Newsmax as default channel on DTV
Nov 26, 2014, 3:45 pm
#31
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
Had a chance to talk with someone close to the matter and it was handled on the Directv end - not a UA money grab.
I was surprised newsmax was the default channel. I was in F, so I don't know what it was in coach.
My first thought was that UA found another way to make a chunk of money. They must charge a fortune for the privilege of being default.
IMHO, the station guide should be default.
My first thought was that UA found another way to make a chunk of money. They must charge a fortune for the privilege of being default.
IMHO, the station guide should be default.
Nov 28, 2014, 8:30 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: united mileage plus
Posts: 145
I saw this default on a recent flight to SFO. I thought it was individual passengers choosing this channel but then noticed that all the screens had this showing on entry. I didn't even know this channel existed. I thought Newsmax was one of those odd pop-up ad sites that jump up when you choose a strange story on yahoo. Kind of like an evil Ripley's. The story line at the bottom of the screen was pretty offensive. Hope "live tv" moves to the guide as default.
Nov 28, 2014, 8:41 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott/SPG/Hilton Gold, PreCheck + Clear
Posts: 2,306
Count me as another frequent flyer who was disappointed by this, as the network in question is stridently, unapologetically partisan. Even the crawl across the bottom of the screen was eyebrow-raising, and I'm about as moderate politically as they come.
It just isn't the brand experience UA should provide as the default.
It just isn't the brand experience UA should provide as the default.
Nov 28, 2014, 11:53 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1k, SPG Plat 100
Posts: 619
It always seems to be either CNN or ESPN for me. I don't know what this Newsmax thing is, but it sounds bizarre. Doesn't really matter to me since I'll always change the channel or turn it off entirely right away.
Nov 28, 2014, 12:10 pm
#36
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
This is what happens when you give a vendor direct access to the customer. LiveTV/DirecTV owns the system and they make the choices. UA gave them unfettered access to the UA customer in exchange for a "free to UA" IFE system.
Nov 28, 2014, 1:32 pm
#38
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,859
And since this appears to only be First and DirecTV is free, change the channel (but I usually just turn off DirecTV).
Dec 5, 2014, 1:57 pm
#40
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,039
Jan 12, 2015, 9:21 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
I saw this default on a recent flight to SFO. I thought it was individual passengers choosing this channel but then noticed that all the screens had this showing on entry. I didn't even know this channel existed. I thought Newsmax was one of those odd pop-up ad sites that jump up when you choose a strange story on yahoo. Kind of like an evil Ripley's. The story line at the bottom of the screen was pretty offensive. Hope "live tv" moves to the guide as default.
Yes, I know I can (with some effort on the 737) change the channel, or better, turn it off, but still...
Jan 12, 2015, 5:33 pm
#43
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
Just defaulted to it on my flight now
Classy as usual - as soon as we're in the air (pass the initial round of ads), I turn it off (or, turn off the brightness til it goes off
) 5 minutes later, it turns back on w/Newsmax (and anyone who had it on already, it turned to Newsmax) 
Classy as usual - as soon as we're in the air (pass the initial round of ads), I turn it off (or, turn off the brightness til it goes off
) 5 minutes later, it turns back on w/Newsmax (and anyone who had it on already, it turned to Newsmax)
Jan 12, 2015, 6:18 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
I had this on my last UA flight - in December. Total turn off. I don't expect to see either Fox or MSNBC as a default channel, but having a station like Newmax that makes Joseph Goebbels look "fair and balanced" as your default channel is even worse for the United Brand.
For a major publicly traded corporation to allow someone to pipe extremely ideologically slanted propaganda to its "best" customers is just insane. Like it or not, 99% of fliers who see it will think United chose the channel, and take it out on United.
For a major publicly traded corporation to allow someone to pipe extremely ideologically slanted propaganda to its "best" customers is just insane. Like it or not, 99% of fliers who see it will think United chose the channel, and take it out on United.
Jan 12, 2015, 6:26 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, GE/Nexus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 266
Just defaulted to it on my flight now
Classy as usual - as soon as we're in the air (pass the initial round of ads), I turn it off (or, turn off the brightness til it goes off) 5 minutes later, it turns back on w/Newsmax (and anyone who had it on already, it turned to Newsmax)
Classy as usual - as soon as we're in the air (pass the initial round of ads), I turn it off (or, turn off the brightness til it goes off
) 5 minutes later, it turns back on w/Newsmax (and anyone who had it on already, it turned to Newsmax) Had the same experience on a recent transcon - defaulted randomly on me a couple of times in flight.
Reminded myself of an old Soviet-era joke: in former Soviet Union, there were two TV channels - first showed Communist Party meetings, rallies etc. etc. When one switched to the second channel, a policeman would come on and ask: "Why aren't you watching the first channel?"
If it is a strategy to make dark planes look appealing, it may work!