Dish last night lost seven Mideast network affiliates due to a carriage fight with their owner, Block Communications.
Update: Dish and Block settle fee fight.
The affected channels are: WOHL-TV, which manages the ABC and CBS channels for Lima, Ohio; WLIO-TV, the NBC and Fox channels for Lima; WDRB-TV, the Fox channel for Louisville, Kentucky; WAND-TV, the NBC channel in Decatur, Illinois; and WBKI-TV, the CW affiliate for Louisville.
“We have negotiated in good faith with DISH to come to a fair-market agreement,” Block said in a statement at its stations’ web sites. “We even offered DISH nine extensions just in this past month to keep our stations available to subscribers and get a deal done.”
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Dish responded at its web site that Block is asking for an ‘unacceptable’ rate increase to carry its local channels.
“We have been working with Block Communications to reach a new deal to carry their channels, but they are asking for a rate increase that is simply unacceptable.,” Dish stated. “We don’t think this is fair for you to have to pay more for the same content you get today. That is why we are fighting hard to keep your TV bill as low possible. We appreciate your patience while we continue to work with Block Communications on reaching a fair agreement to restore their channels.”
Dish is also involved in a local channel battle with Tegna. The satcaster has been without Tegna’s 64 local network affiliates since October 6 due to the carriage row.
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It’s sad watching Dish erode into irrelevance.
Hey Dave ( a.k.a. Idiot boy) Where are ya? Don’t you love subs falling like snow in january
Ho hum! Another day…another Dish fee fight!
At what point does Dish accept any responsibility for the never-ending blackouts?
In Florida, we have been without CBS since Nov. 6th! Settle, already!!! You’re going to raise our rates anyway!!
I see, so Dish thinks it’s okay to charge about $30 for a lousy movie rental to its customers but they don’t think it’s fair for them to be charged for something we are paying for….B.S. now think about the actors they are putting out of work because of cancellation’s due to lack of viewership! This is on you Dish!
I’m new to the area and Dish was my only option here in small town USA! They are the absolutely worst! I don’t understand why other cable companies don’t have the problems Dish does? 21st century, man to Mars, electric cars, talk through your wrist watch, but yet the Dish owner can’t figure out how to keep and pay for all the channels he’s losing. Lost NBC? Really?? He’s asking his customers to make phone calls and to petition Tegna to bring the channels back! Isn’t that what the owner of the company is supposed to do?? Dish Promise… my butt
Yeah we have been without FOX for months now and all we want is to be able to watch our football team play once a week! My husband is already mad but if they end up showing the Super Bowl on FOX then I’m sure we will be changing carriers cuz of that! Everyone else is just so damn expensive!
I think people should start canceling dish
and get something else. You are paying for local channels and not getting to watch them.
Guess who gets to still pay for these services? The subscribers. Get off your high horses and return our channels.
It is a shame what Dish is doing. I have a handicapped husband and he enjoys his TV programs he has been watching.