Harass DirectTV for HRTV

[deepattack]

Posted this in an off topic discussion on what satellite is better, but thought those here might want to read what HRTV has to say on joining the Direct TV lineup.

HRTV comments on becoming Direct TV programming

Dear Rob - Thank you for taking the time to contact DirecTV and thank
you for your interest in HRTV.

We are in the midst of active discussions with DirecTV regarding
carriage for HRTV. Now that Churchill and Magna have joined forces,
HRTV is a valuable service that would be particularly appropriate for
DirecTV to add to their roster, given DirecTV's well earned reputation
as a leader in sports programming.

I wish I could report a date certain for launching on DirecTV, but
unfortunately can not. We will work hard to change that, and if
inclined, you can help. As a customer they could very well lose, your
voice resonates much louder than ours when it comes to getting DirecTV's
attention.

Here is a link to their contact form. Thanks for putting in a good word
for HRTV, we will continue to press from our end, and hopefully together
we will find success very soon.

Thanks again for your support.
HRTV
Dear Rob - Thank you for taking the time to contact DirecTV and thank
you for your interest in HRTV.

We are in the midst of active discussions with DirecTV regarding
carriage for HRTV. Now that Churchill and Magna have joined forces,
HRTV is a valuable service that would be particularly appropriate for
DirecTV to add to their roster, given DirecTV's well earned reputation
as a leader in sports programming.

I wish I could report a date certain for launching on DirecTV, but
unfortunately can not. We will work hard to change that, and if
inclined, you can help. As a customer they could very well lose, your
voice resonates much louder than ours when it comes to getting DirecTV's
attention.

Here is a link to their contact form. Thanks for putting in a good word
for HRTV, we will continue to press from our end, and hopefully together
we will find success very soon.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/customer/howToReachUs.jsp

Thanks again for your support.
Jessica Buckley
HRTV

[lilmegahertz]

Ok then...TVG and HRTV are the top reasons I choose Dish....

[samyn on the green]

Why not just make life easy and choose Dish network. Support the TV provider that supports racing.

[JimG]

Why not just make life easy and choose Dish network. Support the TV provider that supports racing.

On the east coast, the main DirecTv satellite (101) is higher in the sky than the main Dishnetwork satellite (119). With my neighbor's trees, that makes the difference. In the winter it does not matter, but when the leaves come out, it does. Additionally, while I love horse racing, I also enjoy the NFL. Sunday ticket provides a nice option on DirecTV that is not available on Dishnetwork.

Jim

[Bristol]

I had emailed DirecTV a few months ago about adding HRTV. They replied that they had no forseeable plans to do so. But if everybody emails them, perhaps they'd be more apt to look into it.

[garyoz]

This has a complicated history. TVG was not on DirecTV until News Corp (Rupert Murdoch's holding company) bought DirecTV from Hughes (a subsidiary of GM--1999 I think). TVG was put on DirecTV because News Corp has a controlling interest in Gemstar, TVG's parent company. There would be no incentive for DirecTV to put HRTV on the system since it competed with TVG. This is also why TVG is often carried for short periods of time on Fox Sports Networks (also owned by News Corp.)

News Corp has agreed to sell DirecTV to Liberty Media (John Malone controlled--a long time cable TV executive & acknowledged visionary). Liberty is undertaking a stock restructuring in order to get this deal done, but it hasn't closed. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=61138&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1075558&highlight=

Personally I don't think the Liberty owned DirecTV will be in hurry to add HRTV because of potential other uses of the bandwidth (e.g., other channels), but the change of ownership does provide an opportunity.

[levinmpa]

For those lucky enough to be in an area where Verizon has laid fiber and is offering FiOS TV service, both channels are carried on the system. As stated above, due to the corporate structure of DirecTV, don't expect to see HRTV on their any time soon.

[lilmegahertz]

Why not just make life easy and choose Dish network. Support the TV provider that supports racing.

Exactly....;)

[hibiscus]

Like JimG I can't give up DirecTV because of Sunday Ticket which is God's gift to the NFL fan. However, now that most of the good tracks have moved to HRTV I've considered adding a second dish for Dish Network or to see if my local cable company offers HRTV and then adding cable.



Also, let's not forget that the NYRA agreement with TVG ends on December 31 and the rumors are circulating that Joe Bruno is angling the NYRA simulcasting rights towards Magna (although Bruno denies this). If TVG loses NYRA that would be painful for us New Yorkers with TVG and no HRTV.



Also, the good folks at TVG told me that they have arranged a deal with DirecTV so that TVG is now part of the basic programming package. I haven't seen any evidence of that. Has anyone else?

[JimG]

Also, the good folks at TVG told me that they have arranged a deal with DirecTV so that TVG is now part of the basic programming package. I haven't seen any evidence of that. Has anyone else?

In May they moved from the Sports Pack to Choice Plus Extra, which is not the basic package but is better than paying $10 extra for the Sports Pack just for TVG. Choice Plus Extra is $5 more than Choice Package and about $20 more than the Family tier.

Since that deal was recently signed, I suspect that is what the person at TVG was talking about. I hope the deal did not also include any type of prohibition from DirecTV taking HRTV. I am hopeful when Liberty Media gains control of DirecTV at the end of the year (and Murdoch is out of the picture) something can be worked out to carry HRTV