RFD-TV Gets a Stay

As we reported in Fridays edition of “The Satellite Dish” it looked like the popular rural channel RFD-TV’s days were numbered as the president of the network sent out an email to it’s viewers letting them know that DISH Network was about to drop the network.

In the email it included the direct email address and phone number for DISH Network executives. Publishing that information was quite a gamble for RFD-TV but it seemed to work.

On Saturday the following follow-up email was sent to viewers.

“To: RFD-TV Viewers

Fm: Patrick Gottsch

Re: Update - DISH Network/RFD-TV agree to 30-day extension

Yesterday, I shared with you the potential problems with RFD-TV’s affiliate agreement with DISH Network, and asked a select number of DISH Network subscribers in our data base to contact and/or write Mr. Ergen and Mr. Shull at DISH Network to provide your comments and feedback on this situation. Boy, did you all ever respond!

Many of you wrote back to me and/or shared your letters that were sent to DISH on our behalf. I have read every one, and I can tell you that I am absolutely humbled by your out-pouring of support for RFD-TV. The vast majority of these letters were so positive, constructive, and heartfelt that no one could ignore their sincerity, and I can assure you all that you all made the strongest possible impression with DISH’s management.

Communication is being re-established with DISH, and I am hopeful that discussion for a new agreement will soon take place. I will do everything in my power to make this happen, as again, I am recharged with energy from your support. At this time DISH Network/RFD-TV have agreed to a 30-day extension of our present agreement while these negoitations take place, and there will be no interuption of service on February 14th, 2010.

I will continue to update you all via e-mail first, and post any major developments or announcements on the http://www.rfdtv.com web site as they materialize.

There is no reason to send any more letters or calls to anyone at DISH at this time, as the message has been received and further contact may even be counter-productive.

Again, thank you so much for your support. One learns who there real friends are when times get tough, and man, does RFD-TV have a lot of friends.

Patrick Gottsch
Founder & President
RFD-TV/RFD HD/RURAL TV”

This is good news for viewers of RFD-TV. We will post additional updates when we have them.

Slingplayer Goes 3G

I am happy, I can now use one of my favorite iPhone applications anywhere I want without the need of Jailbreaking my iPhone.

Today Apple released a new version of the Slingplayer Application that allows iPhone customers to use the application over AT&T’s 3G Network. This means no matter where people are if they have a cell signal they will be able to watch their TV everywhere by using the Slingplayer application along with the proper Slingbox hardware at home.

I am an avid fan of the Slingbox technology and actually own 6 units, this allows me to check in on my satellite systems, cable and OTA no matter where I am.

AT&T refused to allow the Slingplayer application to use its 3G network and required Apple to only allow them to release a version that ran over WIFI connections. AT&T had a change of heart recently that allows for the use of the Slingplayer application on it’s network and I say its about time.

I got to be honest, there was only two reasons why I jailbreak my iPhone, one of those was so I could trick the old WIFI only version of Slingplayer for the iPhone into thinking it was on a WIFI network, this would allow me to watch my Slingboxes anywhere. The other reason I jailbreak my iPhone is so I can run more then one application at a time. I enjoy listening to Sirius/XM or Slacker Radio while browsing the web or checking my email. Lets hope a future update from Apple will allow me to do the second in the future, if they do that I will have no reason to Jailbreak my iPhone.