No Cable or Satellite? HBO Says You're SOL for Pre-Inaug Party

So much for inclusion. Millions of viewers will be left unable to to watch the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inaugural,

a celebration of America which will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18.

Pay-TV powerhouse HBO will:

televise the event that evening on an open signal, working with all of its distributors to allow Americans across the country with access to cable or satellite television to join in the Opening Celebration for free.

But millions get the teevee the ye olde fashioned way, by airwaves, whether using soon-to-be phased-out analog signal antennas, digital converter boxes or newer digital sets.

Nationwide about 14 million households depend on analog TV signals, according to Nielsen Co. Centris puts that number closer to 20 million households. But those folks--even with analog-to-digital converter boxes, along with the millions more who have switched to digital television sets but rely strictly on broadcast channels--won't be able to watch Opening Celebration which both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden will attend. The event features

some of the biggest acts in the world of entertainment to celebrate our common heritage and our new direction.

A common heritage if you have cable or satellite, which seems to be the new direction HBO and the Presidential Inaugural Committee is pushing people.

Says PIC Executive Director Emmett S. Beliveau:

We are very excited that HBO will be televising the kick-off event for our Inaugural. Their proven track record as a leader in television will help ensure an event that reflects President-elect Obama's commitment to holding an inauguration that is open, accessible and reflects America's spirit of unity. The Presidential Inaugural Committee is committed to staging an Opening Celebration that reflects the best of our nation, and we are pleased that millions of people across the country will be able to share in this historic experience.

If they have cable or satellite.

And the comment from HBO's Chairman & CEO Bill Nelson is repulsive:

We are honored to be broadcasting an event of this national significance featuring some of the leading talent from the music and entertainment industry. HBO is proud to work with all of our distributors to make this event accessible to as many citizens as possible.

If they have satellite or cable.

Lisa Derrick is La Figa at Firedoglake.com

Comments

[ramblingjohnny]

11:16 AM on 01/08/2009

I think the whole deal is going to be streamed live on the net for free so can you get more inclusive than that?

[carrieanna]

07:31 PM on 01/07/2009

I'm surprised PBS wouldn't have access. Oh well, I generally don't like the mainstream acts used in "celebration" or tv shows so I won't really care.

And for the record, I am one of those without cable or satellite.

p.s. I thought HBO was one of those premium cable channels. Not everyone with cable actually buys the premium channels.

[Lisa Derrick]

05:56 PM on 01/07/2009

Many senior citizens and immigrants are in the millions who don't have cable. And the repeated use of "citizens" and "Americans" in the press release made me wonder if those who can't afford cable and who are immigrants, legal or otherwise, are being shut out of the experience--but maybe I am too sensitive.

Now granted, this is just the pre-Inaug celebration on the 19th, but it sets an uncomfy precedent. The most recent Live Aid was streamed, so one would think HBO could manage to live stream this and arrange for it to be shown on local stations with ads in the corner, like the Rose Parade's first broadcast of the day so that everyone could be watch.

[RobinSeattle]

01:39 PM on 01/07/2009

Of those households not having cable, how many of them would actually watch it anyway? It would be interesting to know. This may just be a tempest in a teapot.

Nonetheless, paragraf does have a point. This should be streamed live on the internet if Obama truly wants to be the first internet president. Tv, be it network or cable, is yesterday's technology.

In fact, all regular over the air non-cable tv programming should be streamed over the net, too.

[dreadylocks]

02:17 PM on 01/07/2009

Here is one.
You know, a lot of youth voted for Obama, and not all young people can afford cable.

I'm banking on an online stream at least. I'll be disappointed to miss the entertaining portion.

[paragrafH]

01:55 AM on 01/07/2009

Any mention of streaming? I don't have cable or satellite OR rabbit ears. Computer only. And I know I'm not alone. Guess we'll have to rely on Youtube.

[AngelaQuattrano]

01:34 PM on 01/07/2009

Me, too. No cable or satellite here, no over-the-airwaves reception, either.