We, the people of Central and Western Nebraska, demand Dish network redraw the local network maps to include the counties of Grant, Perkins, Hooker, Arthur, Keith, Chase, Hayes, Frontier, Deuel, Garden, Cherry, Dawson, Blaine, and Custer in the North Platte DMA. According to the STELA act of 2010 these "orphan counties" can be serviced via satellite for "in-state locals". KNOP News 2 and KIIT Fox 11 are considered significantly viewed by the FCC in these counties. Also, all 3 NET/PBS channels are free to re-transmit in Nebraska! ALL of the local cable operators do it so they see the importance to provide these channels to their customers! These counties get local channels from either Denver Colorado, South Dakota, or Eastern Nebraska and get little or no commercial, sports, weather, or news benefit from these markets. The weather from Denver Colorado and other states does not directly effect these counties and these Counties do not get Nebraska Emergency alerts because of this. We live in "Tornado Alley" and these communities do not have the benifit of this EAS or other weather related information because the local channels are more than 250 miles from them and do not monitor the area. 

  Elected officials can not reach voters in these counties that get their locals from Denver or other states. Amber alerts in Nebraska do not reach Dish Network subscriber's in most of these counties. Local sports is not provided. Local business's can not reach these customers. Why ask a resident travel 300 miles when the same product or service is available less than 70 miles away? Why would 2 feet of snow in Denver be a concern to people in Nebraska?  

  North Platte and Lincoln county cover these services but Dish only sends this DMA's signal to the counties of Lincoln, Logan, portions of McPherson and Thomas. The bulk of previously mentioned "orphan counties" are on average only 75 miles from North Platte/Lincoln county. These counties need to be included in the Lincoln county DMA and they can co-exist, just like they do on the local cable systems!

  Dish Network has been given the ability and authority by the FCC to include these channels to all of the 13 additional counties listed! 

  People in these communities are asking for KNOP News 2 North Platte and Nebraska "local" channels, Please allow them to have their "local" TV, not TV that is 250 miles from them. 250 Miles is not local, 75 miles is!