The problem is that the shows most often preempted are Enterprise and Smackdown. These are the 2 biggest moneymakers for UPN. The network can't be too happy when these shows are preempted in a market as large as Houston on a frequent basis.
Of course, Thursdays are no longer an issue, due to league exclusivity deals. As I stated before, the new ownership of KTXH 20 probably has as much to do with the (probable) non-renewal as anything else. I can hear the ceaseless blather of cable commercials starting up already. <sigh>
I can almost guarantee that this came down to a decision: 1. Broadcast ALL the games that can be broadcast on 51. 2. Take only a partial schedule of broadcast games on UPN. Going with 51 means actually getting to see all the away games instead of having 1/3 or even 1/2 unavailable due to Paramount's schedule. Refman basically nailed this one. UPN is a struggling network. They have shows like Enterprise and Smackdown that drive network ratings. If they cannot show them on 20, they risk losing not just money, but network affiliation. Which would you rather have, all games available on 51 or a lot fewer on UPN. Not a great choice but it's one that has to be made.
But they showed all games last year on UPN, how are you so sure they wont show all games this season if they went with UPN? I'd be happy just to watch the Rockets on any cahnnel, but I'd hate watch them on a low budget channel like 51. It's gonna feel so isolated watching games on that channel.
Not quite accurate. 20 and FSSW came to a bizarre agreement where they each aired roughly half the games (20 actually ended up with a couple more), but it was not a clean home/road split. You pretty much had to check the schedule to see where a game was being televised. If they could've worked out a similar agreement this time around, (to me) that would've been preferable to the 51 option. Not only are the DISH/DirecTV customers screwed with KNWS, OTA (antenna) reception is questionable, and they won't have their DTV channel up for another 3-6 months. A year from now it may be a wash, but for the present there are significant disadvantages to KNWS.
I'm sure because I remember them telling me they had to fight with UPN to get them all broadcast. Last season was really a temporary solution, I believe. I think they probably WANTED to be with UPN 20, but I also believe 20 got quite a few complaints that the Rockets pre-empted a lot of shows. Remember that the Rockets ratings last year were absolutely abyssmal. UPN lost a lot of money because some of their more popular shows had to be moved around to different days. I have a hunch they were unwilling to budge on some issues. Conversely, channel 51 is a station that wants and NEEDS the exposure. I have to believe they offered pretty much everything the Rockets wanted and then some. Unlike the Tube a couple seasons back, 51 has experience with the Astros and the Stros are happy there. I know this sucks for some people, but I know that UPN wasn't going to be able or willing to broadcast all away games this season. The Rockets have managed to be one of the few teams in the league with local tv's deals to broadcast EVERY game every season. I'm sure they didn't want that streak to end.
Anyone who has Time Warner cable recieves 51 just fine. Luckily, I dropped the satellite dish and switched back to cable. I get all the local channels with digital quality now. That is waaaay better than using the rabbit ears to try and pick up Rockets games. If it doesn't come in clear, that will just give me an excuse to go to the bar and drink....(while watching the Rockets games, of course.)
ok so ..... instead of just the away games... they are going to show the home games too?? or just all the away games?? if its ALL of the games even the home games..then..i love u channel 51 forget about that gay stuff i said earlier
For all the Dish Network subscribers: You need a second dish to get Channel 51, which Dish Network will provide and install for free upon request. I am in the process of getting this done myself now that I've heard the news.
I believe you are mistaken. Last I heard, KNWS was not being carried on either DISH or DirecTV. They missed the "must carry" deadline, and lost the appeal. The earliest they could re-file is in four years (i.e.: three years from today).
This is just my luck, I'm the biggest Astros and Rockets fan in this house and my TV is the only one that 51 doesn't show perfectly on. BUT, I'm with Jeff I'd rather see all of the games with bad reception than only see 1/3 of them on UPN, whose clarity isn't all that great either. 51 sux, it's the only channel I've ever seen that looks like it's satellites are on drugs, I mean the picture is all jumpy and mangled. Strangely, the only time it has decent reception is when it rains hard!? I want clear reception, but we all know what happens here in Houston when rains hard thanx to our "great" drainage systems. Either way we're screwed, but we're screwed with ALL the games. ...
Not really... Ch. 51 has the worst picture because it interferes with NBC (because it's Ch. 2???). So, I'm watching the Astros game, and in the background you can very faintly see what is on NBC. I recall a thread a few days ago about the picture quality of the Rockets game being crappy, which is true. Now it just got crappier.
