DIRECTV's Big Fat Greek Launch

[Grk101]

I also learned that Dish sent out a Date Book with the Greek Satellite logos on it to some customers.

I'm still waiting for that DVD they promised back in September. :LOL:

[Kolossos]

Does anyone know what is going on with any new Greek channels to any platform in the US? It's been a couple months now, with no new information.

Maybe its time to send MAD's PR department another email... ?

[email protected]

[Grk101]

I guess so, but I don't think I got a reply last time. I wish Star had an email too.

[Kolossos]

Star do have an email but like the rest of the Greek channels they don't reply....

[Grk101]

Is it even worth asking if there are any new developments with new Greek channels to the US? :blink: :gr:

[Kolossos]

Proberly not much use LOL

On another note we have lost Sigma in Australia here since Sigma have stopped broadcasting onto satellite there is no signal for UBI to use now so no more Sigma for us here LOL unless Sigma puts there arse into gear and does something to get there satellite signal back online....

[Grk101]

Does anyone know what is going on with UBI? I went to their site today to compare TV listings, and there is something about distribution for North America. Click on "USA".

http://www.ubiworldtv.com/

[Kolossos]

UBI World TV, through its affiliation and cooperation with major US and Canada satellite and cable operators, offer broadcasters an easy, effective and affordable gateway to cover United States and Canada.

Through its existing global fiber-optic ring and main US POPs in New York, Los Angeles and Miami; UBI is currently connected and delivering channels to DirecTV, the largest satellite operator in USA and Home2US as well as major cable operators in the region.

UBI can put your channel on-air over US and Canada at the shortest time possible with very competitive rates than any other operator. To broadcast in North America and to find out our aggressive pricing contact us at [email protected]

http://broadcastservices.ubiworldtv.com/se...orthamerica.htm

[Grk101]

Ahh. Didn't see that part. So they confirm what we thought on here that they distribute through DirecTV. I found another part on their site mentioning how fast they can get channels on line. We saw how fast they are still trying to get MAD World and Star on DirecTV. :LOL:

So it looks like we might expect RIK SAT in the future too since their rights are owned by UBI. When that future is though, I don't know. :LOL:

[Kolossos]

If UBI were in control of broadcasting the channels there and not DirecTV things would happen alot faster as they happen here pretty fast

So I would say DirecTV is the one delaying it as UBI would have had them on air by now if they controlled there own platform in the USA

[likos]

If UBI were in control of broadcasting the channels there and not DirecTV things would happen alot faster as they happen here pretty fast

So I would say DirecTV is the one delaying it as UBI would have had them on air by now if they controlled there own platform in the USA

Well, the US market is so much bigger than the Australian one though.

It would also be interesting to see what number of new subscribers Directv thought they would get vs what they got with the Greek additions. If there is significant difference, that could have been enough to make them decide it isn't worth adding any more.

[HellasHab]

Well, the US market is so much bigger than the Australian one though.

It would also be interesting to see what number of new subscribers Directv thought they would get vs what they got with the Greek additions. If there is significant difference, that could have been enough to make them decide it isn't worth adding any more.

I was thinking the same thing likos. DirecTV probably isn't interested in MAD World & Star International since they aren't exactly 'mainstream' channels and probably would not bring in very many subs. They don't add channels just for the sake of adding new ones, unless they can make money off them they will not add them. Unfortunately MAD World would have been a good addition, from what I have heard it is a better music channel then the ones currently available. I think what you see is what you get with the Greek channels with the exception of RIK Sat, which should have already been added.

On another note, I noticed that GMTV is being distributed by Ilyda, the company that has the rights to Alter Globe. They have updated their website and they now list these two channels as being distributed by them, unfortunately there is no information on there except for the logos. I think the addition of this channel may have blocked MAD World from being added as you don't really need 2 music channels

[Grk101]

On another note, I noticed that GMTV is being distributed by Ilyda, the company that has the rights to Alter Globe. They have updated their website and they now list these two channels as being distributed by them, unfortunately there is no information on there except for the logos. I think the addition of this channel may have blocked MAD World from being added as you don't really need 2 music channels

Interesting. GMTV recently changed their logo again and programing a bit. Now they show English language short documentaries about Greece every so often.

[Grk101]

Even if it is true that DirecTV or Dish doesnt want to add them because they wont bring subs in, I am still curious to know what happened with the channels. It looked like STAR was so close to launching in the US, since they added US times to their commercials. And MAD World put the "coming to North America in 2007" notice on their site last year, which is still there. :tdown:

And RIK Sat is a whole other store. :ph34r:

On a side note, Dish's advertisements for their Greek channels have gone up a lot this past year...It would be interesting if we could see the numbers for Dish and DirecTV. :gr:

[HellasHab]

Technically MAD is already available here via Blue. I know it may not be the same (haven't seen MAD World so can't compare the two) but most of the music programming on Blue is from MAD.

As for why the channels never launched, who knows what happened?! We are talking about Greeks here, they love doing things last minute so maybe the deal is still a work in progress :LOL: Seriously though, maybe DirecTV changed their minds (don't forget DirecTV now has new owners- Liberty Media) or maybe they couldn't work out a deal. I believe that UBI has the rights to STAR & MAD World, who knows what kind of fee they are demanding?! I seem to recall at one point that they were asking $1 million for Alpha Sat, I guess its no wonder that Alpha now distributes Alpha Sat itself. Good thing since if UBI was still distributing the channel, I don't think Alpha would have ever launched in North America- who would be stupid enough to pay that ridiculous fee??

The only one that might and should be added at some point is RIK Sat. I think there is an audience for this channel.

[Grk101]

Technically MAD is already available here via Blue.  I know it may not be the same (haven't seen MAD World so can't compare the two) but most of the music programming on Blue is from MAD.

I have brought that up a lot in this forum in the past on what would happen if MAD World launches. All I get is that there is no problem, because Blue only gets music videos from them, which they can get elsewhere or something.

Blue picks its own programming, and music videos they play. They just use MAD's catalog (They have the biggest in Greece) to pick them. From what I have seen, Blue is different to MAD World. Blue tends to only play pop 24/7 with no variety.

Anyway, I emailed UBI and mentioned RIK Sat too. Lets see if I get a response. :box:

[likos]

Technically MAD is already available here via Blue. I know it may not be the same (haven't seen MAD World so can't compare the two) but most of the music programming on Blue is from MAD.

As for why the channels never launched, who knows what happened?! We are talking about Greeks here, they love doing things last minute so maybe the deal is still a work in progress :LOL: Seriously though, maybe DirecTV changed their minds (don't forget DirecTV now has new owners- Liberty Media) or maybe they couldn't work out a deal. I believe that UBI has the rights to STAR & MAD World, who knows what kind of fee they are demanding?! I seem to recall at one point that they were asking $1 million for Alpha Sat, I guess its no wonder that Alpha now distributes Alpha Sat itself. Good thing since if UBI was still distributing the channel, I don't think Alpha would have ever launched in North America- who would be stupid enough to pay that ridiculous fee??

The only one that might and should be added at some point is RIK Sat. I think there is an audience for this channel.

I agree that MAD is here in some form, plus with all videos available on youtube, I don't see much of a point in wasting satellite spectrum for such a channel. As for STAR, they have so little original programming. Its identity in Greece is that of the US series and movies. It would be nice if STAR and some other Greek channel came together sharing spectrum (maybe RIK SAT, ET3, or some other). Otherwise STAR will be like ALTER, with 4-6 hours of original programming and then endless repeats.

[Grk101]

That "Greece in Euro 2004" DVD that Dish promised last year after Alter Globe left, finally came in the mail. Almost 1 year later. :LOL:

In all seriousness though, it's good that they kept their word about it at least.

[DKSat]

I do not know if any new channels are coming in the future , There is a good possibility we my loose what we have now.

Subscriptions on both satellite providers is way down on the Greek packages lots of costumers are canceling the channels and they are keeping only one for news and the bla bla.

This is one dead forum where did everyone GO?

DKSat

[HellasHab]

I do not know if any new channels are coming in the future , There is a good possibility we my loose what we have now.

Subscriptions on both satellite providers is way down on the Greek packages  lots of costumers are canceling the  channels and they  are keeping only one for news and the bla bla.

This is one dead forum where did everyone GO?

DKSat

Hey DKSat, long time no see- welcome back! :tup:

Interesting news you have posted, are people cancelling because of the financial situation in the US (Economy tanking), the fact that the channels are now split between 2 providers or does it have to do with the channels themselves and people not liking the programming?! Would be nice if you and others could post their views on this, just to see what the reason is for this.

Funny that you should mention this because I recently noticed on the Rogers Cable website (they are the largest cable company in Canada and one of two providers that carry all 3 Greek channels that are available here- the other is Bell ExpressVu) that they will be offering a free preview of the Greek channels starting at the end of July for 2 weeks. I wonder if maybe the same thing is happening up here as well in that subscriptions have fallen?!

Regarding the programming I can't believe I am saying this but I am starting to agree with that Betoglou guy who keeps posting on Satleo about how terrible the programming is on the Greek channels. The programming on MEGA and more recently ANT1 has gotten quite bad IMO. Things slow down in the summer in Greece so that may be a reason but this goes back many months now that I have been looking at the schedule for MEGA Cosmos. I am not sure who is programming that channel but they are doing a very poor job. I did a comparison and only about half the shows that air on MEGA in Greece are aired on MEGA Cosmos. They are showing the same crap over and over and still expecting people to fork out good money- that's some nerve they got there :angry:

ANT1 was not bad but it looks like they are going through some changes and may be revamping their lineup. I read that Proines Kafes has been cancelled and will be replaced by some new show in the fall. As for ERT World, still waiting for the schedule changes to take place, they had this big announcement months ago about how they were going to split the ERT World feed into regions and each one would have a localized schedule- still waiting for that to happen. :tdown: Can't comment on Alpha since I have never seen it and Alter Globe is basically crap except for the news programming- not worth subscribing to IMO.

I think the fact that people are cancelling might turn out to be a good thing. If these guys start losing money they might finally put in an effort to improve the channel so that its worth the money they are charging. Of course it could also have the opposite effect as DKSat alluded to and may result in some channels pulling out and no longer broadcasting to North America if its not worth their while (translation- they are not making lots of $$).

[mouxritsa]

I think if the greek satellite channels start losing money, they will simply withdraw alltogether - I doubt that they are willing to invest time, money and resources to improving their programming for the diaspora.

As for the reasons for reduced subscriber numbers, I think all the possibilities mentioned above are equally likely to be true (especially the quality of programming.... :angry: ). I do want to mention one more, however: I wonder if there is an increased number of people using devices such as Slingbox to stream TV directly from a relative's household in Greece to their homes abroad...

[Grk101]

Well I guess my household falls into the cancellation category. :huh: I know my parents have canceled ERT World since Jan. since no one ever watches it except for sports once in a while. (which we can get online), and now they put Ant1 on "hold" for the summer since we didnt watch it much over the winter, for lack of good shows. (since winter shows get re-played in the summer) Let's see if their 2008-2009 line-up is better. And I know for a fact a number of people in the New York City region have canceled Dish all together, and are watching Ant1 on Time Warner, with ERT World being the victim once again.

As for the DirecTV side of things, big improvements need to be made there. Programming on Mega Cosmos this winter was good. (show wise). But there were some very popular shows they played in Greece but not in the US as HellasHab wrote. Alpha, I have said over and over need to get their act together. They still don't have set times for shows, and often move shows around. No commercials with times, and also randomly start showing new shows. Very hard to keep track of what to watch. Alter Globe can't really complain about since its the same as it was on Dish. That is their programming in Greece too. GMTV.....much better mix of music than blue, but I would pick MAD World over it any day.

Overall though, DirecTV was watched more than Dish Network over the winter, with Mega Cosmos being watched the most in my household. Let's see if that changes with the new winter schedules with Ant1. I hear they are really revamping the whole channel.

[Grk101]

This is one dead forum where did everyone GO?

Tell me about it. It seems I am the only one posting once in a while about updates for new channels. :LOL:

[likos]

I do not know if any new channels are coming in the future , There is a good possibility we my loose what we have now.

Subscriptions on both satellite providers is way down on the Greek packages lots of costumers are canceling the channels and they are keeping only one for news and the bla bla.

This is one dead forum where did everyone GO?

DKSat

Long time, no see DkSat.

I spent some weeks in Ditmars (Queens) earlier this summer, and I was able to see all the channels though a friend who had them all. I must say, I didn't feel like I was missing much by not having the channels that defected to DIRECTV. I don't know how many people ended up adding DIRECTV just for these (not many over there looking at the houses' rooftops), but I bet MEGA never got the same number of subscribers it had when it was on DISH. As for the DISH package, I think the terrible quality of ANT1 this year turned some people off. Not only did they not have a single good show, but their morning show (PROINOS KAFES) imploded as well.

I think money has a lot to do with it as well, though. These are bad times for discretionary spending in the US. Furthermore, let's not forget you used to be able to get all channels (minus Alpha) for slightly over $52 when they were all on DISH. Now to have both DISH and DIRECTV and to pay the DIRECTV $9.95 connection/basic fee, you come close to $84 including taxes, and that is without adding a second receiver.

On another note, kapios fournos tha gkremise mia poy ki egw pira to dvd me to "peiratiko." Etsi poy pigame fetos, isws na mas to steilane twra gia parigoria. :LOL:

[Grk101]

Surprisingly, I got a reply from UBI:

UBI World TV is a global distributor of TV content of various languages including Greek. We deliver channels via our own platforms in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa; and work closely with the US operators to provide international content to them once they decide to carry specific channels.

For US inquiries of the channels we distribute, please contact DirecTV directly.

Kind Regards

Sam S. Bilge

UBI World TV

I doubt I will get a reply from DirecTV if I e-mail them about future Greek channels, but it's worth a shot. I will e-mail them later. But reading the part "once they decide to carry specific channels" leads me to believe what other members have written too, that DirecTV is not interested anymore.