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Captain Midnight (HBO)
Encyclopedia
John R. MacDougall also known as Captain Midnight, is a Florida
electronic engineer
and business owner who jammed
HBO's satellite signal in 1986 to broadcast a message protesting their rates for satellite dish owners.
When HBO scrambled its signal, it offered subscriptions to home dish owners for $12.95 per month, which was either equal to or slightly higher than what cable subscribers paid. Dish owners felt they were being asked to pay a price that was designed to be anti-competitive, and it triggered a national movement among dish owners to more strongly regulate the cable industry and force them to stop anti-competitive pricing. While some dish owners called their elected officials, others took a more direct approach to send a message to the large industry.
, was working at Central Florida Teleport, a company that uplinks services to satellites. He was overseeing the uplink of the movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure
as part of the evening's programming for the now-defunct pay-per-view
network People's Choice (which used Central Florida Teleport's facilities). At the end of his shift, he swung the dish back into its storage position, which aimed it at the location of Galaxy 1
, the satellite
that carried HBO. As a protest against the introduction of high fees and scrambling equipment, he transmitted a signal onto the satellite which overrode HBO's airing of The Falcon and the Snowman
for 4½ minutes. The text message which appeared on the sets of HBO subscribers across the Eastern time zone read:
(not associated with a popular Captain Midnight radio show of the 1940s). After media pressure forced the Federal Communications Commission
to act, MacDougall was charged and plea bargained a $5,000 fine and was placed on one year's probation.
MacDougall owns MacDougall Electronics, a satellite dish
dealership, in Ocala, Florida
.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
electronic engineer
Electronic engineering
Electronics engineering, also referred to as electronic engineering, is an engineering discipline where non-linear and active electrical components such as electron tubes, and semiconductor devices, especially transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, are utilized to design electronic...
and business owner who jammed
Broadcast signal intrusion
Broadcast signal intrusion is a term given to the act of hijacking broadcast signals of radio and television stations. Hijacking incidents have involved local TV and radio stations as well as cable and national networks.- Method of intrusion :...
HBO's satellite signal in 1986 to broadcast a message protesting their rates for satellite dish owners.
Scrambling
In the mid-1980s, controversy erupted in the cable programming world as channel owners began scrambling their programming and charging fees to home satellite dish owners who accessed the same satellite signals cable operators received. Many satellite dish owners were forced to purchase descrambling equipment at a cost of hundreds of dollars in addition to paying monthly or annual subscription fees to cable programming providers. Programming costs for home dish owners were often higher than fees paid by cable subscribers, despite dish owners being responsible for owning and servicing their own equipment.When HBO scrambled its signal, it offered subscriptions to home dish owners for $12.95 per month, which was either equal to or slightly higher than what cable subscribers paid. Dish owners felt they were being asked to pay a price that was designed to be anti-competitive, and it triggered a national movement among dish owners to more strongly regulate the cable industry and force them to stop anti-competitive pricing. While some dish owners called their elected officials, others took a more direct approach to send a message to the large industry.
Jamming
On the morning of April 27, 1986, at 12:32am, John R. MacDougall, a satellite TV dealer in Ocala, FloridaOcala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
, was working at Central Florida Teleport, a company that uplinks services to satellites. He was overseeing the uplink of the movie Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Pee-wee's Big Adventure is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Tim Burton in his full-length debut and starring Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman. Reubens also co-wrote the script with Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol. Supporting roles are played by Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane...
as part of the evening's programming for the now-defunct pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
network People's Choice (which used Central Florida Teleport's facilities). At the end of his shift, he swung the dish back into its storage position, which aimed it at the location of Galaxy 1
Galaxy 1
Galaxy 1 was the first in a line of communications satellites launched by Hughes Communications in 1983. It was the first satellite exclusively devoted to cable television, and carried many such services as HBO, Cinemax, The Movie Channel, Showtime, The Disney Channel, TBS, CNN, among some.In...
, the satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
that carried HBO. As a protest against the introduction of high fees and scrambling equipment, he transmitted a signal onto the satellite which overrode HBO's airing of The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman
The Falcon and the Snowman is a 1985 film directed by John Schlesinger about two young American men, Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee , who sold U.S. security secrets to the Soviet Union...
for 4½ minutes. The text message which appeared on the sets of HBO subscribers across the Eastern time zone read:
Aftermath
MacDougall chose the name "Captain Midnight" from a movie he had recently seen, On the Air Live with Captain MidnightOn the Air Live with Captain Midnight
On the Air Live with Captain Midnight is a 1979 movie directed by Beverly Sebastian and Ferd Sebastian with Tracy Sebastian as Marvin Ziegler, aka Captain Midnight , who runs his own pirate radio station and become an underground cult hit.Film was released in 1979 although it was filmed in 1977...
(not associated with a popular Captain Midnight radio show of the 1940s). After media pressure forced the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
to act, MacDougall was charged and plea bargained a $5,000 fine and was placed on one year's probation.
MacDougall owns MacDougall Electronics, a satellite dish
Satellite dish
A satellite dish is a dish-shaped type of parabolic antenna designed to receive microwaves from communications satellites, which transmit data transmissions or broadcasts, such as satellite television.-Principle of operation:...
dealership, in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
.