I am pretty pissed at Time Warner and our FOX affiliate right now...

[PackerFanatic]

Not really sure how, but somehow Time Warner Cable (the cable provider I use and probably the biggest in NE Wisconsin) and the FOX affiliate from Green Bay (WLUK) let their contract run down to the wire. According to LIN Communications (operators of WLUK), they have been trying to get a little more money from TWC, but TWC is saying they won't give it. And TWC is saying they made a good offer but LIN is saying "No". Regardless of the he said/she said, the contract ran out yesterday, and according to federal regulations, if there is no contract, they (TWC) cannot broadcast the station. So I currently do not have FOX. Which means no MLB playoffs, no NFL football, no House, no 24, no nothing.

How the hell could they even let it get to this point? All the stuff I have read is obviously blaming the other party, and TWC is offering free antenna's to subscribers, but what a pain in the ass. I wish U-Verse was available in my area, I'd switch immediately.

[gstelmack]

A big fight between cablecos and TVs are the must-carry stations. TV stations want big bucks for their HD signals and want to force cable to carry all the po-dunk extra digital channels they broadcast that rarely carry anything useful. Cable doesn't want to pay extra for what is free OTA. It periodically leads to showdowns like this, where they wait to see who the public complains to the most, and that side caves.

We've had big issues here between TWC and Sinclair.

[kurtism]

FWIW, this tactic is standard for LIN; they did the same thing here in Indy with the CBS affiliate (Colts coverage), and apparently the same thing with their CBS affiliate in Buffalo (Bills coverage)... Perhaps a pattern emerges.

LIN also held out with DirecTV for some time before signing on to provide HD locals for its affiliates.

[fantom1979]

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Plu5xOb8B_1nnM:http://bp0.blogger.com/_-CZtVxNFsac/RmlpqL7NaFI/AAAAAAAAA1A/jCl2d6kbzN8/s400/rabbitears.jpg

[MacroGuru]

its happening here in Buffalo, right now as it stands there is no way for those on TW to watch the Bills game on Sunday and they are suing CBS to not be able to show it LOL.

[BrianD]

TW is offering free OTA antennas to customers to "soften the blow", but I'm pretty pissed at them. They haven't had HD Fox yet even though every other station was available in HD. Now they don't have any Fox. I don't like to think about the hassle of DirecTV, but I think I might have to switch.

[lordscarlet]

I've said this many times, but I switched to eclusively OTA (and a Tivo Series 3) almost two years ago and I couldn't be happier.

[gstelmack]

I've said this many times, but I switched to eclusively OTA (and a Tivo Series 3) almost two years ago and I couldn't be happier.

I'm the opposite: I don't watch much broadcast TV, aside from football/Survivor/Amazing Race. Most of my watching is cable: Good Eats, Feasting on {whatever}, Mythbusters, and the like. So if I dropped cable or sat, I would just go to nothing.

They ever get decent HD streaming / downloads going, I'd pay $.99 / episode to watch Mythbusters whenever and however I want and drop the $80/month or whatever it is exactly that cable is charging me now.

[fantom1979]

I watch very little broadcast tv as well. I watch mainly ESPN, MSNBC/CNN, and Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert.

[PackerFanatic]

TW is offering free OTA antennas to customers to "soften the blow", but I'm pretty pissed at them. They haven't had HD Fox yet even though every other station was available in HD. Now they don't have any Fox. I don't like to think about the hassle of DirecTV, but I think I might have to switch.

Exactly. Plus for whatever reason, U-Verse isn't available where I live, but is available just a few miles north of me...I would love to switch to that.

[BrianD]

Exactly. Plus for whatever reason, U-Verse isn't available where I live, but is available just a few miles north of me...I would love to switch to that.

I've been looking at U-Verse as well and came to the same conclusion. Out of curiosity, where in Appleton do you live?

[Alan T]

I've been looking at U-Verse as well and came to the same conclusion. Out of curiosity, where in Appleton do you live?

Stalker!

[PackerFanatic]

Stalker!

Haha.

I live by Fire Station #1 (few blocks from there), near Appleton Papers (or Appleton, as it is now called) I know people that live just a little ways north of there, by Franklin Elementary, and they have the service near them. So I imagine (or hope) it is only a matter of time.

[BrianD]

Cool, that is pretty close to me. I'll be over for dinner at 5:00. :)

I'm probably within 6 or 7 blocks of you. I guess I'll hope that service will be available to me soon as well.

[rowech]

Same thing in Dayton with the NBC affiliate. As of last night, HBO family I guess. I have DirectTV so I continue to be fine.

[Eaglesfan27]

LIN is notorious on the DirecTV forums as a hardball negotiator.

[Axxon]

I'm the opposite: I don't watch much broadcast TV, aside from football/Survivor/Amazing Race. Most of my watching is cable: Good Eats, Feasting on {whatever}, Mythbusters, and the like. So if I dropped cable or sat, I would just go to nothing.

They ever get decent HD streaming / downloads going, I'd pay $.99 / episode to watch Mythbusters whenever and however I want and drop the $80/month or whatever it is exactly that cable is charging me now.

Bah, I dropped cable long ago. Between netflix on demand and sites like hulu and tv-links and the actual network feeds themselves I have been able to pretty much see whatever I want whenever I want. I have a computer set up as my entertainment center and have it hooked to my big screen tv through svideo and while it's not high def it fits my needs nicely.

I even found a site that streams NFL games but I won't post it here obviously so I pretty much have seen the Bucs every game this year and most last year except when my internet was down which was a small price to pay for me.

[DanGarion]

A big fight between cablecos and TVs are the must-carry stations. TV stations want big bucks for their HD signals and want to force cable to carry all the po-dunk extra digital channels they broadcast that rarely carry anything useful. Cable doesn't want to pay extra for what is free OTA. It periodically leads to showdowns like this, where they wait to see who the public complains to the most, and that side caves.

We've had big issues here between TWC and Sinclair.

FWIW, this tactic is standard for LIN; they did the same thing here in Indy with the CBS affiliate (Colts coverage), and apparently the same thing with their CBS affiliate in Buffalo (Bills coverage)... Perhaps a pattern emerges.

LIN also held out with DirecTV for some time before signing on to provide HD locals for its affiliates.

Of course I'm biased, but this is the same things I've heard from sites I read from time to time.

[gstelmack]

and while it's not high def

Blech.

[Scoobz0202]

Same thing in Dayton with the NBC affiliate. As of last night, HBO family I guess. I have DirectTV so I continue to be fine.

yep. I have three different nbc affiliates and one of them has this bullshit

"LIN TV will now allow Time Warner Cable to broadcast its programming. Time Warner is hopeful that this is temporary and LIN TV will reverse its decision and returns its channel back to you."

[lordscarlet]

I get all the networks, and I live in the region for all of my favorite teams. I miss ESPN a fair amount, but I can get all of their news online. PBS offers a number of cooking and home improvement shows that are able to fill the void of Food and HGTV, etc. And I use Netflix for the Entourage, Mad Men, Dexter, etc's of the world.

[PackerFanatic]

Cool, that is pretty close to me. I'll be over for dinner at 5:00. :)

I'm probably within 6 or 7 blocks of you. I guess I'll hope that service will be available to me soon as well.

Haha, thats awesome. I'll be sure to let you know if I hear anything ;)

[Galaxy]

The Bills game is not on the Buffalo market (thankfully, I get the Rochester station). TW dropped the Buffalo CBS station owned by LIN late last week.

[MacroGuru]

The Bills game is not on the Buffalo market (thankfully, I get the Rochester station). TW dropped the Buffalo CBS station owned by LIN late last week.

Yea for DirecTV right now

[Galaxy]

Yea for DirecTV right now

I know fans are pissed at TW, but LIN also owns Fox 29 in the area, and did the same thing.

People are now getting the Rochester feed, but they can't get the Bills, correct?

[Chubby]

In syracuse I almost wish I wasn't getting the bills game with edwards out :(

[Apathetic Lurker]

You know, I got directTV but I didnt watch any football this weekend..None. No early game, No Bills game, No Sunday night game... I am Ok . The world didnt end. So a big FU to all those peons running around Buffalo screaming and begging to be let into other peoples houses to watch Bills football.Its hilarious to watch those pathetic losers on the local news crying and moaning about no football on ch4(cbs). Stop demeaning yourself and man up.

Yes I am a Bills fan

[DanGarion]

You know, I got directTV but I didnt watch any football this weekend..None. No early game, No Bills game, No Sunday night game... I am Ok . The world didnt end. So a big FU to all those peons running around Buffalo screaming and begging to be let into other peoples houses to watch Bills football.Its hilarious to watch those pathetic losers on the local news crying and moaning about no football on ch4(cbs). Stop demeaning yourself and man up.

Yes I am a Bills fan

I love football, but I've only watched probably a total of 1 1/2 hours of pro football since the season started.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

It could be worse. You could be in Missouri watching the Rams and Chiefs for 6 hours each week.

[DanGarion]

FYI

TWC/LIN TV Reach Agreement

Author: Susan Warner

Publish Date: 10/31/2008

TIME WARNER CABLE AND LIN TV REACH AGREEMENT FOR PROGRAMMING
Time Warner Cable recently announced they reached an agreement with Lin TV to bring back programming to Time Warner Cable channel lineups on 12 stations to 1.5 million subscribers. Network programming was restored immediately.

“We are pleased to come to an agreement that returned programming to our customers,” said Melinda Witmer, Chief Programming Officer for Time Warner Cable. “We thank our customers for their continued patience and support as we worked to resolve this issue.”

[PackerFanatic]

Yup we finally got it back - AND they are finally offering us FOX HD (not that I have an HD TV, but still sweet)

Although I was beginning to enjoy Starz...and I find it interesting they won't actually release any details. I have a feeling we are somehow getting fucked in the deal.

Oh well, I don't have to dick with rabbit ears to watch my Packers this weekend :)

[BrianD]

Yup we finally got it back - AND they are finally offering us FOX HD (not that I have an HD TV, but still sweet)

Although I was beginning to enjoy Starz...and I find it interesting they won't actually release any details. I have a feeling we are somehow getting fucked in the deal.

Oh well, I don't have to dick with rabbit ears to watch my Packers this weekend :)

I haven't had a chance to watch a prime time HD show yet, but there were horrible audio sync problems with the SD content on the HD channel. I hope that problem doesn't happen on the HD shows as well. The football game should be OK since we shouldn't notice the split second delay...especially if it is a bit slow on the audio.

[SackAttack]

Yup we finally got it back - AND they are finally offering us FOX HD (not that I have an HD TV, but still sweet)

Although I was beginning to enjoy Starz...and I find it interesting they won't actually release any details. I have a feeling we are somehow getting fucked in the deal.

Oh well, I don't have to dick with rabbit ears to watch my Packers this weekend :)

Here's the irony. I have an HDTV, but haven't bothered with TV at all, cable, satellite, or OTA. All of the bitching around here about TWC and no Fox has elicited a giant 'meh' from me. There's always streaming audio if I really want to follow the Packers.

[Hurst2112]

SackAttack:

were you always living in Green Bay? I never noticed you were from there.

[DanGarion]

SackAttack:

were you always living in Green Bay? I never noticed you were from there.

No he's from the SoCal area.

[Hurst2112]

No he's from the SoCal area.

Wow, that's a move to surely get you down. lol

[mauchow]

SackAttack, you ready for a harsh winter?

[SackAttack]

SackAttack:

were you always living in Green Bay? I never noticed you were from there.

Nope, been here about a month.

Wow, that's a move to surely get you down. lol

I'm diggin' it so far. I think this is my kinda town.

SackAttack, you ready for a harsh winter?

I'll take a harsh winter over a desert summer any day of the week and twice on Sundays. 110 degrees and dry with bloody noses every day just isn't my cup of tea. I've been here in the summer before, and that just doesn't happen to me out here.

It's all good!

[Hurst2112]

Nope, been here about a month.



I'm diggin' it so far. I think this is my kinda town.


huh. Haven't heard THAT expression about Green Bay a lot. lol

Good luck to you.

[SackAttack]

huh. Haven't heard THAT expression about Green Bay a lot. lol

Good luck to you.

Well, you gotta understand I've never been the nightlife type. It isn't a small little podunk town (at least, not by the standards of the podunk towns I've been to), but it isn't a huge city, either. It's kind of comfortably in-between, which suits me, really.