Smithsonian, Showtime hit snag

Partnership runs into problems with launch

By STEVEN ZEITCHIK

Is the Smithsonian ready for Showtime?

The partnership between the famed D.C. institution and the pay cabler for a high-def net featuring historical and cultural programming is running into some bumps in the road.

Negotiations with operators for carriage are stretching months beyond the parties' estimates.

At one point, Showtime execs were making assurances that carriage deals would be in place by the end of June for a planned September launch.

But those deals have yet to materialize. Net was close to a pact with Verizon's FIOS service, but it fell through, and a Comcast rep told Daily Variety last week that talks with Showtime were simply "preliminary" -- not an encouraging sign for a net a few weeks away from launch.

As carriage negotiations linger on, insiders say the September launch could be pushed back.

Showtime announced back in April 2006 that it would form Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture with the org for an on-demand net (it has since become a linear channel as well) in a bid to get into an increasingly popular version of high-def programming practiced by nets such as Discovery and National Geographic.

But the deal immediately drew fire from public-interest groups and documakers, who said that by making a proprietary deal with a pay web -- and by giving the net the right of first refusal -- the Smithsonian was cutting off an important source of footage for filmmakers.

Several hundred activists and filmmakers -- including Michael Moore, Anna Deavere Smith and Lawrence Lessig -- signed and published a letter registering their opposition.

Among the shows planned for the net are the Tom Cavanagh-hosted "Stories From the Vaults," which peeks behind the scenes of the institution and "Critter Quest," a kids-aimed show about nature. Execs at several operators, which reportedly are being asked to pay a monthly fee of between 30¢ and 35¢ per sub, said they very much liked the programming.

Some observers are also questioning whether a new regime at the Smithsonian could nix the deal. One source said acting secretary Cristian Samper is charged with a review of all business arrangements, including the Showtime deal.

Several execs have been swept out at the group under a shadow, including secretary Lawrence Small and Gary Beer, topper of the org's biz unit. A permanent replacement for Small is expected to be named soon.

Showtime has maintained that the new regime fully supports the project. "We are close to deals with a number of distributors and we look forward to making our announcement in the near future," said a rep for the cabler.

A Smithsonian rep said, "We're still committed to the contract and are working with Showtime."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970385.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

funny how showtime would rather launch a new HD channel that has nothing to do with movies before bringing more of their showtime channels to HD.

In its press release last week, Smithsonian HD said it would debut “on or around Sept. 26” on DirecTV...

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6480808.html

Smithsonian Channel Signs First Carriage Deal

The channel will launch with some 75 hours of programming, with eye toward 100 by the end of the year and 200 by August 2008.

By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/24/2007 12:09:00 AM

After a rocky path of fits and starts, Showtime’s high-definition Smithsonian Channel has signed its first carriage agreement, gaining distribution on satellite carrier DirecTV beginning September 26.

The product of Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between the pay cable network and the D.C. institution, the linear network of cultural and historical fare will be carried on channel 267 on DirecTV’s HD Xtra Pack, which reaches about 16 million U.S. customers. The channel will launch with about 75 hours of programming, with the goal of building to 100 by the end of the year and doubling that by August 2008.

Showtime hoped to announce carriage deals earlier in the summer, but has had difficulty convincing operators to sign on.

There are two reasons for that, says Smithsonian Networks General Manager Tom Hayden. First, Showtime initially envisioned the joint-venture as a video-on-demand standard-definition offering, but took time to go back and retool it as a high-definition linear feed, when operators expressed more interest in getting the programming that way.

Then, simultaneously, several other linear cable providers began offering high-definition simulcast feeds of their standard channels to operators and satellite companies for free. That made Smithsonian’s product, which distributors have to pay for, a less immediate priority for them as they figured out their HD strategy and bolstered new HD tiers with free product first.

"We have been so well-received with everybody as far as the Smithsonian brand," Hayden says. "It’s just been a matter of how [distributors] bide their time as they determine their strategy and get through the free networks first, so we just had to wait in line."

DirecTV was a natural first partner, as the satellite company has said it wants to have launched 100 to 150 HD channels by the end of the year. The company will add Smithsonian’s VOD product when it launches its own version of on-demand programming at the end of the year.

http://broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6480880.html

Big Deal, another "in name only" HD channel with little HD and a lot of upconverted SD. I hope they don't stretch the content to make unknowing people think they are watching HD. And for this you have to pay extra for the privilege to watch it.:rolleyes:

I couldn't care less about this channel. It sounds like all the crappy VOOM channels I used to have. What I do care about is Directv hopefully soon lighting up all the other HD channels.

Big Deal, another "in name only" HD channel with little HD and a lot of upconverted SD. I hope they don't stretch the content to make unknowing people think they are watching HD. And for this you have to pay extra for the privilege to watch it.:rolleyes:

Smithsonian Networks GM Tom Hayden tells SkyREPORT the 24-hour channel's offerings will start out as 90 percent "real" (as opposed to upconverted and such) HD, moving into 100 percent real stuff in the future.

Per SkyReport.com today...

~Alan

Title revised.

I couldn't care less about this channel. It sounds like all the crappy VOOM channels I used to have.

+1

I couldn't care less about this channel. It sounds like all the crappy VOOM channels I used to have. What I do care about is Directv hopefully soon lighting up all the other HD channels.

Theres always one...:rolleyes:

Another useless channel. It is going to be the same crap as VOOM Treasure channel. All these companies should be concentrating on upgrading their regular channels to HD, not creating more crap.

Theres always one...:rolleyes:

One what? One person that doesn't see the need for channels that have about 2 hours of fresh material that they repeat over and over and over for months on end? I had my fill of that with Voom years ago. I don't need it again. There's enough quality mainstream HD content now that I don't feel the need to overpay for niche junk just to justify my purchase of an HDTV. Perhaps you enjoy it, in which case you're right, there's always one.:p

One what? One person that doesn't see the need for channels that have about 2 hours of fresh material that they repeat over and over and over for months on end? I had my fill of that with Voom years ago. I don't need it again. There's enough quality mainstream HD content now that I don't feel the need to overpay for niche junk just to justify my purchase of an HDTV. Perhaps you enjoy it, in which case you're right, there's always one.:p

One. Meaning One that feels the obsessive compulsive need to troll a thread around here just to senslessly bash its topic and the people discussing it.

One. Meaning One that feels the obsessive compulsive need to troll a thread around here just to senslessly bash its topic and the people discussing it.

I hope these knee-jerk reactions aren't the sum total of your daily exercise regimen.

I hope these knee-jerk reactions aren't the sum total of your daily exercise regimen.

1) Whats your point?

2) And what does you point have to do with Smithsonian HD having trouble getting carriage agreements in place?

Because for what its worth, I've made my point and you've just proven it.

...and you needn't worry any about my exercise. I get plenty thank you. :rolleyes:

The repeat argument used for VOOM is weak and over used because most HD channels like HGTV, UNIV, DISC and STRZ to name a few show the same programming over and over too. There is some good variety on VOOM, even new stuff and, more importantly, it's 24-hr HD all the time. Since E* converted all the channels to MPEG4, the picture quality is very good too. So VOOM that up your VROOM. :)