-CY> The shopping channels have always paid a percentage of
-CY> their
-CY> sales to cable companies based on the zip code.  The
-CY> strange
-CY> thing is that if you watch via satellite, the shopping
-CY> channel
-CY> still pays the nearest cable company a percentage of
-CY> whatever
-CY> you buy.
-CY> Not long ago I read in Broadcasting & Cable magazine that
-CY> somebody (Discovery I think) is developing several new
-CY> channels.
-CY> They are paying the cable companies to carry their new
-CY> channels.
-CY> I don't think they are too worried about big dish owners
-CY> though --
-CY> I am pretty sure those new channels will not be available
-CY> to us.
One of the problems we have here in Haverhill Mass. is that
there are several fringe UHF stations.  One is in Lawrence
(but "rimshot markets" itself as "Boston"), one is in Marlboro
(and also "rimshots") and one is in Derry NH.  All three are
home shopping channels.  With the FCC's "must carry" rule, 
we are stuck with three shopping channels that the cable 
company cannot rid itself of -- this in addition to at least
two others that Cablevision has contracted with and refuses to
drop.  
 
The good news is that they're up for a renewal for their
franchise -- they want ten years, and the city only wants
to give them two!
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