hughes (Yahoo! Finance..Reuters)
Justice frowns on EchoStar plan (DenverPost.com)
EchoStar confers with FCC (RockyMountainNews.com)
Harrisburg locals available (except CBS). $1 discount until retransmission agreement is reached.
HTBA, which is the Cyrillic alphabet for NTVA (NTV America), is now in freeview mode for all Dish subscribers on Ch 594 at 148° and 61.5°.

9/25/02

9/24/02

9/23/02

9/21/02

9/20/02

9/19/02

9/18/02

DOJ Moves on AT&T/Comcast (Sky Report)
DISH Taps TMPG (Sky Report)
Reno locals available (except WB)

9/17/02

9/16/02

9/15/02

9/14/02

9/13/02

SBCA Criticizes Northpoint's Spectrum Grab (Sky Report)
WEAO Cleveland now available in locals package
WJAL Washington, DC now available in locals package

9/11/02

9/10/02

9/9/02

Northpoint Steps Up Lobbying Efforts (Sky Report)
Charlie Chat tonight, 9:00pm (Eastern), Ch 101 Summary (DBSTalk.com)

9/8/02

9/7/02

HBO/Cinemax Free Preview Sept 6-7-8. Schedule (HBO)

9/6/02

9/5/02

California Dish Tax Crumbles (Sky Report)
Opponents Tell DOJ to Dish the Merger (Sky Report)
Former Senator Criticizes Merger Opponents (Sky Report)
EchoStar, DirecTV merger foes protest at DOJ (Yahoo! News..Hollywood Reporter)
DBS-Merger Foes Rally at DOJ (Multichannel News)
Vivendi may sell EchoStar stake (DenverPost.com)
Fox Sports West 2 is available to AT100 subscribers and higher within the Fox Sports West RSN area ONLY.

9/4/02

9/3/02

9/2/02

8/31/02

8/30/02

8/29/02

8/28/02

DirecTV, DISH Add Missing Local Stations (Sky Report)
WTTV (WB) Indianapolis scheduled to be available today
FCC's Martin Comments on Second Dish Use (Sky Report)

8/27/02

8/26/02

8/23/02

8/22/02

8/21/02

8/20/02

8/19/02

8/16/02

8/15/02

8/14/02

8/13/02

8/12/02

8/10/02

8/9/02

8/8/02

8/7/02

8/5/02

Hawaii Pushes DBS Issues (Sky Report)
Must Read: Barrons on Hughes (Sky Report)
Radio France International (660) is now available at 148°

8/5/02

8/3/02

8/2/02

8/1/02

7/31/02

7/30/02

7/29/02

7/26/02

7/25/02

7/24/02

FCC Back on DBS Merger Clock (Sky Report)
FCC Restarts EchoStar, Hughes Review (Yahoo News..AP)
FCC Restarts EchoStar, Hughes Review (Yahoo News...Reuters)
Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY locals scheduled to launch today on channels 8935-8943

7/22/02

Satellite TV Growing Local TV Slate (Sky Report)
Another National Chain Ready to Sell DISH? (Sky Report)
New software being spooled to 4000 receivers (761) reported to allow for cascading switches.

7/18/02

7/17/02

7/16/02

7/15/02

7/12/02

7/10/02

7/9/02

7/8/02

WYDN is now available in the Boston local channel package
Charlie Chat Tonight 9 PM EST Channel 101. Summary (DBSTalk.com)

7/5/02

7/4/02

7/3/02

7/2/02

7/1/02

6/30/02

6/29/02

PVR 721 starts shipping to customers

6/28/02

6/27/02

6/26/02

6/25/02

6/24/02

6/23/02

6/22/02

6/21/02

6/19/02

West Palm Beach locals available, minus CBS

6/17/02

Discovery HD Theater launches on Dish HDTV, sharing the Demo channel from 6:00pm - 6:00am.

6/10/02

Charlie Chat Tonight 9 PM EST Channel 101. Summary (DBSTalk.com)

6/6/02

Some shopping and info channels along with Golf moving from 119° to 110°, Dish500 required for continued availability. See 6/5 changes at Dish Channel List Changes Archive.

5/29/02

Cincinnati locals package adds WCVN ch 54 (KET/PBS) from 61.5°.
Call DISH to arrange free installation of dish pointed at 61.5°.

5/26/02

5/23/02

5/22/02

Grand Rapids, MI local channels now available

5/17/02

5/13/02

Technical Forum Summary
JVC Readies HDTV PVR (TVinsite.com)

4/17/02

DISHPlayer upgrade 5720 spools out, has fixes for problems with EPG and the nightly download. See DBSForums.

4/8/02

Charlie Chat Tonight 9 PM EST Channel 101 Summary (Google)

3/4/02

Charlie Chat Tonight 9 PM EST Channel 101

2/11/02

Technical Forum Summary

2/8/02

2/6/02

2/5/02

2/4/02

1/31/02

1/29/02

1/28/02

1/25/02

1/21/02

1/18/02

1/17/02

1/16/02

1/15/02

1/14/02

Disney/DISH Skirmish Centers on ESPN Classic (SkyReport)
Charlie Chat Tonight. 9 PM EST, Channel 989
- Headlines:
- 250 New Local services began on 1/1/02 in all 36 cities, local WB, UPN, and PBS affiliates added in most served cities.
- ABC back in Nashville, NBC back in the SF Bay area (no more free locals).
- No UPN in Austin, TX due to retranmission consent issues.
- No WB in Indianapolis, IN or Orlando, FL due to retranmission consent issues.
- Local channels now in the 8000 range due to SHVIA rules.
- Locals go up $1.00 to $5.99
- Due to late delivery of Echostar VII, non-conus satellites used for some non-network channels.
- Some Non Network channels require a free second dish, call for information or see the web site.
- AT50, AT100CD, AT150CD, Dish Latino, Dish Latino Dos price increases $1 / month.
- Premium Movie services go up $1 each. two, three packages up just $1
- America's Everything Pak goes up $3
- Much Music adds in AT100 on 1/22/02
- Speedvision moves to AT100 on 1/22/02
- WE added to AT100 on 1/22/02
- IFC to be full time in AT100 on 1/22/02
- DHP and “I like 9” customers see no price increase for term of commitment.
- Unable to reach an agreement with Disney for ESPN Classic and ABC Family channel, carriage tied to merger support.
- Q&A How will must carry affect distant net subs? No change, only primary networks served, working on WB, UPN.
- Q&A How can I get a distant FOX network? Write to FOX ask for a waiver. Networks won't agree on signal testing provisions of SHVIA.
- Q&A Why wasn't the AEP increase in the mail notice I received? We're sorry, we may have missed you (it).
- Q&A Will we be getting HBO Zone? We're negotiating with HBO, but no new adds likely before merger.
- Q&A When can we look forward to having ESPN Classic back in the lineup? When Disney becomes reasonable.
- Q&A What about Phila locals on 129? Uhh... we had to lease transponders on Telstar 7 for some channels. We'll still put in a free dish. Call.
- Q&A When will the 721 come out? Not until March or April. Watch the next Tech Chat.
- Q&A Will you carry the new YES! channel? We're in negotiations, nothing signed yet. Price is a factor.
- Q&A Why are Dish's prices looking more like cable's? Providers are raising prices to both, we're hoping that the merger will help us hold the line.
- New Dish Latino Max package starts today. 22 Spanish language, 60 English language channels.
- New Chinese language channels
- New Polish language channel
- Winter Olympics 2002 coverage upcoming on several NBC, CNBC, MSNBC
- Q&A Why are only six cities available for distant locals? Other cities will be on spot beams which will not cover entire US.
- Q&A Will this change after the merger? Probably not, too early to tell.
- Q&A When will more local cities be available? Until the merger, new cities are unlikely. After merger, up to 64 more cities will be added.
- Q&A What about the Superstations? In some markets, we have to black out some. If you haven't noticed any difference, you're probably OK.
- Q&A Are the NY & LA Dishnets staying on the EPG at 241 - 248? Yes, they will stay there.
- Q&A When will the 4700->4900 D/L be completed? We're running late due to must-carry. 1/3 done end of January for the rest.
- Q&A What will the time frame for the merger be? Still on track for mid to late 2002.
- Q&A Will I get new equipment? If you need it for your current service, it will be free of charge.
- Tech Forum, 2/11/02 9 PM EST Channel 101

1/11/02

1/10/02

1/9/02

1/8/02

1/7/02

1/4/02

1/2/02