Globecast question

glen4cindy · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2007, 02:22 AM

I was surfing the other day and found the Globecast website and found that several of the channels that they are "selling" as "subscription" channels are actually FTA and available to anyone with the right size dish and FTA receiver.

How is it that a company can sell services that are FTA?

Or, is it more like those signals are not really intended to be received by the average home Joe, but, those that want to can because they are not encrypted? I know of channels that are free for a time but then become encrypted.

This also makes me question about programming on say IA5. "Who" puts that programming on that satellite and why? I know that it is catered to folks that are Arabic and other things, but, "who" puts it there? I am just curious. Like, HBO puts the HBO signals there to pipe out to cable providers. This is the "who" information I am asking about.

Thanks!

Sadoun · #2 (**permalink**) 03-04-2007, 12:03 AM

Well, most of the Arabic channels are public channels from their respective countries. They are promoted by their own governments and they are not-for-profit.

The other ethnic channels are mostly the same. Some of the channels that are encrypeted and offered by Globecast are private "for profit" type of channels. Even though they are offered by subscription, sometimes they are broadcast FTA to lure some of the FTA viewers to subscibe if they get hooked.

elgemcdlf · #3 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 07:46 AM

In addition to what Sadoun has stated many FTA channels are there to show ability to provide uninterrupted quality service and content to cable companies and sat providers in hopes of being picked up by one of them. With the exception of White Springs I know of no FTA channel (PBS excluded) out there marketing their signal is free for the viewing.

glen4cindy · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 11:52 AM

Thanks.

I knew that some "FTA" channels are not specifically intended for public reception, but, at the same time, those that uplink those channels must know that people intercept those channels and watch them.

elgemcdlf · #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glen4cindy

Thanks.

I knew that some "FTA" channels are not specifically intended for public reception, but, at the same time, those that uplink those channels must know that people intercept those channels and watch them.

It doesn't really matter if we watch or not but watching probably helps subs when the time comes. By sending in the clear they do not need to encrypt for each different system. That would be far most costly and for what? Just to keep you and I from watching? If the end goal is met (picked up by either cable or sat or both) they will be sub anyway. The clear transmission is just a piece of the overall plan.

I watched Mas Musica transform from a mediocre music video channel to a decent sub worthy channel over the course of a year and then picked up by MTV and no longer FTA.