Are we shooting ourselves in the (DTV) foot?

[kenglish]

I noticed that the latest NAB "DTV Action" PSA's now say, "Satellite, cable or telco connection makes this converter box unnecessary".

Why, why, why are we broadcasters ignoring the one chance we have to make something of the Digital Transition?

Few cable companies, and virtually no satellite companies, are carrying the multi-cast channels that many stations provide (or, can provide in the future). Telling people that cable tv or satellite is "Jist Fine" (to quote the lady in the Cable ad), is not true!

Locally, Comcast carries many of the multicasts, but only on $$Digital$Cable$$. Dish Network and DirecTV carry one or two that are nationally-broadcast multicasts. And, they only carry four of the eight local HDTV channels.

When I am out doing field testing, people often ask me about DTV. They usually respond that they have nothing to worry about, since they have Basic (analog) cable.

Shouldn't we be running a dual PSA campaign? One theme, what we are doing now, should be "Don't lose the channels you already have", the other should be "Look what we have to offer".

[Whale]

That might work........  if channels were typically offering anything worth upgrading for.     Where exactly are there any quality subchannels?   In my market, I get a 24/7 weather channel and a news channel that just rebroadcasts local newscasts that I don't watch live anyway.      Nothing to sell here!

[tripinva]

In my market it helps a ton.

MyNet, CW, and RTN are all only on digital subchannels here (7-2, 27-2, and 13-2, respectively).  Plus a Weather service (10-2), PBS-HD (15-1) and PBS World (15-3).

- Trip

[kyscott]

Because just like HD radio, the "what we have to offer" in most markets, isn't worth upgrading for.  In Louisville, our NBC affiliate is the only one running an extra channel....Weather Plus.  I already have the Weather Channel (in HD), why do I need Weather Plus in less than standard definition?  If the TV stations were putting programming on worth upgrading to, it wouldn't be a problem.  Just like if radio stations put on compelling programming, they wouldn't have a problem selling HD radios. 

[Horns]

I agree...stations are just putting weather on these channels because it is cheap and some consultant told them how much people like weather.  In my market, there are three NBC WeatherPlus, CBS with WSI's weather channel, ABC with Accu-Weather's channel.  (Although I hear the NBC might kill WeatherPlus due to budget cuts.)  I'm a big weather fan, but we don't need three different 24/7 all weather channels plus a cable station that does a good job with weather and The Weather Channel.  Can't these affiliates come up with some better use of these extra channels?

[Morgan Wick]

Well, the "it's not worth it to move to DTV subchannels because they're crap" argument falls apart, since it wouldn't matter if there was more quality programming on the subchannels. The real question would be why stations aren't showing more quality programming.

But keep in mind that it's not really in the best interests of TV stations (especially the larger, Big Four affiliates) to get people to watch them OTA as opposed to keeping them on cable and raking in lucrative retransmission-consent fees. (Which should be illegal because they're unnecessary under must-carry rules, but I digress.)

Also, even if you did make that effort, more people watch cable TV than you think. Weather Plus, RTN (there's a reason TV Land has abandoned "classic" TV) and generic filler... or ESPN, the Weather Channel, Discovery, MTV, USA, and the rest? Especially since the former is almost certainly not in HD? To even try to compete, stations should put existing cable channels on their subchannels, but because the main channel needs an HD feed, DTV only doubles the number of TV stations available OTA. (This is the same reason that second channel can't be in HD.) Even in a market with seven or more general-purpose channels that can afford a subchannel and which doesn't have one forced on it by its network (like TBN or Ion) that's only seven plus more channels people can get by making the switch to OTA.

I do think TV stations should put local sports on their digital subchannels and take a bite out of FSN's power, but again, it's not in HD, and if there's one group you don't want to deny HD to, it's sports fans. It's sad, because I'd also like to see more sports move back to broadcast and take a bite out of ESPN's power, but even though I know much more than the general public about DTV from coming here, I'd never buy a DTV converter box and unplug my cable. I love my ESPN, and my C-SPAN, and my pro wrestling, and my election results, and my Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and my Daily Show, and my mom would miss her anime shows, and everything else we get from cable. And I don't even have HD!

[kyscott]

I do think TV stations should put local sports on their digital subchannels and take a bite out of FSN's power, but again, it's not in HD, and if there's one group you don't want to deny HD to, it's sports fans. It's sad, because I'd also like to see more sports move back to broadcast and take a bite out of ESPN's power, but even though I know much more than the general public about DTV from coming here, I'd never buy a DTV converter box and unplug my cable. I love my ESPN, and my C-SPAN, and my pro wrestling, and my election results, and my Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and my Daily Show, and my mom would miss her anime shows, and everything else we get from cable. And I don't even have HD!

It's not just HD.  I like sports in HD as much as the next guy.  It's about NTSC quality.  I was watching the Georgia/NC State baseball game on ESPN earlier and the quality of the broadcast looked like ESPN hired the production guys out of the newspaper classified ads.  I have seen cable TV productions that looked better than that.  Does nobody know how the hell to white balance a camera anymore?

[imhomerjay]

I noticed that the latest NAB "DTV Action" PSA's now say, "Satellite, cable or telco connection makes this converter box unnecessary".

Why, why, why are we broadcasters ignoring the one chance we have to make something of the Digital Transition?

Few cable companies, and virtually no satellite companies, are carrying the multi-cast channels that many stations provide (or, can provide in the future). Telling people that cable tv or satellite is "Jist Fine" (to quote the lady in the Cable ad), is not true!

Locally, Comcast carries many of the multicasts, but only on $$Digital$Cable$$. Dish Network and DirecTV carry one or two that are nationally-broadcast multicasts. And, they only carry four of the eight local HDTV channels.

When I am out doing field testing, people often ask me about DTV. They usually respond that they have nothing to worry about, since they have Basic (analog) cable.

Shouldn't we be running a dual PSA campaign? One theme, what we are doing now, should be "Don't lose the channels you already have", the other should be "Look what we have to offer".

The subchannels are not part of digital cable packages per se.  If you take just your limited basic (or whatever it's called in your area), any sub channels carried will be available to you with a digital converter box.  Those channels aren't added to analog lineups because of bandwidth, but they are available with your most basic package.   

[kenglish]

Here's the lineup in our area:
2-1 KUTV CBS
4-1 KTVX ABC
  4-2 The Hive (Independently produced programming/classic movies)
5-1 KSL NBC
  5-3 NBC/KSL WeatherPlus (Widescreen, w/Events Calendar)
7-1 KUED Univ of Utah/PBS (Widescreen SD)
  7-2 PBS HD
  7-3 V-me (Spanish)
9-1 KUEN (Educational)
  9-2 MHZ WorldView
11-1 KBYU (BYU/PBS)
  11-2 BYU TV (BYU/LDS Programming)
  11-3 BYU International (Multi-language/International)
  11-4 Create (SD), alternating with KBYU-HD (mostly evenings)
13-1 KSTU FOX (SD) (feeds analog translators)
  13-2 KSTU FOX HD
14-1 KJZZ Indep (HD)
16-1 KUPX ION
  16-2 QUBO
  16-3 ION Life
  16-4 Worship Network
30-1 KUCW CW HD

Additionally, KUER-FM and BYU Radio Network are carried as audio subs.

[kenglish]

The subchannels are not part of digital cable packages per se.  If you take just your limited basic (or whatever it's called in your area), any sub channels carried will be available to you with a digital converter box.  Those channels aren't added to analog lineups because of bandwidth, but they are available with your most basic package.   

But, that's if you have the Cable company's rented converter box, a (hard to find) ATSC+QAM converter, or a set with ATSC+QAM tuner. If they have NONE of the above, why do we tell them they're "Jist Fine" with their old, analog Cable? (The subsidized converters won't decode QAM cable channels).