New Greek Channel Package Platform.

[likos]

I hope they can find a way to add ERT World- perhaps they can bribe the right person at ERT, isn't that how things work in Greece?!

[Grk101]

I think there are a few possible issues with ERT. Again these are just guesses. 1. Maybe GMG does not have the actual distribution rights, just like when they had Alpha on their site, but more like marketing rights. Note: Is it possible PCCW still has the rights (ERT had said they would get the rights for 1 year) and they are sub-licensing them to GMG or something? 2. If they really do have the rights, I am pretty sure the ERT board of directors still has to approve everything. They are not free to do whatever they please with the channel still. In that case it would appear someone made a phone call to Greece and stopped this all. Maybe Dish Network got wind of this and threatened them, maybe claiming they still had an exclusive contract or own the rights? Maybe even the person that has the Canadian rights, as a FTA transmission might affect them too. From what we have heard in the past though, if anyone would put a stop to it, it would be Dish Network. After all they are the same ones that put a stop to the online stream. :tdown:

What is also interesting is that addynia mentioned a few pages back that he knows the currently person in charge of ERT World programming, and that the person would like to see ERT World leave Dish Network completely but it is not up to him as the ERT board has to approve everything. I wonder what is truly up, it does not seem clear-cut. I also wonder if they could use a loophole and just rebroadcast the signal from the C-band feed.

Either way it is criminal that we are forced to pay for it when it is FTA everywhere else, and even more so that it is locked in to one pay-tv provider only.

[HellasHab]

Whom will they bribe? Themselves? I am confused with this issue. According to the following, GMG has the rights for North America. So how did they drop the ball and who bribed them against their own interests? blink.gif

My comment stems from the whole issue of who really has the rights to ERT World. DK Sat posted a while back that some new company (PCCW Global) had been awarded the rights for one year until a proper auctioning of the rights occured. At the same time Dish Network contested that it owned the rights to distribute the channel. From my understanding, the people at ERT haven't got a clue what they are doing. It sounds like one party at ERT awarded the rights to Dish and someone else awarded them to PCCW Global.

Based on the above, I asserted that Dish (speculation on my part) probably contacted 'their' guy at ERT and told him to put a stop to this move to Home2US and they called someone at GMG/Home2US and halted the whole thing. I noticed that when it was announced that PCCW Global had been awarded the rights, all of a sudden there was a flurry of activity and they signed a bunch of deals and the channels showed up on a bunch of different satellite serving various parts of the globe. Afterwards, the activity stopped rather abruptly and we have heard nothing since, no more deals for ERT World to be added to cable systems in the US or a Ku Band FTA frequency for North America which was rumoured. It appears something happened to put an end to all these changes, which leads me to believe that something is amiss at ERT. If PCCW Global does indeed still possess the rights then I see no reason why this move to SES 101 would have been stopped as their stated purpose was to expand the distribution of this channel.

As they say 'something smells here' and frankly its stinking up the joint. ;)

[Grk101]

^^^^HellasHab I think you got it right. That is mostly what I was thinking too.

I really hope whatever the problem was gets resolved. For the benefit of all Greeks in North America.

[gang3171]

I got an e-mail reply from GreekTV-America about why the website is not up and this is what they wrote me:

Thank you for your e-mail. The web-site will be up and running as soon as possible.

In the meantime, please find below the information reading the Greek television.

We are currently offering the Mega Cosmos package for $19.99 a month, other channels we are offering in the near future are GMTV, Riksat, Star International and Alter. As soon as they are available we will let the viewers know and you are able to add them to your package.

If you have a DirecTV antenna we are offering you a FREE receiver and smartcard (and LNB if needed). In order to secure your FREE receiver you will need to agree to a 12 months service contract of the Greek package and provide us with your credit card information. You can pay the subscription on auto-pay on your credit card monthly or in 3 or 6 months increments. You may also pay 12 months upfront and receive one additional FREE month. The receiver and smartcard (and LNB if necessary) will be shipped to you within 7 and 10 days. You will be required to pay a shipping fee of $22.50 per receiver. Once you receive the equipment you will have to contact a local installer to adjust the antenna / LNB. We can assist you in finding an installer in your area. After your dish is adjusted you need to contact us, so we can activate your smartcard. From that day your subscription will start. If you sign up in April you will receive the first month FREE. Please note that the quantities of FREE receivers are limited.

Please let us know if you have any questions or require additional information.

Kind regards,

Karina

Shipping in 7-10 days. I believe they told someone else in this thread 2-3 weeks.

[addynia]

MEGA COSMOS must be in testing mode [AMC4] 101W 12110 30000 H 3/4 on FTA MODE.

[addynia]

Please note that the quantities of FREE receivers are limited.

What kind of a statement is that? I can call tomorrow to order, oh wait Sunday the little shop (

[likos]

We can blame ERT for lots of things, and yes it would be good if it were offered FTA and we don't know why it is not. But they have actually acted responsibly in the mess that has been the drama of Greek TV these last few years. Many posters here were jumping up and down that ERT should leave Dish and move to Directv, because Directv will be the winning platform and blah blah blah (the posts are all still here, just go back some pages). I have not exactly heard anyone admit what a big screw up this would have ended up being--imagine the Greek national television for expats having to run around to find a transmission platform like a gypsy the way those other channels have to after Directv dropped them, and having people with no info up to the last minute and days of no signal etc, exactly as is now happening with MEGA, and people having to pay another installation out of their pocket, pay for shipping and so on and so forth. Many here would want ERT executives' heads on a platter if they did that, fine and dandy as some claim it is now that MEGA does it.

[Grk101]

I don't think the vast majority on here said ERT should leave Dish Network and become exclusive to DirecTV back then, I think most said they should have been available on both. As a public state-owned channel, they should be made available on as many platforms as possible to give Greeks abroad options. If FTA is not possible in the US for whatever insane reason, then they should at least branch out to different platforms. It is ridiculous to be locked in exclusively to one platform for the type of channel ERT is. PCCW's goal was to expand ERT's coverage, finally being added onto multiple platforms and launching FTA on domestic Ku-band. Obviously something (or someone) blocked those plans and continues to do so. As HellasHab mentioned, after the initial activity all went quite. I hope whoever now has the rights can get around whatever or whoever is blocking them in the US promptly.

[harlem_reporter]

I don't think the vast majority on here said ERT should leave Dish Network and become exclusive to DirecTV back then, I think most said they should have been available on both. As a public state-owned channel, they should be made available on as many platforms as possible to give Greeks abroad options. If FTA is not possible in the US for whatever insane reason, then they should at least branch out to different platforms. It is ridiculous to be locked in exclusively to one platform for the type of channel ERT is. PCCW's goal was to expand ERT's coverage, finally being added onto multiple platforms and launching FTA on domestic Ku-band. Obviously something (or someone) blocked those plans and continues to do so. As HellasHab mentioned, after the initial activity all went quite. I hope whoever now has the rights can get around whatever or whoever is blocking them in the US promptly.

Well, it seems that RAI Italia and Deutche Welle , the public "state-owned" channels of Italy and Germany are exclusive on Dish as well, not free to air and not on Directv. There must be a good reason for that, right?

[Grk101]

Well, it seems that RAI Italia and Deutche Welle , the public "state-owned" channels of Italy and Germany are exclusive on Dish as well, not free to air and not on Directv. There must be a good reason for that, right?

Actually RAI Italia is also on Verizon FiOS, AT&T Uverse, Cablevision, Comcast, etc and furthermore it is not available FTA anywhere in the world on ku-band like ERT. Deutshe Welle is also on Comcast, Time Warner, and FiOS TV. Also interesting is that both of those channels are hooked up with International Media Distribution, the same company that Ant1 is hooked up with.

ERT World on the other hand is only available though Dish Network in the US. That's it, no other platform. It is FTA on domestic Ku-band in Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, but not in North America. Also notice in Canada ERT World is also available on multiple platforms.

[harlem_reporter]

Actually RAI Italia is also on Verizon FiOS, AT&T Uverse, Cablevision, Comcast, etc and furthermore it is not available FTA anywhere in the world on ku-band like ERT. Deutshe Welle is also on Comcast, Time Warner, and FiOS TV. Also interesting is that both of those channels are hooked up with International Media Distribution, the same company that Ant1 is hooked up with.

ERT World on the other hand is only available though Dish Network in the US. That's it, no other platform. It is FTA on domestic Ku-band in Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, but not in North America. Also notice in Canada ERT World is also available on multiple platforms.

one clarification: by "exclusive on dish" I meant "satellite exclusive", apologies.

Which is indeed the case for both RAI and Deutche Welle in the US

And yes, RAI and Deutche Welle are Free to Air in Europe, while they are on Pay TV in the US.

Why? well, it is quite simple: in Europe, there are 100 million dishes looking at HotBird, so any channel which launches free to air can be watched by all of those viewers. In addition, in order for an operator to offer satellite Pay TV in whole of Europe it will need 30 different licenses, one for each country.

What is the story in the US? 100 million homes are hooked with satellite or cable pay TV operators, operating at the panamerican level.

So why every time there is a platform change for MEGA, all of a sudden requests for transfer of ERT to this other platform or requests to broadcast ERT free to air are popping up? Is it for the good of ERT viewers in the US or for the good of MEGA-pockets?

[harlem_reporter]

Here are the latest two comments from MEGA FB page, a full five pages of similar ones.

https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=1426...09210&topic=688

And the people commenting are using their facebook identities, so hearing them might make all of us a little wiser.

Konstantinos Giannoulakis

Are you kidding me... they are offering MEGATV cosmos for $20! In Canada it is offered for $5 under Bell Expressvu. If you have a relative in Canada ask them to get an extra box. Dish Network offers Alpha, ERT, 2-3 Antenna channels, BLUE (way better than GMTV) and a whole bunch of radio stations for $25. I am so sick and tired of all the foolishness that is going on with all these Greek channels. Sick and tired... I have spent a lot of money switching from one company to another. Now they banned us from listening to their shows on the net as well... Greek proxy anyone? They need to smarten up, but before they do we need to as well. I cannot believe Despo is paying $20 for MEGA alone. I guess their receiver is NOT free afterall. Who are these people anyway. They remind me of a family in Toronto that blocked ERT from broadcasting free so to make $ -> Odyssey Channel. We are divided as people and maybe our generation will change that... We were once a great nation because we were great people. We have lost our filotimo. We need to change.

9

[Grk101]

So why every time there is a platform change for MEGA, all of a sudden requests for transfer of ERT to this other platform or requests to broadcast ERT free to air are popping up?

This is not something new at all. People have been wanting ERT World FTA on ku-band in North America for years. In any situation, regardless if they can get it FTA or not, the least they can do is expand onto multiple platforms. I would love to see them finally expand to Cable. Instead your only option in the US is to get it on Dish Network. Even their C-band feed is a joke, it doesn't even cover all of North America. But I guess you also forget some of the moves Comart/Dish Network pulled in the past, especially the years Dish Network claimed to have the distribution rights. Like pulling the online stream off the net and going after small Greek-American cable programs broadcasting ERT World clips.....

Anyway the whole point of this is that when PCCW won the rights late last year, their plan was to expand availability of the channel on multiple platforms and finally launch it FTA on Ku-band. The ERT board knew this, something obvious happened in between. I hope they can get past whatever is stopping them and finally start expanding.

[harlem_reporter]

This is not something new at all. People have been wanting ERT World FTA on ku-band in North America for years. In any situation, regardless if they can get it FTA or not, the least they can do is expand onto multiple platforms. I would love to see them finally expand to Cable. Instead your only option in the US is to get it on Dish Network. Even their C-band feed is a joke, it doesn't even cover all of North America. But I guess you also forget some of the moves Comart/Dish Network pulled in the past, especially the years Dish Network claimed to have the distribution rights. Like pulling the online stream off the net and going after small Greek-American cable programs broadcasting ERT World clips.....

Anyway the whole point of this is that when PCCW won the rights late last year, their plan was to expand availability of the channel on multiple platforms and finally launch it FTA on Ku-band. The ERT board knew this, something obvious happened in between. I hope they can get past whatever is stopping them and finally start expanding.

I guess you didn't reply on the "requests to move ERT to whichever platform MEGA goes"

[DKSat]

Deutche Welle and ERT World are both on FTA on C-Band Satellite for North /South America, the choice is up to the individual if you like to receive the channels FTA you need to spend the cash on C-Band satellite equipment, or get the satellite equipment for free from Dish Network and pay for the channels.

DKSat

[addynia]

hey, maybe they will leave MEGA COSMOS FTA... NOT.

It is nice to see MEGA COSMOS again though. They need to sync the picture with the sound, however. The picture looks good and the sound too although not synced.

I know I have been complaining and I would have liked for it to have gone back to DISH but since this is a done deal, I am giving in and order the service tomorrow.

DKSat how do you explain the FTA transmision of it right now? Is this just testing?

Are you also getting it?

Is the picture and sound not synced or it it just me.

Thanks

[Grk101]

I guess you didn't reply on the "requests to move ERT to whichever platform MEGA goes"

I am not sure what you are trying to say or imply. Perhaps you should look at past threads, my stance has always been the same on ERT World. This has nothing to do with Mega moving to wherever. There is no excuse for them to be locked in with Dish Network and no where else. Personally I would be happy if they showed up on Comcast, as I have that service.

Deutche Welle and ERT World are both on FTA on C-Band Satellite for North /South  America, the choice is up to the individual if you like to receive the channels FTA you need to spend the cash on C-Band satellite equipment, or get the satellite equipment for free from Dish Network and pay for the channels.

DKSat

Let's be real, c-band is not a viable solution for most because you need a GIANT dish. Also as I mentioned c-band on NSS 806 at 40.5

[gang3171]

hey, maybe they will leave MEGA COSMOS FTA... NOT.

It is nice to see MEGA COSMOS again though. They need to sync the picture with the sound, however. The picture looks good and the sound too although not synced.

I know I have been complaining and I would have liked for it to have gone back to DISH but since this is a done deal, I am giving in and order the service tomorrow.

DKSat how do you explain the FTA transmision of it right now? Is this just testing?

Are you also getting it?

Is the picture and sound not synced or it it just me.

Thanks

How are you getting Mega at the moment? You mentioned that you're planning to order it tomorrow? :unsure:

[Grk101]

I know I have been complaining and I would have liked for it to have gone back to DISH but since this is a done deal, I am giving in and order the service tomorrow.

Are you getting a smart card for your FTA receiver (if it even works?) or a "free box" with smart card? Theoretically you could get the "free box" and just use the smart card for your FTA receiver instead of paying for it separately. :whistle: At least I think that would work?

[HellasHab]

I would like to clarify the situation with MEGA Cosmos in Canada on Bell TV. The channel is available as an add-on to the Greek Combo (ANT1/ERT) for $5., however what the previous posters failed to mention is that you cannot subscribe to MEGA Cosmos a la carte which means the actually price is $15 (10 for Greek combo + 5 for MEGA) NOT $5. Also, I believe the price is so low on Bell because they force you to sign up to a 2-year contract and you must subscribe to their basic package (I believe that Dish allows you to sign up just for the Greek channels but if you do they tack on some other extra fee?!).

This whole situation is getting so ridiculous that I don't understand why people in the USA don't just tell MEGA to screw off?! It is becoming quite clear that MEGA in Greece doesn't give a crap about the omogenia so why do people care so much about this channel?! Instead of subscribers jumping through hoops to subscribe to the channel, it should be MEGA who should be doing whatever they can to satisfy consumers and get the channel distributed as widely as possible and on the most popular platforms not obscure ones like Home2US. I would prefer MEGA over ANT1 but due to my great dislike of Bell & Rogers (the only two providers who carry the channel in Canada), I have learned to live without it. I think former DirecTV subs and potential new subs should boycott Home2US and their MEGA package to send them a clear message that they have had enough. No one channel is worth this much effort and expense IMO, at the end of the day its only television.

[HellasHab]

Deutche Welle and ERT World are both on FTA on C-Band Satellite for North /South America, the choice is up to the individual if you like to receive the channels FTA you need to spend the cash on C-Band satellite equipment, or get the satellite equipment for free from Dish Network and pay for the channels.

DKSat

No disrespect DKSat but that is not an acceptable solution to me. ERT World is available FTA on Ku Band in many parts of the world except for North America- I would like to know why that is?? If the only FTA transmission of the channel globally was C-Band then I would say screw it and be resigned to paying for it but that is not the case. Its about damn time we here in North America receive the same treatment as the rest of the world. Either make the channel available on Ku-band everywhere or encrypt the damn thing everywhere! :angry: :tdown:

[gang3171]

This whole situation is getting so ridiculous that I don't understand why people in the USA don't just tell MEGA to screw off?!  It is becoming quite clear that MEGA in Greece doesn't give a crap about the omogenia so why do people care so much about this channel?!  Instead of subscribers jumping through hoops to subscribe to the channel, it should be MEGA who should be doing whatever they can to satisfy consumers and get the channel distributed as widely as possible and on the most popular platforms not obscure ones like Home2US.  I would prefer MEGA over ANT1 but due to my great dislike of Bell & Rogers (the only two providers who carry the channel in Canada), I have learned to live without it.  I think former DirecTV subs and potential new subs should boycott Home2US and their MEGA package to send them a clear message that they have had enough.  No one channel is worth this much effort and expense IMO, at the end of the day its only television.

[likos]

This whole situation is getting so ridiculous that I don't understand why people in the USA don't just tell MEGA to screw off?! It is becoming quite clear that MEGA in Greece doesn't give a crap about the omogenia so why do people care so much about this channel?! Instead of subscribers jumping through hoops to subscribe to the channel, it should be MEGA who should be doing whatever they can to satisfy consumers and get the channel distributed as widely as possible and on the most popular platforms not obscure ones like Home2US. I would prefer MEGA over ANT1 but due to my great dislike of Bell & Rogers (the only two providers who carry the channel in Canada), I have learned to live without it. I think former DirecTV subs and potential new subs should boycott Home2US and their MEGA package to send them a clear message that they have had enough. No one channel is worth this much effort and expense IMO, at the end of the day its only television.

Very well said.

You know, I wonder if MEGA in Greece has even gotten wind of the mess they made and how they have exhausted many of their subscribers' good will.

[Grk101]

They must have, they are directing everyone to GMG upon contact. It seems their stance is that they have left it up to them for their US affairs.