AT&T/Sunbeam-WSVN dispute

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@c_brookhart wrote:
WSVN (Fox) is going to continue to withhold it's programming from AT&T. It knows that the NFC coverage was important and that's where the leverage was. This could have been resolved easily and NFC coverage would not have been blocked, but if course WSVN won't agree to turning on its signal for one day without a permanent agreement in place. This standoff needs to come to an end, but won't until one side caves in. I've reported this to the FCC, but who knows if they really care to address the issue. The FCC is the one that won't allow another Fox affiliate to replace WSVN. Calling Sunbeam and asking to speak to someone to register a complaint only results in a recorded message to contact AT&T.

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I have seen only two ways that "work" when it comes to taking TV stations to task.

One - the only time the FCC listens to things like this is when the station's license goes up for renewal.  They are not automatic - case in point: San Francisco's PBS station had a "second" station, but when its license came up for renewal in the early 1980s, the FCC gave it to another organization when it was determined the owners were not running the station "in the public interest" (the main problem was, to save costs, the station had been turned off for a few months a few years earlier).  However, I don't think "not making the station available to U-Verse" is going to be considered "not serving the public interest."

Two - contact the Fox network and tell them that its shows - and, more importantly, the commercials that air with them - aren't airing where you live because the station won't make itself available to U-Verse.  NBC switched stations in San Francisco after one too many cases where an NBC show was moved to the early morning (as in "after Late Night") so something else could be aired (usually a baseball game, but the station also had a habit of running old movies on Saturday afternoons instead of golf), and Fox came close to doing the same thing before its San Francisco station agreed to no longer air San Francisco Giants baseball games (which it had been doing since the Giants moved from New York).

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@GrandpaAl wrote:

We all know that none of the alternatives that were mentioned worked as it relates to being able to hopefully watch the playoff games. Since we have been paying for a "free" signal, how about AT&T thinking outside of the box and offer a discount or credit to its customers for their having to go to friend's homes to watch a local signal on a Sunday evening for the playoffs. Not to mention hte only local TV station in Miami that keeps our local news going while all others go to political national news? Al R.

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@GrandpaAl: Two points here:

1. The WSVN signal is only free if you use an antenna.  In the early 1990's, the Broadcasters lobbied a bill through congress that gave stations a choice:  a)either require cable/dish companies to carry their signal and get ZERO money from the cable/dish provider or b)allow stations to charge them for carrying their signal, also known as "retransmission rights."  The bill was pushed through Congress even though President Bush (the First) threatened to veto it.  It passed, he vetoed it and his veto was overridden.  Guess what most stations chose?  Yep, the retransmission rights revenue stream.  So, the station's desire to use cable/dish providers as a revenue stream is why TV carried over a cable or satellite system is never free.

2. Well companies like AT&T do not give blanket refunds for a missing station.  AND if they did you would not be happy with the amount.  The refund would be based upon how much they pay per subscriber, per month.  It would be a cent or two per day.  AT&T (and most providers) do want to bend over backwards to keep you.  If you want a service credit (more than 3 cents, lol), call 1-800-288-2020 and say "cancel my service."  You will be connected with Retentions.  Explain how mad you are over losing WSVN and I bet that they give a nice bill credit.  OR: I would recommend that you send a private message to the escalation team at AT&T Customer Care, and someone will get in touch with you.

@c_brookhart - the FCC licenses TV stations.  You can  have a letter put in WSVN's file that they have been hard to deal with in cable negotiations.  If enough folks do that, they might not play hardball as they have done and have done in the past.

Having contacted the FCC twice, I can say that they won't do anything about this. The first time I contacted the FCC, I selected AT&T as the cable provider. The response from the AT&T executive office was pretty much a copy and paste from the fighting for you page. The second time I contacted the FCC, I put in Sunbeam Corporation. The response from the FCC was a link to the FAQ page about retransmission.

Is AT&T aware of the fact that during the NFC coverage, their solution was to tell customers to go fox sports even though it would be blocked? Sunbeam wants more for retransmission and AT&T objects to the increase. Sunbeam wanted all or nothing to turn the signal back on for NFL. The This has got to come to an end.

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@c_brookhart wrote:

Having contacted the FCC twice, I can say that they won't do anything about this. The first time I contacted the FCC, I selected AT&T as the cable provider. The response from the AT&T executive office was pretty much a copy and paste from the fighting for you page. The second time I contacted the FCC, I put in Sunbeam Corporation. The response from the FCC was a link to the FAQ page about retransmission.

 

Is AT&T aware of the fact that during the NFC coverage, their solution was to tell customers to go fox sports even though it would be blocked? Sunbeam wants more for retransmission and AT&T objects to the increase. Sunbeam wanted all or nothing to turn the signal back on for NFL. The This has got to come to an end.

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@c_brookhart that is what (retransmission) I figured that the FCC would tell you, if anything.  You can send a letter to WSVN to put in their official FCC file. The threat of doing that (or the actual letter) may encourage them to meet AT&T in the middle, if enough do that.  The FCC does look at a station's public file when their broadcast license is renewed.  It really sounds like the station is being a bit unrealistic, here, in terms of a new contract.

Sorry - hope that they'll get this worked out soon.

Now that WSVN is blocking Unverse from broadcasting their channel

Why cant Uvers simply change my lineup from a WSVM Miami Fox affiliate to WFLX West Palm Beach affiliate 

If authorization by me is required, then I gladly give it

Awaiting a reply

David

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@dsfuchs wrote:

Now that WSVN is blocking Unverse from broadcasting their channel

 

Why cant Uvers simply change my lineup from a WSVM Miami Fox affiliate to WFLX West Palm Beach affiliate 

 

If authorization by me is required, then I gladly give it

 

Awaiting a reply

 

David

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Unfortunately, that is not allowed. If you're in the Miami market, you can only receive WSVM via your provider.

Now...if you have an antena, it is possible you are able to get WFLX over the air; that might be something to consider. 

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@dsfuchs wrote:

Now that WSVN is blocking Unverse from broadcasting their channel

 

Why cant Uvers simply change my lineup from a WSVM Miami Fox affiliate to WFLX West Palm Beach affiliate 

 

If authorization by me is required, then I gladly give it

 

Awaiting a reply

 

David

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Actually the FCC is talking about that exact problem right now. 😉

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(billing and all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

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@mibrnsurg wrote:

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@dsfuchs wrote:

Now that WSVN is blocking Unverse from broadcasting their channel

 

Why cant Uvers simply change my lineup from a WSVM Miami Fox affiliate to WFLX West Palm Beach affiliate 

 

If authorization by me is required, then I gladly give it

 

Awaiting a reply

 

David

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Actually the FCC is talking about that exact problem right now. 😉

 

 

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Yes sir, Chris and @dsfuchs , the OP,  made me think about all of this.  If WSVN gave up "must carry" in place of retransmission rights, did they also give up exclusivity?  I have a feeling the answer is "no" but surely the stations have to give up something in exchange for deciding to go with retransmission rights.  

On U-Verse here in Indy, we have two PBS stations: WFYI 20 Indianapolis and WTIU 30 Bloomington.  Not sure how that happened.  Why not also carry WIPB 49 from Muncie?  

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@dhascall wrote:

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@mibrnsurg wrote:

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@dsfuchs wrote:

Now that WSVN is blocking Unverse from broadcasting their channel

 

Why cant Uvers simply change my lineup from a WSVM Miami Fox affiliate to WFLX West Palm Beach affiliate 

 

If authorization by me is required, then I gladly give it

 

Awaiting a reply

 

David

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Actually the FCC is talking about that exact problem right now. 😉

 

 

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Yes sir, Chris and @dsfuchs , the OP,  made me think about all of this.  If WSVN gave up "must carry" in place of retransmission rights, did they also give up exclusivity?  I have a feeling the answer is "no" but surely the stations have to give up something in exchange for deciding to go with retransmission rights.  

 

On U-Verse here in Indy, we have two PBS stations: WFYI 20 Indianapolis and WTIU 30 Bloomington.  Not sure how that happened.  Why not also carry WIPB 49 from Muncie?  

 

 

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Here we have 2 PBS stations, WTVS 56 Detroit and WCMZ 28 Mt.Pleasant.  Originally only Northern Detroit suburbs had 28, the Flint outlet of WCMU, but then ATT gave the whole metro area the channel, 4-5 years ago. 

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(billing and all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

I am not at all happy that I cannot access Channel 7 (WSVN).  This is the most watched channel in my household!  Please, please stop whatever it is you're doing and put Channel 7 back on!!!

The problem is that AT T is also negotiating with Sunbeam for DirecTV as well.   In other words, whatever Uverse pays for WSVN, AT&T will likely pay the same rate when their contract goes up.   So there is a lot on the line.   Have you checked out out fox.com yet?  You can watch the same programs the day after, despite the black out.  I am watching Grease Live right now.

It's been a few years since I've been up that way, but places in western NY between Erie (PA) and Buffalo used to get some affiliates from both of those cities.

There was also a time when TW in eastern Ohio would get NBC out of Columbus and another NBC affiliate.

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@baseballisback wrote:

It's been a few years since I've been up that way, but places in western NY between Erie (PA) and Buffalo used to get some affiliates from both of those cities.

There was also a time when TW in eastern Ohio would get NBC out of Columbus and another NBC affiliate.

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Right and that has been the case for years, when a town is between markets but I doubt that AT&T would try to grab an out of town affiliate, when a subscriber is in Miami or a close suburb.  Sounds like a sure way to get sued.

My Grandmother lived in Clinton, MO.  She could reliably get Kansas City MO and Springfield MO stations using tow antennas.  The cable company carried both city's stations.

You are correct @janoka50 - this has gone on a long, long time.  This has been, at least as far as I know, the longest local impasse for U-Verse.  The station's owner has done this before and now he is threatening to do it (again) to Direct TV.

To let AT&T know: I would recommend that you send a private message to the escalation team at AT&T Customer Care, and someone will get in touch with you.

To let Sunshine Media know how you feel: Send a letter to the station and ask it to be included in their FCC file.