Fox News is Now on Dish

I was wondering why my friends who were on Dish Network were not able to find the Fox Business Channel on their system and that they had to pay extra to get Fox News. Now I have found out the "rest of the story."

The Fox News and Fox Business Networks released a press release stating: "FOX Business Network (FBN) has launched on DISH Network to four million subscribers while FOX News Channel (FNC) has renewed its carriage agreement with the satellite television provider, announced Tim Carry, the network’s senior vice president of affiliate relations. The deal expands FBN’s total distribution to nearly 50 million homes nationwide." The statement went on to state that "Starting today (February 3, 2009), FBN will be available on channel 206 through DISH Network’s Classic Gold 250, formerly known as America’s Top 250 package. FNC will move to channel 205 on Classic Bronze 100, formerly known as America’s Top 100 package, increasing its distribution to more than 11 million DISH Network subscribers. Both networks will be available to DISH subscribers in HD."

Tim Carry went on to point out that “The inclusion of FOX News on Classic Bronze 100 is a milestone for the network. We are grateful for the opportunity DISH Network has given FOX News to continue to expand our audience as the number one cable news provider in the country.”

The Dish Network is the third largest pay-TV provider, so how was it that the most popular cable news network was being so greatly disrespected? According to Multichannel.com, "The deal comes shortly after the companies settled a 2007 lawsuit filed by Fox alleging Dish violated the terms of their previous agreement because the satellite operator did not include FNC in its "most widely distributed' tier. Fox had sought $50 million in the suit, which was settled Jan. 31, Reuters reported." I am biased, but I certainly believe that Fox had a legitimate case and that Dish has finally done the right thing and maybe the only thing necessary to keep it a viable satellite provider for those who are serious about the news.

Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media. Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

The Price of Business and the "Syndication Effect"

One of my objectives is to get the media that my company is developing in front of as many ears and eyes as possible. That is, after all, the purpose of media. The Price of Business Show is the longest running program on CNN 650, which is in the Houston market. Lately, I have been getting calls and emails from all over the country. Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania are just a few of the states that have been taking a part in the program (you will get an example by clicking the image above). Thanks to the Internet, the show may already be "syndicated." I like to call this phenomenon the "syndication effect." We are nationwide, even thought the program is broadcasted locally.

CNN 650 is a partner with AOL radio and as a result, many of my listeners are listening to my show in their car, on the bus, and at the restaurant on their Ipods. Furthermore, with the ease of finding our media through Google searches (with over 150,000 unique visitors each month) and our growing business media platform (including USBusinessDaily.com, ChicagoBusinessDaily.com, etc.), our reach is only expected to expand.

The syndication effect doesn't end with AOL radio. Rarely does a day go by that I don't see an article of mine from BizPlusBlog.com in Reuters.com, USAToday.com, ChicagoSunTimes.com, or other major media. Blog syndication services, such as Blogburst, is continually changing the way people get seen and heard.

A very popular concept these days is the effort to become "almost famous." With some solid and consistent content and strong efforts to get your information seen, it is easier than ever. Furthermore, with websites like ours enjoying visitors measured in the hundreds of thousands monthly, it is very feasible to be a player in media today.

Kevin Price articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

On Two Years of Blogging

June 26, 2006, a date that will live in infamy! This is, at least, the day I began blogging. My First post, "Taking the Plunge," expressed my genuine concern that this would be one of those things I would begin and eventually stop. I have a checkered history when it comes to such commitments. Two years later, it has become an obsessive habit (according to my darling wife).

The reason for concern persisted for quite some time. I only wrote that one post in June and five each for July and August. None had a single photo. I struggled over what to write and early on it looked as though it would have a strong, local appeal. In September, the number of blog posts exploded. In fact, I almost consider September 1 as the day BizPlusBlog.com began. In that post, I committed to write much more often and I have. Photos didn't come until November of 2006 and became a regular part of the blog every post after that until videos and other media came much later still. The effort to make this a "real" blog has slowly proved itself.

In the past two years, the blog has become rewarding on many fronts. It now enjoys a title sponsor (ITEX), response from readers came from around the country, and syndication of the articles has occured in many national publications. Examples of many the posts found else where include Reuters, Chicago Sun Times, USA Today, and many others.

I know I have lots of work left to do. It remains an interesting journey. If you have been thinking about blogging, jump in, the water is great. On the subject of blogging, I thought you might enjoy the above interview with Denise Wakeman of the Blog Squad.

Want to learn more about the twin economic tsunamis of Social Security and Medicare? Get a free audio program featuring Rick Ray of the Wealth Design Group and Kevin Price on this important subject by sending an email to Info@HoustonBusinessShow.com.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

US and Allies Pays to Free Hostages

I read in Reuters this morning that:

"U.N. nuclear inspectors verified the shut down of North Korea's reactor, confirming the most significant move to curb the North's atomic ambitions in years, but more remains to be done, the head of the IAEA said on Monday.

North Korea said over the weekend it had shut its Soviet-era Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which provides the secretive state with material for arms-grade plutonium, around the time it received the first shipment of 6,200 tonnes of oil provided by Seoul as part of an aid-for-disarmament deal (emphasis added).

"The reactor has been shut down," International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohamed ElBaradei told reporters in Bangkok. "We have verified the shutdown of the reactor."
The next step will be to verify that North Korea has shut other key facilities at Yongbyon, located about 100 km north of Pyongyang -- which include a plant to make plutonium.
"It's a very important step that we are taking this week, but it's a long way to go," ElBaradei told reporters in Bangkok.

He has said it will take IAEA personnel, who arrived in North Korea on Saturday, about a month to install seals and monitoring equipment to make sure Pyongyang keeps the reactor closed.

South Korea sent a second batch of 7,500 tonnes of oil to energy-starved North Korea on Monday, a Unification Ministry official said (emphasis added).

A provision of 50,000 tonnes of oil from the South is part of a Feb. 13 deal reached among the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China on first suspending the operation of the North's nuclear facilities and then disabling them (emphasis added).

The impoverished North will receive an additional 950,000 tonnes of oil, security assurances and be better able to conduct international trade if it completely scraps its nuclear arms programme -- considered one of Asia's biggest security threats.

"With complete denuclearisation, everything is going to be possible," said Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. envoy to the nuclear talks (emphasis added).

Hill, in Seoul prior to heading to Beijing, called on the North to disable Yongbyon and provide a complete inventory of its atomic arms programme.

"I certainly have to anticipate that there will be problems in the future because I never thought it would take until July to get this first step done," Hill told reporters.

The six-way talks are set to resume on Wednesday in Beijing to map out the next phase of ending the nuclear programme.

In 1994, North Korea froze the Yongbyon reactor in exchange for energy aid. In late 2002, the United States accused Pyongyang of violating that deal by having a secret programme to enrich uranium for weapons.

In December 2002, North Korea said it was restarting the Yongbyon reactor. It disabled IAEA surveillance devices and expelled their inspectors."

This article says it all. The US and North Korea's neighbors are paying North Korea in exchange for the "release" of hostages (individuals in reach of North Korea's missile program or anyone who is vulnerable to terrorist who would buy the necessary materials and deliver such by more primitive means, in other words, virtually everyone).

This approach is extremely short sighted in my opinion. In addition to negotiating with kidnappers and terrorists (which the US is opposed to as an official policy), this new policy is built on world safety being based on North Korea's good word. I think anyone can see the foolishness of such a proposition, considering the millions who have died under this evil regime. Yes, there will be international organizations monitoring the progress, but we have seen how effective such groups are by looking at Iraq under the old regime.

This foolish policy will, in my opinion, come back to haunt the US and our allies. It will embolden Korea in its clearly dangerous and hostile intentions. I only hope we come to our senses before it is too late.