# DISH Network - what are they blocking with those black blocks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982 "2004-03-07T16:17:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/21 "2004-03-09T14:47:13Z")
Almost all of my TV veiwing is on either Nick at Nite or Comedy Central. While I feel bad for Dish Network, when I ordered the services, I did so knowing that those particular channels were available. What are my rights as a customer? From their website: Will our bill be reduced if the channels go dark? Customers with a removed CBS station will receive a monthly $1 credit until the station is returned. Also, customers with America’s Top 60, 120, 180, America’s Everything Pak. DISH Latino Dos or DISH Latino Max will also receive a $1 monthly credit for the removed MTV Networks. Will I be allowed out of my programming commitment if these channels go dark? All programming commitments will remain in effect at this time. DISH Network will monitor the duration of the loss of channels for further decisions made for this. This doesn’t seem fair. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/22 "2004-03-09T17:45:05Z")
**BNB** , for the short term, it is fair. Dish and Viacom may work out their differences by the end of the week. I’m sure if things go on for longer then they may reconsider the situation. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/23 "2004-03-09T20:07:47Z")
Well, that’s it. [I’m jumping ship](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=244019) from Dish immediately. I will not put up with these jerks taking away Survivor Thursday from me. And my son cried when we told him he couldn’t watch Sponge Bob any more. :mad: My prediction is that this will not be resolved in a week. The outage will last for weeks or months. And it no longer matters to me – I won’t be a Dish customer any longer, regardless of how quickly this is resolved. ---
**Author:** ![MarkofT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MarkofT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkofT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/24 "2004-03-09T21:10:21Z")
> [@Airblairxxx](#): > > Plus, if you could ever consider a multi-billion dollar corporation “the little guy”, it would be Echostar under Charlie Ergen. Unlike DirecTV (Fox), he doesn’t have a content provider under his corporate umbrella. But he has chosen to offer several consumer-friendly features on his PVR products that DirecTV can’t be bothered with. For example, soon all users with his 921 HDTV PVR will be able to archive recordings via firewire; very important when you realize how much disk space one HDTV show takes up. DirecTV will not offer that with their TiVo. Also, DirecTV is contemplating removing the 30-second skip ahead button from their TiVo, so you have to watch the commercials. And DirecTV will be tracking viewers’ usage habits with new software from Nielson. \ I don’t use the 30 second skip. I find that the 2nd fast forward speed works well since I can keep an eye out for interesting commercials. The Nielson data collection is Opt-Out. Just call TiVo and they will set your TiVo to stop collecting the data. And it isn’t anything new, they have always had this ability. Nielson is just now starting to pay attention 'tho. \ Here is a good [CNN story](http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/technology/echostar_viacom/) on the issue. I would prefer ala cart subscriptions but that just won’t happen before the come out with real video on demand. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/25 "2004-03-09T21:54:17Z")
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I hate Dish Network. We pay about $50/month for 180 channels. My kid gets up and watches Noggin all morning. My wife watches Comedy Central (when shes not online!). I come home and want to see “The Daily Show” during the week and Formula One coverage on every other Sunday (SpeedTV). Not counting a few good music channels, that leaves about 170 channels of pure crap! CC and Noggin are now gone! So what is it I’m paying for? I’m shit-canning this, I tell ya! I so wish cable were an option. Looks like “DirectTV, here I come!” (I’m actually really PO’ed about this whole thing. See me in the Pit about Dish Net!) ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/26 "2004-03-09T22:19:28Z")
**MarkofT** , thanks for the link. Regarding Tivo, a lot of it comes down to personal preferences; I couldn’t stand losing my 30-second skip, no way in hell do I want anyone tracking my viewing habits (even if I opt out of this, I still regard it as an affront to my privacy), and when I tried my brother’s Tivo it kept making a bippy little video game sound every time I pushed a button. And DishNetwork is adding name-based recording to its PVRs once the software is finalized, so that’s one less advantage for Tivo. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/27 "2004-03-09T22:27:51Z")
> [@Airblairxxx](#): > > **MarkofT** , thanks for the link. Regarding Tivo, a lot of it comes down to personal preferences; I couldn’t stand losing my 30-second skip, no way in hell do I want anyone tracking my viewing habits (even if I opt out of this, I still regard it as an affront to my privacy), and when I tried my brother’s Tivo it kept making a bippy little video game sound every time I pushed a button. And DishNetwork is adding name-based recording to its PVRs once the software is finalized, so that’s one less advantage for Tivo. YMMV. Just a little FYI The Tivo “sound” feature for the button presses can be turned off in the options menu. There’s also a simple hack using the remote to enable 30 second skip on a Tivo as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/28 "2004-03-09T22:30:44Z")
Well, at least I didn’t lose the CBS feeds (east or west), but Dave is on vacation this week. I am pissed that I will miss _The Daily Show_, _South Park_, & especially _Chappelle’s Show_. At least _South Park_ and _Chappelle’s Show_ will repeat ad infinitum or at least be available on DVD eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/29 "2004-03-10T06:07:52Z")
How much black could a black block block if a black block could block black? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/30 "2004-03-10T06:24:38Z")
She sells tivos by the sea shore. What were we discussing? ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/31 "2004-03-10T14:52:36Z")
What confuses me is why the dispute is only with Dish Network. Will this sort of thing happen to Direct TV when their contract is up? I don’t know what I want to do yet. On one hand I want to jump ship (Chapell show!) but on the other, Viacom can go to hell for being a jerk. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/32 "2004-03-10T15:11:47Z")
As a Dish Network subscriber, I am fully supportive of their actions. In this day and age not many companies would take a stand the way they have to protect their customers interests. Dish Network, if you have it and have ever watched Charlie Chat, does whatever they can to keep fees where they are. Right now, everybody who has lost CBS from their local lineup will pay $1 less until it is restored. Also, don’t think that Viacom won’t try the same thing with Direct TV or cable companies when time comes for those renegotiations. I have also heard that AOL/Time-Warner may be looking to try the same thing. After all, that poorly planned and executed merger has played havoc with their bottom line, so the easiest way for them to improve the outlook may be for them to raise the rates on CNN, TCM, Cartoon Network and their other channels. This will probably turn into a long term thing as it will probably creep up again and again, and I, for one, am thankful that Dish Network is drawing a line in the sand. I hope that Direct TV and cable companies have the sense to do the same when it is their turn. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/33 "2004-03-10T15:35:58Z")
Keep in mind before you mindlessly jump ship to DirectTV that they are no better than Viacom. Remember last summer when they sent blanket lawsuits to anyone they could find who owned a smartcard reader/writer, regardless of whether they were used illegally? They wanted $3500 from every person who owned one. I am not a Dish subscriber at the moment (I would gladly be if I could get DSL at my home instead of relying on cable), but I am glad Charlie is standing up to Viacom. It does surprise me though that so many people complain about the tactics of the RIAA and the MPAA, yet they know they have the customer by the balls since people seem to be so attached to content they will gladly do anything for it. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982/34 "2004-03-10T17:40:05Z")
I still have my local affiliate CBS channel, although I don’t have the rest of the Viacom channels. That’s actually okay, because I hardly watched them. Why were they running the crawl over Spike TV during Star Trek:TNG? They didn’t drop that one either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dish-network-what-are-they-blocking-with-those-black-blocks/232982.md?page=1)