HDTV Has Social Calling: Satellite Waiver Rules, the Super Bowl Blackout, and the DTV Transition

 

 

Dear Reader:

Last night I urged those not receiving the Super Bowl on DirecTV because of waivers to do something. This waiver business is an incredibly complicated one. My piece yesterday was more an exercise for let's face it, nothing at this late hour was going to happen. I am told that the technical side of getting those signals is only key strokes. All of the obstruction was man made.

A clear statement of present day conditions in the satellite waiver field was relayed to me by the highly respected consulting engineer to the broadcast industry, Don Landis, Mr.Landis (member of HDTV Magazine) is seen from time to time on the tips list and in letters to me. We can learn a great deal from this letter and hopefully some from my response. Now for Mr. Landis________________________

Dale- I appreciate your editorial on the CBS Waiver issue for the Super Bowl.

You must realize that what you have suggested is not at all in compliance with the FCC regulations regarding waiver process.

When these things are granted a special specific procedure must be followed.  In addition, assuming the waver is granted by local station management it is never granted for one TV program, no matter how important that program may be to one person.

The waiver once granted is issued permanently for life until it is challenged by the station granting it for revocation. 

In addition, there are several holes in the waiver process that may be exploited completely legal and totally in line with the law.  To suggest that all who have waivers and can also receive local signals are in some sort of violation is akin to libel. 

The first thing you have to realize is that the waiver process is granted by the station entirely on a voluntary basis.  It does not have to be as a result of signals or testing.  It can be granted just for the asking.  So it goes, some people get with sugar better than others who try to get with crap.  I got my waiver just for the asking and I live 4 miles from the tower! Did I break the law?  In fact I was turned down the first time I asked but 60 days later the station called me with a change of heart.  No action on my part,  just that they changed their minds. 

If the waiver is denied, you do have the right of challenge.  In this case you must conduct signal tests under specification in the waiver challenge procedure and pay for those tests.  If you meet the needs for the waiver based on test results the station's denial will be over ruled by FCC arbitration.

I also believe that if a station can prove adequate signals at your location they can overturn a previously granted waiver but the reversal of a waiver is a far more difficult procedure and must be done on an individual basis.  Because of this, the rule is one of good business since that if the waiver is granted it is not worth  one viewer to challenge and  pay the cost of reversal.  Therefore we consider the waiver permanent for life.   Again there is no provision for temporary waivers for special TV shows, not even the Super Bowl.  Once granted it is too costly to revoke.

While I appreciate all the emotion in your editorial, it,  unfortunately is too little, too late, and doesn't even match with the FCC waiver process.  No professional in the broadcast business will do anything in the next 24 hours, on a weekend, that would compromise a hold they have on your viewing.  It is unlikely that on the weekend no one at Dish or DirecTV is in place to process the faxed waivers in the 11th hour.  Even my waiver which was faxed took 3 days for it to have final approval from the DBS employee who processes the paperwork.  I got confirmation of receipt of my waiver at Dish Network and was told to call back in a week for activation.  Of course I could be quite wrong and as a result of your mass mailing receive thousands of waivers via Fax in the next several hours and have to call in the OT to get people their Super Bowl and then CBS for life!  I wouldn't hold my breath, though.  Everyone is too busy with the routine.

Don Landis

Licensed Consulting Broadcast Engr________________________________.

We agree with Don's appraisal and recognize his professional observation is without flaw. What is flawed is the fact that as a nation we can get bogged down with endless procedures perhaps nstituted before the transition from analog to digital was mandated by the federal government. These procedures Don points to, while serving a world we are leaving behind, are stumbling blocks to the one we have been mandated to create. This example of the Super Bowl being blackout to all those in affiliate markets is an example. Not untangling things and granting permission to view that one program is, at best, short sighted. I know Don says that at no time would a waiver be granted for one program, but why not? It is only key strokes to turn it on and off for everyone.

All of what is being suggested by me from here on out is about cooperation. A high level of cooperation is always needed for any general undertaking. When all parties embrace the same goal in heart and mind it comes naturally that each does his or her duty for it at the right time with instinctive sureness. It's a baseball team and when the ball flies into your zone you don't call Washington or your legal department to see if you should toss to third or to home. You see what has to be done to further the aims of your team and you do it without hesitation. That is how the transition has to be played out if it is not run-a-ground. That means everyone has to be on the same team. And why shouldn't they be. The transition is mandated.

The FCC charted a course by setting our digital standard, allocating spectrum, and placing deadlines for completing implementation (in over-the-air broadcasting) of the standard. The rules are unambiguous and signal all related parties to act together in completing the transition at or near the deadlines (yes, I know the dates have slipped, but having dates is germane to this point). The FCC cited by Don's report seems more like a obstructionist to the transition and is confusing if not contradictory. "Well, Dale, they have to deal with every situation and some are contradictory." Yes, so I have heard.

Let me stay focused to this one Super Bowl event in order to make a point.  

How many of those denied access to SB would have held home promotional events? Maybe that would be ten to 50 percent? DirecTV knows the total number that would have been involved. The next question can find no answer. What would a blanket waiver have meant to the transition? No one will ever know because it is an opportunity now missed. But those who understand how the future unfolds from the past see that this obstruction certainly did not do any good for the transition. We don't know what we have missed. We may forget that this transition is the only one like it in our lifetime. This is a major change. It will not have an encore in a few years allowing us to then correct our mistakes. Like Leonardo DiCaprio said when perched on the tip of the Titanic as it began its plunge to the bottom, This is it!" If we do it more rightly than wrong we survive, perhaps thrive. And if we do it badly we pull civilization back a notch. If we just lived by the decree of our own government we would be aligned and facing the same HDTV pole star. Where is opposition if we are all for the same objective and taking all advantage of every golden opportunity? That is the kind of mental and spiritual environment we need to insure that the full potential for this movement is realized.

The Super Bowl could have been provided technically top you anywhere. It's clear, of course, that it won't be.Too many new agreements would have to be made.  All of the reasons Mr. and Mrs. Public don't have the Super Bowl as an opportunity to do their part in the transition is in the mind of those who are not really aligned to our national objectives. They think they are protecting current assets with denials and maneuvers but instead they are tripping up a movement that when wounded hurts them. That is why yesterday I called this situation mindless. It is technically easy to give those signals to the ones ready to use them and for as long or short as you would like. Had you granted a blanket waiver you could have shut the unwaivered viewers off seconds after the Super Bowl. Let's remember this day for its wake up value and start applying common sense when making big decisions such as this waiver. If the local broadcasters think that the few tens of thousands of viewers lost to their advertiser supported signal on Super Bowl Sunday is an expense, wait until broadcasting is straddled between analog and digital services for 20 years. If the velocity goes out of the DTV movement what will get it back again? I can think of a thing. Talk about expensive! Everyone should be able to use every tool and idea they have today to add to the momentum in order to carry us past ANY indifference from which some sectors of our middle class populations knowingly suffer. The mandated turner inclusion is an insurance policy against an encounter with indifference, We don't want to get stuck. The danger has always been there. These procedures Don noted can be set aside in a democracy that says they can be for a few hours time or longer, What harm would that do?

Perhaps, you have a valid answer and say, "but Dale, you fail entirely to understand the political process and the right and the nature of opposition and dissent? Not everyone is for this transition to the same degree and they will stand behind these procedures like loyal Americans defending the flag. These people have a vested interest and the political things are not so easy as you want to portray them?"

I do realize that. My work here is to awaken us to our common interests and convert as much opposition into alliance for in the service of that cause as is possible. Understand, I would not approach you like this had it been for "Life With Bonnie" (no offense Bonnie but you are not a once-in-a-year premiere event like the SB.)  I am only talking here about major things where it just makes sense to part the barriers and take advantage of the power inherent in those events. The transition is happening anyway and no amount of standing on the tracks with a legal document or a bunch of contracts is going to stop it. They can, however, slow it, and that makes it more expensive all the way around. If we have to have hearings in Washington to decide that the Super Bowl is good for promoting the the transition we we have a lot more problems than just our television system. The wiser course would be to invest in drooling mugs because we are gone. There are some things which are so obvious and so powerful that to overlook them as tools to be used for the transition is considerably more than just regrettable. It's tragic. Cooperation is the key to opening the path ahead both temporary and permanently and being aligned professionally and personally to the objective becomes a quite glorious fellowship.

I guess I will sign this one as

President, High Definition Television Association of America

da management

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
Notting Hill

Notting Hill tells the story of Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), a Hollywood and international superstar who meets the owner of a book store (Hugh Grant) in the Notting Hill section of London. The pair are immediately attracted to each other, but her fame and fortune serve as a wedge. The relationship, which begins in fits and starts, is peopled with a colorful cast of friends and colleagues — especially Grant's mangy roommate (Rhys Ifans).
 

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Advertise your new HDTV services and products in the HDTV Magazine and reach your audience without fail.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C 4:00 PM PT

Super Bowl XXXVIII

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DAYTONA 500 IN HDTV ON NBC WHERE AVAILABLE ON FEBRUARY 15TH, BIG EVENT FOR HDTV!!

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Surprise By Design II
Our guests surprise a loved one with a makeover of part of their home or yard, with the help of designers Robert Verdi and Rebecca Cole. Armed with some paint, a slide rule or two, and their own brand of creative ingenuity, Robert and Rebecca depend on the kindness of strangers — in this case, the homeowner's family and friends — to get the job done. In one day. With a budget that can't exceed $2,500. In each episode, they squeeze in a "Quick Change": a super-fast, and super-cheap, smaller project. Now in Hi-Definition every weekday on Discovery HD Theater.

Starting January: Monday — Friday every week, 1 p.m. ET/PT

South Georgia Island: Life Under the Furious Fifties
An island lost at the end of the world. A land battered by the furious winds of the Arctic. A cemetery of ships and whaling settlements. Witness nature's struggle for survival on one of the most remote and unforgiving islands on the planet.

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On Superbowl Sunday...

...technology trend watchers expect many football fans will be as excited about watching the big game in high definition as they are about the actual event.

 

But what if the game's a rout?  What if youÂ’ve got one of the over 600,000 new HD sets purchased last December alone and want to take your friends for an HD test drive?  Or - could this be real - what if there's not a football fan in the house?  What other programming could possibly compete on February 1st?

 

Discovery HD Theater, a 24/7 network offering true high def content, plans to offer an extraordinary evening of HD viewers in any one of the above situations.  Offering the best of the HD best, Superbowl Sunday will feature programs of especially eye-popping features in 1080i HD.  Called Super Bowl Showcase: The Xs and Os of HD, the Discovery HD Theater extravaganza will feature a broad range of entertainment options all in crystal clear HD.  Plus, viewers who tune in will be treated to the first-ever sneak peek trailers of ARCTIC MISSION, a high def adventure through the beautiful, unexplored region of the world - the Arctic.  The series begins on Feb. 24 at 9 pm ET.

 

Below are brief descriptions of programming planned for Super Bowl Showcase.  For more information, please contact me.  Thanks for your time.

 

Dinosaur Planet: White Tip's Journey

Velociraptor named White Tip loses the rest of her pack and must struggle to survive on her own.  In time, she locates a new pack, as well as a mate, only to find that her hardships are just beginning in the harsh desert environment.  NARRATED by Christian Slater.

South Georgia Island: Life Under the Furious Fifties

An island lost at the end of the world and battered by the furious winds of the 50th parallel.  A cemetery of ships and settlements and a paradise for Antarctic species.  Life here remains in its original state: pure, tenacious, violent and savage, but above all, profoundly beautiful.

XMA: Xtreme Martial Arts

The World's legendary fighting styles, seen in an entirely new way.  Two young martial artists fight their way through the world's most prestigious tournament and through the power of modern scientific analysis and motion-capture animation, viewers travel inside a secretive, hidden world.

Dinosaur Planet: Pod's Travels

Pod, a Male Pyroraptor, is alone in the world after his sisters die in a tidal wave that sweeps him out to sea. After landing on an island populated with dwarf-sized dinosaurs, Pod discovers that he's become the apex predator. But, as a gregarious and social pack animal, Pod learns that it's lonely at the top of the food chain. NARRATED BY Christian Slater

 

6:00AM ET/5:00 C/3:00 AM PT
Discoveries...Spain: North Coast

Experience the north coast of Spain, which has a surprisingly strong Celtic heritage. In Camarinas, local fishermen talk about fishing conditions while their wives, mothers and daughters create lace using an intricate and exciting lace making technique handed down from mother to daughter. Travel through the Basque country, where a cultural & tourist revolution is occurring with the Frank Geary designed Guggenheim Museum.

7:00AM ET/6:00 C/ 4:00 AM PT
Kumiodori: The Musical Drama of Okinawa

This program highlights the renaissance of "Kumiodori," the traditional dance drama of Okinawa, which has been revived by young enthusiasts keen to retain their cultural roots. Kumiodori is based on traditional, highly stylized Okinawan song and dance, which are employed to tell ancient stories. After the Second World War, Kumiodori almost died out. However, recently, the art form has been revived by a new generation of artists. The enthusiasm of the performers is apparent as they prepare to stage a very challenging Kumiodori piece.

8:00AM ET/7:00 C/5:00 AM PT
UNT Chamber Orchestra

University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra welcomes Italian pianist Christian Leotta, for a special performance at the Murchison Performing Arts Center in Denton Texas.

10:00AM ET/9:00 C / 7:00 AM PT
2004 CES Insiders

Heavyweights of the cable, satellite and high-definition (HD) content worlds convened to share their thoughts on HDTV content and delivery during the Industry Insider Series roundtable discussion from CES 2004.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C /8:00 AM
Higher Definition

Pop-culture writer/host Robert Wilonsky sits down with pop-star turned actor Mandy Moore, along with her Chasing Liberty co-star Matthew Goode; and, Jackie Kallen, the inspiration for the new Meg Ryan movie, Against the Ropes lets us in on a few secrets of the boxing world.

11:30AM ET/10:30 C/8:30 AM PT
Designing America

Kelly Rasberry - We tour the home of syndicated Radio DJ Hostess Kelly Rasberry and newlywed husband Freddie. Valentines Day treats and ideas from Cantoni furniture and Mary Mohr has some fantastic faux finishing ideas.

12:00PM ET/11:00 C/9:00 AM PT
Weekend Explorer

Redding, California - Jump a wave wakeboarding, feel the rush of whitewater rafting, experience the thrill of waverunning, and enjoy BBQ cooking in a hot tub while houseboating on scenic Lake Shasta. Tour one of the US's largest dams, walk among giant ancient stalactites in Shasta Caverns, explore the wildlife of Turtle Bay, and catch a rainbow trout while enjoying a fishing float trip.

12:30PM ET/11:30 C 8:30 AM PT
Johnathan Brownlee's atHome

Long Weekend - Home theatres, "smart homes" security, home gyms, hot tubs, spas and barbeques.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C/10:00 AM
NHL Hockey LIVE!

Pittsburgh @ Boston

3:30PM ET/2:30 C/12:30 PM PT
Across America

You've heard of car clubs...for Maserati, Jaguar, or Porsche owners. Across America joins a Hearse Club for a cemetery tour in Denver. Then host Ron Kruck takes a leap (or doesn't he?)...bungee jumping in Las Vegas.

4:00PM ET/3:00 C/1:00 PM PT
Across America

A passion for self-defense leads people to the Nevada desert and a group of Connecticut drivers find the perfect outlet for road rage: the Demolition Derby.

4:30PM ET/3:30 C/1:30 PM ET
Across America

Host Ron Kruck dons breeches and a hunting jacket to join in the century-old tradition of fox hunting in Lexington, Kentucky.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C/2:00 PM PT
Across America

Across America has tips for revving up your weekend--from a dog. And co-host Kandace Krueger finds all kinds of creative ways to get rid of your leftover holiday fruitcake.

5:30PM ET/4:30 C
Sting - Inside: The Songs of Sacred Love

Filmed in Malibu and Los Angeles, California, this special contains all new interviews, documentary footage and live performances of songs from Sting's new album "Sacred Love" as well as other Sting/Police classics. Watch as Sting brings his new songs from the studio to the stage for the first time.

6:30PM ET/5:30 C
Snowology 101

The evolution of freestyle skiing. From the 70's, 80's to the Free Ride movement of today. Exciting 4-man Snowcross, Big Air, Slopestyle and Big Mountain competitions from Vail, Colorado, Snowbird, Utah, Kirkwood, California and Whistler, British Columbia. Hosted by Uncle E.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C
Forensic Factor

Cover Ups - After a violent struggle, a woman shoots her deranged husband in a fit of rage. As his lifeless body lies on the kitchen floor, she sits down and breathes a sigh of relief. She's certain that life will be much better now that he's finally gone... as long as she isn't caught. She already begins to think: what's the best way to get rid of the body?

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
HDNet World Report

Mt Kilimanjaro: An African Icon in Peril - HDNet World Report cameras travel to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. The mountain is big enough to develop and preserve its own weather, but world environmental changes may put that to an end.

8:30PM ET/7:30 C
True Music

This week's True Music episode is made up of bands with unusual names! Taking charge of the soulful rock category is the talented Nayroc, sister of the famed Eryka Badu. Playing the latest alternative rock (with a UK feel) is the band OHNO. And finally, True Music host Katie Daryl will be introducing Stoney LaRue and his country/southern rock tunes to you.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
Alison Krauss & Union Station

This incredible performance by Alison Krauss and Union Station at the Louisville Palace in Louisville, Kentucky blends bluegrass, jazz and folk. In 1995 Alison Krauss won the grammy award for female country vocalist of the year. This awesome performance finds bluegrass's most celebrated crossover band at the top of it's game.

11:00PM ET/10:00 C
HDNet World Report

Mt Kilimanjaro: An African Icon in Peril - HDNet World Report cameras travel to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. The mountain is big enough to develop and preserve its own weather, but world environmental changes may put that to an end.

11:30PM ET/10:30 C
True Music

This week's True Music episode is made up of bands with unusual names! Taking charge of the soulful rock category is the talented Nayroc, sister of the famed Eryka Badu. Playing the latest alternative rock (with a UK feel) is the band OHNO. And finally, True Music host Katie Daryl will be introducing Stoney LaRue and his country/southern rock tunes to you.

12:00AM ET/11:00 C
Alison Krauss & Union Station

This incredible performance by Alison Krauss and Union Station at the Louisville Palace in Louisville, Kentucky blends bluegrass, jazz and folk. In 1995 Alison Krauss won the grammy award for female country vocalist of the year. This awesome performance finds bluegrass's most celebrated crossover band at the top of it's game.

2:00AM ET/1:00 C
Hollywood HD

A behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like to be on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. Academy Award Nominations. A tribute to Clint Eastwood. And the premieres of Barbershop 2 and Torque.

2:30AM ET/1:30 C
2004 CES Insiders

Heavyweights of the cable, satellite and high-definition (HD) content worlds convened to share their thoughts on HDTV content and delivery during the Industry Insider Series roundtable discussion from CES 2004.

3:30AM ET/2:30 C
Border Battle 9-Ball Challenge

Match 4 - Singles Play
John Horsfall - Canada
Johnny Archer - USA

4:30AM ET/3:30 C
Thieves

Bad Moon Rising - Johnny and Rita are assigned to steal an African artifact back from a New Mexico museum. Meanwhile, Rita develops a surprising interest in a police officer. Tone Loc guest stars as Agent Al Trundel.

5:30AM ET/4:30 C
Snowology 101

The evolution of freestyle skiing. From the 70's, 80's to the Free Ride movement of today. Exciting 4-man Snowcross, Big Air, Slopestyle and Big Mountain competitions from Vail, Colorado, Snowbird, Utah, Kirkwood, California and Whistler, British Columbia. Hosted by Uncle E.
 

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6:20AM ET/5:20 C
Her Alibi

PG - 1:34
Cast: Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels Director: Charlie Peters
While seeking inspiration for his latest novel, a successful writer becomes an alibi to a Romanian immigrant accused of murder.

8:00AM ET/7:00 C
Winners Take All

PG-13 - 1:42
Cast: Don Michael Paul, Kathleen York, Robert Krantz Director: Fritz Kiersch
A group of companions decide to try their luck in a Supercross race.

9:45AM ET/8:45 C
The Endless Summer II

PG - 1:49
Cast: Robert August, T.J. Baron, Jeff Booth Director: Bruce Brown
Sequel to The Endless Summer, which follows two hard core surfers as they search the globe for the perfect wave.

11:45AM ET/10:45 C
Gotcha!

PG-13 - 1:41
Cast: Anthony Edwards, Linda Fiorentino, Nick Corri Director: Jeff Kanew
A college kid, who plays a mock assassination game called "Gotcha", travels to Europe, and finds himself on the run with a female Czech graduate student who is really an international spy.

1:30PM ET/12:30 C
Her Alibi

PG - 1:34
Cast: Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, William Daniels Director: Charlie Peters
While seeking inspiration for his latest novel, a successful writer becomes an alibi to a Romanian immigrant accused of murder.

3:15PM ET/2:15 C
Fanny

NR - 2:13
Cast: Leslie Caron, Horst Buchholz, Maurice Chevalier Director: Joshua Logan
After the love of her life leaves for the sea, a woman finds solace in an older man.

5:30PM ET/4:30 C
Prisoner of Second Avenue

PG - 1:38
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Anne Bancroft, Gene Saks Director: Melvin Frank
A 48 year-old man and his wife must face the trivial and relentless vexations of New York life when he loses not just his job, but also his confidence.

7:15PM ET/6:15 C
Night Moves

R - 1:38
Cast: Gene Hackman, Melanie Griffith, James Woods Director: Arthur Penn
A has-been actress hires a down-on-his luck detective to find her kidnapped daughter.

9:00PM ET/8:00 C
We're No Angels

PG-13 - 1:46
Cast: Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Demi Moore Director: Neil Jordan
Two criminals on the run from the law hide out as priests.

11:00PM ET/10:00 C
Striptease

R - 1:55
Cast: Demi Moore, Burt Reynolds, Armand Assante Director: Andrew Bergman
To make enough money to win custody of her daughter, a stripper becomes entangled in a blackmail scheme.

1:00AM ET/12:00 C
We're No Angels

PG-13 - 1:46
Cast: Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, Demi Moore Director: Neil Jordan
Two criminals on the run from the law hide out as priests.

3:00AM ET/2:00 C
Striptease

R - 1:55
Cast: Demi Moore, Burt Reynolds, Armand Assante Director: Andrew Bergman
To make enough money to win custody of her daughter, a stripper becomes entangled in a blackmail scheme.

5:00AM ET/4:00 C
Night Moves

R - 1:38
Cast: Gene Hackman, Melanie Griffith, James Woods Director: Arthur Penn
A has-been actress hires a down-on-his luck detective to find her kidnapped daughter.
 

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7:00AM ET/6:00 C
Flesh And Bone

R Time: 126  
A 30-year-old murder comes back to haunt the participants in this romantic thriller. Dennis Quaid plays a loner traveling the Texas wastelands who falls in love with abused wife Meg Ryan. But the past Quaid has been trying to forget returns in the person of his vicious con-man father (James Caan), who wants his son to rejoin him in a life of crime. With Gwyneth Paltrow.

9:05AM ET/8:05 C
Freshening Up

TV14 Time: 20  
An anniversary dinner turns disastrous for a young woman and her jealous boyfriend in this short film. Adrian Grenier (A.I.) stars as the untrusting young man whose girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) returns from a long restroom visit looking disheveled. He fears she's just had sex with another man...but he couldn't be more off base!

9:30AM ET/8:30 C
The Mothman Prophecies

PG13 Time: 118  
A widowed newspaper reporter is drawn to a small West Virginia town to investigate a strange creature that may have supernatural origins. Richard Gere stars as John Klein, the scribe whose own fate became intermingled with the "mothman"--a seven-foot tall mothlike being who appears during disasters and reveals the future to humans. While fears in the town continue to grow, Klein becomes personally involved--thanks to an unnerving series of phone calls from a person or thing--who knows everything about him...and everything that's to come. Laura Linney co-stars as the town's sheriff in this eerie, fact-based chiller that was adapted from John A. Keel's 1975 book. With Will Patton (Gone in Sixty Seconds), Debra Messing (TV's Will and Grace), Lucinda Jenney (Thirteen Days). Directed by Mark Pellington (Arlington Road).

11:30AM ET/10:30 C
Kung Pow! Enter The Fist

PG13 Time: 81  
A great warrior called Chosen One...his evil nemesis Master Pain (better known as Betty)...a one-breasted female warrior...a black-belt cow. They all come together to form the prime comic ingredients in this insane spoof from writer-director-producer Steve Oedekerk (the Ace Ventura and Nutty Professor films). Using the 1976 martial-arts flick Tiger & Crane Fists, Oedekerk has redubbed the dialogue and added new footage--starring himself as Chosen One--to create a hilarious kung fu concoction about a great warrior's quest to avenge the murder of his parents. "Consistently silly" (Variety). With Lung Fai and Leo Lee.

1:00PM ET/12:00 C
Swept Away

R Time: 89  
Madonna stars as a wealthy socialite who is shipwrecked onto a deserted island with a feisty first-mate in this romantic comedy-drama remake. Amber (Madonna) is a beautiful, but bored aristocrat whose husband whisks her away on a yachting vacation only to find that the no-frills ship irks his spoiled wife. Guiseppe, a Sicilian first mate, becomes a target for Amber's aggression and she torments the deckhand with her demands, until a storm on the high seas leaves the two marooned on a Mediterranean island. A remake of Lina Wertmuller's Swept Away...by an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August. Co-starring Adriano Giannini, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Bruce Greenwood. Directed by Guy Ritchie.

2:30PM ET/1:30 C
Boys

PG13 Time: 86  
A New England prep school student falls for an older woman after an accident and becomes entangled in her complicated past in this endearing coming-of-age story. Lukas Haas stars as John, a high schooler who saves an older woman, Patty, (Winona Ryder) after she falls from a horse. Captivated by her beauty and intrigue, John decides to hide Patty in his dorm room. But as romance kindles between the two, a devastating secret is revealed that further complicates their relationship. Based on the short story "Twenty Minutes" by James Salter. Co-starring John C. Reilly, James LeGros, Skeet Ulrich, Chris Cooper and Catherine Keener.

4:00PM ET/3:00 C
White Oleander

PG13 Time: 109  
Alison Lohman stars as a teenage girl bounced through the foster care system during her mother's incarceration for murder in this moving drama. Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) poisons her lover and is sent to prison while her daughter Astrid (Lohman) is forced into the state's foster care program. Shuffled through various foster parents including a born-again Christian, a former B-movie star and an eccentric Russian, Astrid is forced to grow up quickly in several families while she also attempts to keep her mother in her life. Based on the novel by Janet Fitch. Co-starring Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger. Directed by Peter Kosminsky.

6:00PM ET/5:00 C
Point Of No Return

R Time: 108  
Maggie is a beautiful, violent, young cop-killing junkie. When she's caught, she's given a choice: die for her crime or become a government assassin! Bridget Fonda plays Maggie, whose new life brings her a new love...and the hope that she can escape the violence that rules her existence. A stylish, fast-paced drama based on the French thriller, La Femme Nikita. With Anne Bancroft.

7:50PM ET/6:50 C
Love Thy Brother

TVPG Time: 9  
Two brothers become so consumed by their own fight that they fail to be concerned that their home is being burglarized in this amusing short film.

8:00PM ET/7:00 C
The Client

PG13 Time: 120  
Before a Mafia lawyer kills himself, he tells an 11-year-old boy the burial place of a murdered U.S. Senator. Now everybody's after the boy: the cops, the press, the FBI, a grandstanding federal prosecutor--and the Mob. All he's got to protect him are his own quick wits and tough lawyer Susan Sarandon. Brad Renfro, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony LaPaglia, Anthony Edwards and Ossie Davis co-star in this adaptation of John Grisham's best-seller. "Taut entertainment that never loses steam...a terrifically made thriller" (Hollywood Reporter).

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
Insomnia

R Time: 118  
An LAPD detective sent to Alaska to investigate a homicide commits a mortal mistake that forces him into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a serial killer in this "taut, tense and terrific" (Rolling Stone) remake of the 1997 Norwegian thriller. Al Pacino stars as Will Dormer, a veteran cop whose questionable methods have sparked an Internal Affairs inquiry that has him sent to look into a serial slaying in the town of Nightmute--where it's daylight around the clock. But Dormer's stress and inability to sleep result in a critical error that connects him to the killer...and forces him into the terrible dilemma of deciding between saving his career and stopping the madman. Robin Williams and Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) co-star. Directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento).

12:00AM ET/11:00 C/8L99 PM PT
Broadcast Bombshells

TVMA Time: 83  
It's bombshells vs. bombers in this sexy adult drama. A serial bomber decides to make a local TV station his latest target. Little does he know that the sexy antics of some of its staff members are already causing fireworks!

 

1:20AM ET/12:20 C
A Better Way To Die

R Time: 101  
A police officer's plan to quit the force and marry his girlfriend takes a frightening turn for the worse when he is beaten, robbed and involved in a dangerous mystery. Mistakenly believed to be a missing FBI agent, the young cop finds himself on the run from both a federal agent who needs the agent's crucial files and a sinister mobster who wants him dead. With Andre Braugher, Scott Wiper, Lou Diamond Phillips, Natasha Henstridge and Joe Pantoliano.

3:05AM ET/2:05 C
Clerks

R Time: 91  
In this comic highlight of the 1994 Sundance Film Festival--made by first-time director Kevin Smith for only $27,000--two New Jersey store clerks make it through their day...barely. Dante works in a convenience store, while his friend mans a video store. Both of them would rather be doing something--anything--else, and let their customers know it. "Buoyant, bleakly funny"

4:40AM ET/3:40 C
Greenmail

R Time: 96  
Stephen Baldwin stars as a jailed environmental activist who may be the only hope in an ATF agent's efforts to stop a serial bomber. As the madman's trail becomes littered with victims, the unlikely duo realize that they are running out of time before the bomber strikes again! Tom Skerritt, Kelly Rowan, D.B. Sweeney, Mark Holden and Suki Kaiser co-star in this explosive thriller.
 

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6:30AM ET/5:30 C
Bingo

PG Time: 89  
Meet the most amazing movie pooch since Benji! Bingo is a circus dog who adopts a football player's family, only to be left behind when they move. But Bingo doesn't give up easily, and sets off from Denver to Green Bay--with lots of charming adventures in between.

9:00AM ET/8:00 C/3:00 AM
Ocean's Eleven

PG13 Time: 116  
George Clooney stars as a recently paroled crook whose plan to pull off the ultimate Las Vegas heist has an underlying motive in this stylish remake from director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic). Based on the 1960 Rat Pack classic, the film stars Clooney as Danny Ocean, a suave criminal who leaves prison with a single plan: to rob three casinos in one night. With the help of his old buddy Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), Ocean assembles the perfect team to pull the job off, but they don't know that his plan includes getting his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) back from the owner of one of the casinos! With Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould and Carl Reiner.

11:00AM ET/10:00 C/4:00 AM PT
The Artists' Specials 02: Mary Cassatt: American Impressionist

TVG Time: 55  
Great artists come to life through the eyes of fictional young people in this intelligent family series. Nineteenth-century American artist Mary Cassatt finds her niche among the Impressionist painters in Paris. But things are upended when her brother, his wife and their three boisterous children arrive--and provide a completely unexpected inspiration for her paintings.

12:00PM ET/11:00 C/8:00 AM PT
Captain Ron

PG13 Time: 100  
Kurt Russell and Martin Short star in this hilarious story about a family whose dream of life on the high seas aboard their newly inherited yacht sinks like a stone when they hire a drunken incompetent to sail the craft. Mary Kay Place, Meadow Sisto and Benjamin Harvey co-star in this comedy written and directed by Thom Eberhardt.

1:45PM ET/12:45 C10:45 AM PT
The Big Bounce: HBO First Look

TVPG Time: 13  
This special takes a look at the making of director George Armitage's comic crime-thriller starring Owen Wilson as a drifter who winds up involved in shady partnerships with a powerful businessman (Morgan Freeman) and a sexy con woman (Sara Foster). Gary Sinise and Charlie Sheen co-star.

2:00PM ET/1:00 C/11:00 AM PT
Biker Boyz

PG13 Time: 110  
Burning rubber is the name of the game in this "adrenaline spiked and action packed" (New York Daily News) thriller about a champion motorcycle racer who faces the challenge of a fearless young upstart. Laurence Fishburne stars as Smoke, the leader of an underground bike club whose upscale members participate in illegal races. Derek Luke, who shined in Denzel Washington's Antwone Fisher, plays Kid, a fiery youth who has racing in his blood and a desire to torch Smoke on the strip...despite a shocking secret that links the pair together. Orlando Jones, Djimon Hounsou, Lisa Bonet, Brendan Fehr, Larenz Tate and Kid Rock co-star. Directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood, written by Craig Fernandez and Reggie Rock Bythewood.

5:00PM ET/4:00 C/2:00 PM PY
Brown Sugar

PG13 Time: 109  
Two childhood best friends with a mutual love for hip-hop music reconnect after several years and question their current relationships and their feelings for each other. Sidney and Dre discovered hip-hop on a New York street corner when they were kids and their passion for the beat followed them into adulthood when both pursued music-oriented careers on opposite coasts. After years apart, Sidney returns to their stomping ground to find out that her rhythm with Dre still exists...as he prepares to marry another woman. Starring Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan and Nicole Ari Parker. Directed by Rick Famuyiwa.

7:00PM ET/6:00 C/4:00 PM PT
Ocean's Eleven

PG13 Time: 116  
George Clooney stars as a recently paroled crook whose plan to pull off the ultimate Las Vegas heist has an underlying motive in this stylish remake from director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic). Based on the 1960 Rat Pack classic, the film stars Clooney as Danny Ocean, a suave criminal who leaves prison with a single plan: to rob three casinos in one night. With the help of his old buddy Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), Ocean assembles the perfect team to pull the job off, but they don't know that his plan includes getting his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) back from the owner of one of the casinos! With Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould and Carl Reiner.

10:05PM ET/9:05 C
Biker Boyz

PG13 Time: 110  
Burning rubber is the name of the game in this "adrenaline spiked and action packed" (New York Daily News) thriller about a champion motorcycle racer who faces the challenge of a fearless young upstart. Laurence Fishburne stars as Smoke, the leader of an underground bike club whose upscale members participate in illegal races. Derek Luke, who shined in Denzel Washington's Antwone Fisher, plays Kid, a fiery youth who has racing in his blood and a desire to torch Smoke on the strip...despite a shocking secret that links the pair together. Orlando Jones, Djimon Hounsou, Lisa Bonet, Brendan Fehr, Larenz Tate and Kid Rock co-star. Directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood, written by Craig Fernandez and Reggie Rock Bythewood.

12:50PM ET/11:50 C
Kiss Of Death

R Time: 100  
David Caruso stars in this "sleek, muscular thriller"

2:35PM ET/1:35 C
Jack Frost 2: Revenge Of The Mutant Killer Snowman

R Time: 93  
The cold-hearted killer returns to unleash another blizzard of bloody terror in this ice-'n'-dice slasher sequel. Sheriff Sam Tiler (Christopher Allport) managed to dispatch of the murderous mound of ice using antifreeze, but his fears about the psycho snowman's return become grounded...while he's on a vacation in a hot South Seas paradise! Eileen Seeley, Chip Heller, Marsha Clark and Ray Cooney co-star. Directed by Michael Cooney.

4:10PM ET/3:10 C
The Invader

R Time: 92  
Interstellar conflict comes to Earth when a schoolteacher finds herself carrying an alien's child in this sensational sci-fi thriller. With Daniel Baldwin and Nick Mancuso.
 

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6:15AM ET/5:15 C
Heaven Can Wait (1978)

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
CCAP
PG 1h 41m
Warren Beatty stars in, co-wrote and co-directed this romantic comedy remake of "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" (1941) about a pro football player who's reincarnated into the body of a middle-aged millionaire but remains determined to take the L.A. Rams to the Super Bowl - despite the fact that his former coach (Jack Warden) thinks he's nuts and his wife (Dyan Cannon) and accountant (Charles Grodin) are trying to murder him. Julie Christie, Buck Henry and James Mason costar in this delightful box office smash.

10:15AM ET/9:15 C
Ulee's Gold

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Stereo
R 1h 53m
In a star turn that garnered him a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination, Peter Fonda delivers a "quietly astonishing performance" ("New York Times") as a widowed Vietnam vet who finds redemption when his remaining family is endangered. Victor Nunez ("Ruby in Paradise") wrote and directed this distinctively literary character study, which was nominated for Independent Spirit Awards for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Male Lead, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Female Performance (Patricia Richardson).

3:30PM ET/2:30 C
A River Runs Through It

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Stereo / CCAP
PG 2h 4m
Director Robert Redford's visually stunning drama is based on the memoir by Norman Maclean (Craig Sheffer), who relates the story of his idyllic Montana upbringing and the wild-hearted, fly-fishing brother (Brad Pitt) who couldn't be tamed by man, religion or nature. Tom Skerritt, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Lloyd and Edie McClurg costar in this critically acclaimed masterpiece.

6:00PM ET/5:00 C
Donnie Brasco

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
R 2h 7m
A low-level mobster (Al Pacino) unsuspectingly takes an undercover FBI agent (Johnny Depp) under his wing in this gangster drama based on Joseph Pistone's real-life memoir. Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo and Anne Heche costar.

8:25PM ET/7:25 C
Notorious C.H.O.

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Stereo / CCAP
TVMA-LD 1h 36m
Hilarious comedienne Margaret Cho headlines this stand-up comedy concert, her second, which limns some of her favorite subjects (weight, her mother, and the two drag queens she considers her "guardian angels") in typically funnybone-cracking style.

10:00PM ET/9:00 C
Longing

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
TVMA - SLD 50m
Bette takes a desperate step to win her battle of wills with the chairman of the art gallery board; Jenny struggles with her feelings for Marina; Alice tries to regain her self-respect after a run-in with an ex-girlfriend; Dana finally gets a date with Lara.

11:00PM ET/10:00 C
I'm The One That I Want

WIDESCREEN OAR UPCONV
Stereo / CCAP
TVMA - LD 1h 36m
Following the cancellation of her sit-com "All American Girl," stand-up comedian and actress Margaret Cho took her life story on the road in a one-woman show. This performance presents Cho at her best, her most honest and most lewd, as she covers love, her parents, pornography, racism and the story behind the failure of her TV show. More than just a tell-all, however, this is an energetic and vibrant autobiographical look at one of today's most daring stand-up comedians.

1:30AM ET/12:30 C
Robocop 2

WIDESCREEN OAR HDTV
Dolby Digital 5.1 / CCAP
R 1h 57m
This imaginative sci-fi sequel finds RoboCop testing his metal against a diabolical drug dealer (Tom Noonan) as well as RoboCop 2, a "superior" mechanical replacement built to rush the cyborg cop into early retirement. Peter Weller returns for this lightning-paced sci-fi spectacular directed by Irvin Kershner ("The Empire Strikes Back"). Nancy Allen and Daniel O'Herlihy costar.
 

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