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andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross

MVM

FCC to Comcast: carry Tennis Channel, and pay up!

quote:
An Administrative Law Judge had ruled against Comcast, which appealed the decision to the FCC—and that appeal was denied on Tuesday. The previous ruling stands, which stipulates that Comcast must include the Tennis Channel in its main cable package, and pay a fine of $375,000 within 45 days.
»arstechnica.com/tech-pol ··· -pay-up/
The Q
join:2008-06-26
Collegeville, PA

The Q

Member

Comcast version of the events here: »blog.comcast.com/2012/07 ··· ose.html

gar187er
I DID this for a living
join:2006-06-24
Seattle, WA

gar187er to andyross

Member

to andyross
really?!?!? the fcc thinks it should be on a standard lineup?! screw them....

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger to andyross

Premium Member

to andyross
All sports should in the sports pack. This include all ESPN channels.

trythisfirst
@comcast.net

trythisfirst

Anon

said by Caddyroger:

All sports should in the sports pack. This include all ESPN channels.

Amen
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44 to andyross

Premium Member

to andyross
That wont hold. Nor should it.

Streetlight
join:2005-11-07
Colorado Springs, CO

Streetlight to andyross

Member

to andyross
Comcast should just buy the Tennis Channel and put in its Starter package. They bought some or all of the Golf channel and it's now in the Starter package here. The Golf channel is now part of NBC Universal 51% owned by Comcast. By buying the Tennis Channel, Comcast could integrate it into NBS Sports and sell its programming to other cable/satellite providers. They would probably make money doing this.

One problem is that the Tennis Channel doesn't have access to most of the big tournaments. Wimbledon is on ESPN. ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel share coverage of the Australian Open. CBS seems to have a lock on the US Open. ESPN2, the Tennis Channel and NBC share coverage of the French Open. Mostly minor tournaments are covered by TC. It would take big bucks to get the complete coverage of the weekday play of the four grand slams.
NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN

NeoandGeo to Caddyroger

Member

to Caddyroger
said by Caddyroger:

All sports should in the sports pack. This include all ESPN channels.

Hell no. Subsidize me so I can pay the same as you.
spidershowl
join:2012-07-25
New York, NY

spidershowl to Streetlight

Member

to Streetlight
Yes i agree with Mr. streetlight. If at all you have to include the Tennis channel in your line up and also pay up, it is better to buy the channel itself and include it in your starter package.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

rody_44

Premium Member

It needs for someone to want the channel.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to andyross

Premium Member

to andyross
I do not get why the FCC even has a right to tell comcast where they must position channels. Cable is not using airwaves as such how does the FCC have control over what they pump down the coax?

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad to andyross

MVM

to andyross
I don't know how far they will get with this, but the latest news is that Comcast has now asked the FCC to stay enforcement its decision while Comcast takes its case to federal appeals court:

Comcast Seeks FCC Stay of Tennis Channel Decision
MSO Says It Will Suffer Irreparable Harm if Program Carriage Decision is Enforced

By John Eggerton, Multichannel News - July 30, 2012
»www.multichannel.com/art ··· sion.php
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

GTFan to Kearnstd

Member

to Kearnstd
said by Kearnstd:

I do not get why the FCC even has a right to tell comcast where they must position channels. Cable is not using airwaves as such how does the FCC have control over what they pump down the coax?

Tennis Channel is claiming that Comcast gives Golf Channel et al an unfair advantage by placing it on primary tier, based on Comcast/NBC's ownership of the channels in question. Yet another reason why cableCos should just be dumb pipes for both video and internet.
dyhrdmet
join:2008-10-25
Springfield, NJ

dyhrdmet to Streetlight

Member

to Streetlight
said by Streetlight:

One problem is that the Tennis Channel doesn't have access to most of the big tournaments. Wimbledon is on ESPN. ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel share coverage of the Australian Open. CBS seems to have a lock on the US Open. ESPN2, the Tennis Channel and NBC share coverage of the French Open. Mostly minor tournaments are covered by TC. It would take big bucks to get the complete coverage of the weekday play of the four grand slams.

that's actually not true that Tennis Channel doesn't have access to most of the big tournaments. they have a presence at all 4 grand slams, including live play-by-play at 3 of them. Tennis Channel is a speciality channel, like NHL Network, NBA TV, and Golf Channel. it will never have primary coverage of a major event in its sport. it should also be on the same tier as ALL of the speciality channels (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, Tennis, Golf, College, Sportsman, etc.)

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

Comcast officially filed its appeal today:

Comcast Appeals Tennis Channel Decision in D.C. Circuit
At presstime, FCC had yet to rule on company request to delay enforcement of program carriage remedies

By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - August 1, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· cuit.php
telcodad

telcodad

MVM

And the Tennis Channel has now filed with the FCC its opposition to Comcast's request to delay enforcement of the order while it's on appeal in the federal court:

Tennis Channel Files Opposition to Comcast Stay Request
Says it is likely to win on merits, given that FCC has repeatedly upheld its program carriage complaint

By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - August 3, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· est.php?
telcodad

telcodad

MVM

An article on the Broadcasting & Cable site this morning saying that Comcast has begun including a notice in customer bills that it will move the Tennis Channel to its digital basic tiers "on or about Sept. 7th" (but adding a caveat about its current court case):

Comcast Informs Customers of Tennis Channel Move
But bill notice says to check with company periodically given its court challenge to the FCC-prompted move

By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - August 20, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· Move.php

andyross
MVM
join:2003-05-04
Aurora, IL

andyross

MVM

There was a message on my box this morning stating that it would be added to Starter around the 7th.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to andyross

Premium Member

to andyross
I tend to think all niche sport channels(as in sports channels that are focused on a single sport) should be in the sports tier. However I know that would not lower cable bills so no point in fighting it.
GTFan
join:2004-12-03
Austell, GA

1 recommendation

GTFan

Member

I'm a big sports fan but think ALL sports channels should be in their own tier because of the huge impact they have on the overall bill for anyone, but obviously that's not going to happen with the history of ESPN et al being on the expanded basic/digital starter tier and the forced bundling that goes on.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

An article on the Multichannel News site this afternoon reporting that Comcast just got their request for a stay granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals:

Comcast Gains Stay In Tennis Channel Program-Carriage Complaint
U.S. Appeals Court Rules MSO Doesn't Have to Upgrade Network's Channel Position while It Argues the Case

By Mike Reynolds, Multichannel News - August 24, 2012
»www.multichannel.com/art ··· aint.php

not
@comcast.net

not to andyross

Anon

to andyross
Everyone who wants TC on Comcast at no additional cost needs to call into their CSRs and complain. Then hang up and keep calling at least once a day. That should change their tune... just like it did when a ton of people were complaining about them not supporting the ESPN3 mobile app to view video when Comcast subscribers already had access to that content via the website and XBOX app.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad

MVM

The latest news on this:

Comcast Files Tennis Brief
Says FCC misapplied the law and ignored evidence

By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - October 4, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· rief.php
telcodad

telcodad

MVM

The latest update:

Comcast Serves Up Last Tennis Brief
Maintains that FCC got it wrong, big time, in upholding discrimination complaint

By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - November 21, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.co ··· rief.php
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to andyross

Premium Member

to andyross
TC should be in the sports package. Why should my family have to pay for Tennis Channel when nobody is a tennis fan?

The only reason ESPN is not in the sports package of every MSO/DBS carrier is that the contracts with Disney prevent it.

not
@comcast.net

not

Anon

said by Kearnstd:

TC should be in the sports package. Why should my family have to pay for Tennis Channel when nobody is a tennis fan?

The only reason ESPN is not in the sports package of every MSO/DBS carrier is that the contracts with Disney prevent it.

Why should I have Golf channels in my lineup that I don't want or want to pay for. I'm not a fan of golf and think that Tennis Channel should be the one included for me as opposed to the golf channels I get now.

See, I can play your game too. The only reason why Comcast doesn't want to include TC in the normal lineup is because they can force their subscribers to pay more for it. Hey, I'd pay more for it if I wasn't forced to get 3 more golf channels with it. That's the problem with cable providers. For every channels you do want, they bundle in 2-3 others you don't want and don't want to pay more for. I'd pay 1/3 the price they want now for the package that has TC in it if I could just get TC and ONLY TC. I can't, I asked... so, until Comcast and the other greedy cable providers change their shady business practices, I'll back the FCC and keep filing my complaints!

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

All sports should be in the Sports Package. Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, golf any thing sports belons in the sport pak. To watch college foot ball I have to pay for tennis golf soccer basketball which I do not watch.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4 to not

Member

to not
The FCC has their hands tied by congress. You need to start writing your congress people to let them know you are tired of the rate hikes and want providers regulated.

not
@comcast.net

not to Caddyroger

Anon

to Caddyroger
said by Caddyroger:

All sports should be in the Sports Package. Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, golf any thing sports belons in the sport pak. To watch college foot ball I have to pay for tennis golf soccer basketball which I do not watch.

You just contradicted yourself. You say all sports should be packaged together and then you complain that you just want to watch college football by itself without all the other stuff you don't like.

The sports channels should be a-la-carte. You pay like $1.99 or $2.99 per channels unless you're wanting more than 5 and then you can buy them in a package deal where you still pick your channels you want, but pay a discounted price since it's in a package. Problem is, cable providers are too cheap to do it this way and they also don't have the proper backend control systems to offer such channel lineups to each customer individually.

Caddyroger
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11
To the west

Caddyroger

Premium Member

said by not :

said by Caddyroger:

All sports should be in the Sports Package. Football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, golf any thing sports belons in the sport pak. To watch college foot ball I have to pay for tennis golf soccer basketball which I do not watch.

You just contradicted yourself. You say all sports should be packaged together and then you complain that you just want to watch college football by itself without all the other stuff you don't like.

The sports channels should be a-la-carte. You pay like $1.99 or $2.99 per channels unless you're wanting more than 5 and then you can buy them in a package deal where you still pick your channels you want, but pay a discounted price since it's in a package. Problem is, cable providers are too cheap to do it this way and they also don't have the proper backend control systems to offer such channel lineups to each customer individually.

I did not contradicted myself I said that all sports should be in the sports pack. I do not like to watch tennis, soccer, golf. As for the costs I probably be paying more a-la-carte then what I am paying now for the sports.