DISH Fights Calls for HD Must-Carry

[Gregg Lengling]

In comments filed this week, EchoStar urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject the idea of imposing HDTV must-carry obligations on pay-TV distributors as a way to speed the switch to digital television.

The satellite TV company told the FCC that any high-def must-carry regime is infeasible for DBS services, could be unconstitutional and is irrelevant to the proceeding in which the suggestion surfaced. EchoStar's comments are part of the FCC's look into how to best serve consumers after the digital TV transition takes place.

Some requests for HDTV must-carry were made in connection with cable must-carry, and also involve suggestions of mandated multicast carriage, an item that has long been on broadcasters' wish list.

EchoStar said HD must-carry rules would hinder the digital TV switch. "Any expansion of must-carry obligations could in fact set the transition back, and would reward delinquent broadcasters for their failure to comply with DTV milestones," the company said.

And while cable and satellite TV must-carry obligations have been upheld in court, an "exponential increase in the burden on satellite MVPD (multichannel video programming distributor) providers from such requirements would immediately change the calculus and reverse the outcome on constitutionality," EchoStar said.

[GBK]

Wow what a contrast between the two stories. Directv and Dish. Directv embracing Hdtv and moving forward while Dish is trying to force feed SD to consumers..

[borghe]

dish is fighting it because they don't have the money to support it. DirecTV is dumping the money in to support it as an advantage against cable.

I really don't think either side is right or wrong... but yeah, it's funny the contrast between the two.

I think Dish would be completely happy being stuck out in rural America.. just making $xxxM a year and providing rural America with TV.. DirecTV wants nothing short of the toppling of every cable TV company in America (like they ended up with in UK).

Unfortunately for Dish, while cable would be happy to leave Dish alone in rural America, DirecTV won't be. Dish will either have to up their game to DirecTV's level or face extinction. Even if DirecTV doesn't directly target dish, the more successful they are in their war with the cable companies, the more appealing there service appears to rural Americans.. DirecTV basically gets to fight its rural war with Dish without even trying to.

[foxeng]

Originally posted by GBK
Wow what a contrast between the two stories. Directv and Dish. Directv embracing Hdtv and moving forward while Dish is trying to force feed SD to consumers..

One has bandwidth to burn (well, will in 18 months according to the D* press release yesterday) and one can't afford it.

That pretty much tells the story.