Les Moonves Calls Dish-Disney Deal “A Great Start” But “Not Enough For Us”

[Teehar]

Fortunately for us CBS is one of our strongest ota signals.If CBS thinks they can get in the ballpark of what ESPN is getting they are outta their minds.If you pay attention to Les's comments,that's exactly what he wants.

 

[dare2be]

I only watch 3 CBS shows, but I get them online from their website.

 

[Bobby]

No it wasn't. Fox had it this season.

Yes, you're right, but CBS did have it last year and will again in 2016....

 

[Herb S.]

I thought Les made a comment some time in the near past that if CBS didn't get paid a "fair" price, they would stop broadcasting OTA. Maybe it was during their fight with Time Warner Cable.

 

[wkomorow]

To paraphrase Leonard Hofstadler, Les is just plain bat guano crazy.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

I thought Les made a comment some time in the near past that if CBS didn't get paid a "fair" price, they would stop broadcasting OTA. Maybe it was during their fight with Time Warner Cable.

It was the Aereo dispute...

CBS Could Switch to Cable If Aereo Wins Case, CEO says

 

[mike123abc]

Remember public comments by the CEO are designed to boost stock price. They want the investment world to think they are going to rake companies like Aereo and Dish over the coals and make huge profits.

 

[navychop]

And torque off the people they need to negotiate with.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Hall]

Can't you guys just use your DVR with OTA? That is what I did when one of our locals was in dispute.

By most estimates, maybe 15% of the population gets TV via OTA. In this crowd, that number *may* be 2x that.

Sent from my d2lte using Tapatalk

 

[TheKrell]

By most estimates, maybe 15% of the population gets TV via OTA. In this crowd, that number *may* be 2x that.

How many votes do I get? (I have 3 Dish DVRs each w/OTA tuner.)

 

[toricred]

I'm guessing that the 15% figure is based on how many actually use OTA for their TV, but there are a lot more that could do it with a relatively inexpensive antenna so I don't think the 15% is really relevant to this particular discussion.

 

[riffjim4069]

I'm still somewhat amazed how people who fork-over one to two hundred bucks for pay television each month, complain when programmers like CBS attempt to charge an increased rate to produce the most popular television shows...oh, and earn a profit for their shareholders in the process. If ESPN can charge basic subscribers $5-$6 for their commercial-laden programming---that people like my mother in-law who doesn't watch sports programming has to pay---then why can't CBS charge at least that much for the most popular programming on television? If people like free TV they should put up an antenna and watch it for free. That's what the broadcast model (and law) permits them to do. Of course, certain providers (like Dish) make you subscribe to the local digital channels if you want the program guide data; and Cable includes them in the basic channel lineup so you're paying for them if you have an antenna and only want the cable favorites. Not exactly consumer friendly - more like consumer fiendly.

I've said it a thousand times before...people shouldn't have to pay for programming they don't want/watch...that goes for CBS, ESPN, TNT, etc. A la carete 'em all and we'll all be happier. And yes, customers can still subscribe to the bundled packages if that's their wish. As much as I believe ESPN, TNT, CBS, NBC, etc. (commercial sponsored programming) should be made free to all licensed MVPDs, all broadcast and cable programmers are playing by the rules. Unfortunately, those rules suck for consumers so we folks need to spend our time more productively by writing our congressional representatives; demanding they stop catering to lobbyists with fists filled with campaign dollars, and change outdated Cable and Telecommunications laws to make them more consumer friendly. Overall Cable subscriptions (to include satellite and telcos) have been declining...yet, remaining customers are having to pay ever increasing costs for programming. Again, don't blame CBS (Disney/ABC/ESPN, etc. for that matter), blame the system that permits this to happen.

http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

 

[Teehar]

then why can't CBS charge at least that much for the most popular programming on television? If people like free TV they should put up an antenna and watch it for free.

That is where your and Les's logic is flawed.CBS is a free ota channel,they should not be asking for $6 per subscriber.If they want to make all that money then they should be investing a huge chunk of it,to ensure that most everyone can get it with an antenna.If they want to become a cable only channel then it would be different.Same goes for Fox,NBC,and ABC.

I do absolutely agree with you about ESPN and other cable networks,that charge in my mind,exorbitant fees,and force everyone to pay.

 

[Scherrman]

That is where your and Les's logic is flawed.CBS is a free ota channel,they should not be asking for $6 per subscriber.If they want to make all that money then they should be investing a huge chunk of it,to ensure that most everyone can get it with an antenna.If they want to become a cable only channel then it would be different.Same goes for Fox,NBC,and ABC.

I do absolutely agree with you about ESPN and other cable networks,that charge in my mind,exorbitant fees,and force everyone to pay.

Haven't they talked about no longer making the networks available OTA or finding a way to charge for them?

 

[The Fat Man]

They would make a WGN Chicago/WGN America model. The affiliates would get a network feed, but have sports and the big shows preempted.

 

[Hall]

I'm guessing that the 15% figure is based on how many actually use OTA for their TV, but there are a lot more that could do it with a relatively inexpensive antenna so I don't think the 15% is really relevant to this particular discussion.

I guess you're stating the obvious !! I'll go out on a limb and say those outside of the 15% who could get TV via OTA would have already tried. Face it, 80% of the 85% who don't already use OTA will a) think you can't get "HD" with an antenna and b) think it will be snowy and cut out.

 

[Teehar]

Haven't they talked about no longer making the networks available OTA or finding a way to charge for them?

Oh yea,they have threatened to hang the local affiliates out to dry,over Aereo.

 

[Elkview]

I actually watch quite a bit of CBS, maybe more than any other network. Here is a list of their series programming. I have bolded those shows that I watch. 2 Broke Girls 48 Hours 60 Minutes The Amazing Race Bad Teacher The Big Bang Theory Big Brother Blue Bloods CSI: Crime Scene Investigation The Crazy Ones Criminal Minds Elementary Extant Friends with Better Lives The Good Wife Hawaii Five-0 How I Met Your Mother Intelligence The Mentalist Mike & Molly The Millers Mom NCIS NCIS: Los Angeles Person of Interest SURVIVOR™ Two and a Half Men Undercover Boss Under The Dome Unforgettable And then there is College Football on Saturday Afternoons, not to mention that the Super Bowl was on CBS this year.

Only show I've seen is Under the Dome. I wouldn't have watched that if it wasn't for PTAT.

 

[Scherrman]

Only show I've seen is Under the Dome. I wouldn't have watched that if it wasn't for PTAT.

I watched it on Amazon Instant Video and didn't even realize it was on CBS.

 

[jerryez]

Haven't they talked about no longer making the networks available OTA or finding a way to charge for them?

Yeah and the local affiliates screamed bloody murder, then had their lobbiest kill any upcoming bills. All we need is one national cable station for each network. If you want local news, read the newspaper.