TV Answer Man, we lost our channel 9, CBS, station last night on Dish. There’s a fight between the station owner and Dish. Do you know how long this is supposed to last? Will it be over by Sunday’s football games? My son loves football. — Liz, Fairfax, Virginia.
Liz, Dish last night lost 64 local network affiliates in 53 markets (CBS, ABC, Fox, NBC and the CW) in a carriage dispute with their owner, Tegna, including your local CBS affiliate, WUSA-TV.
The satcaster says Tegna is requesting an excessive carriage fee in part because Tegna is planning to sell the company and wants to improve its balance sheet.
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“Tegna is looking to sell its stations to the higher bidder, and is simply trying to exploit DISH customers as a way to get the maximum price and further fatten their wallets,” Dish said in a statement.
Dish was referring to a Tegna statement last month acknowledging that it was accepting proposals to acquire the company.
However, a Tegna spokeswoman says Dish refuses to pay a rate based on terms accepted by other pay TV providers.
“Dish has refused to reach a fair, market-based agreement with us based on the competitive terms we’ve used to reach deals with numerous other providers that reflect the current market,” the Tegna spokeswoman said.
Who’s telling the truth? Since carriage negotiations are not made public, it’s impossible to say. It’s likely that, as usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
But we can offer an educated guess to how long this dispute will last based on the track record of both companies. Here are some important bellwethers:
* Dish and Tegna have engaged in two previous carriage blackouts, in 2015 and 2018. The first one lasted a few days while the second one less than a day.
* Tegna was involved in a 19-day blackout with DIRECTV, U-verse, and AT&T TV (now DIRECTV Stream) last December in a separate fee fight.
* Both Dish and Tegna have demonstrated a willingness to allow a blackout to persist if needed to help their negotiating position. In fact, Dish is known as the king of pay TV blackouts, and at one point in 2020, was missing 236 different channels due to carriage battles.
* However, Dish is more likely to settle disputes involving local channels, particularly if it’s a large group, such as Tegna. Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen has frequently commented that the loss of local channels is likely to trigger significant subscriber defections. He’s more inclined to find common ground with local channels than, say, regional sports channels. (For example, Dish recently averted a blackout with the Sinclair Broadcast group, which has 100+ local channels. The two companies in August extended their current carriage agreement while continuing talks for a new one.)
Based on those four factors, I would foresee this Dish-Tegna fee fight lasting less than a month, and perhaps even less than a week. But that said, Ergen is always the wild card in these scraps. The former professional blackjack player is arguably the industry’s toughest negotiator and he’s willing to wait for the best cards if necessary.
Liz, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
I appreciate your coverage. As a long time, enthusiastic fan of dish’s remote and dvr (not service) who asks himself whether its worth it; I wonder what the fox sports regional dispute tells us? -This present kerfuffle makes me want to quit dish, mostly because of nfl considerations BUT, the fact that I wasn’t able to watch my local nba team’s regular season for the last 3 years(!!!), WHO WENT TO THE FINALS, has me asking “If they can’t resolve this after this long, what am I holding on for?”.
I agree and since this keeps happening with mainly satellite, I have chosen to go back to spectrum cable. Losing a channel like hbo etc.. That is one thing. But losing main news channels after a winter blackout last year and panademic going on is just wrong. These satellite companies need to learn to keep channels no matter what and let each individual customer decide if want to pay higher price. They are the ones holding us hostage and I for one am done with satellite TV.
I totally agree I am paying a fortune every month for DISH Service a pay an additional 12.00 a month for Local Channels for this shit service. I am gong to research another affordable cable service who can offer all my Local Stations!!!!!!
SICK OF DISH!!!! Good service I wish!!!!!! U SUCK!!!!!!!
Settle this dispute. This is getting ridiculous.
What is our legal right as a consumer? If we enter into a two year contract specifically for certain channels and less than 4 months in they remove one of those channels we should be able to exit from the contract for breach of contract.
I agree! I called and dish offered me a one time$5.00 credit on my bill. I said no thanks that’s a slap in my face. 🤬
I agree……I wonder how much money the CEO is being paid to run this rip-off company!!!!! Way too much I imagine!!!!!!!
I, personally, am sick and tired of having become an unwilling pawn in the rebroadcast right fight. I live in a rural area outside reception coverage of any broadcast signal. I have “broadband” service, but not fast enough to reliably stream any video. Football is my fall time joy. I wish I had other options, but satellite is my only choice, and prefer Dish equipment over DirecTV. One or both always have removed channels, so the major difference is usability. As much as I abhor government interference, I think this is something that warrants some sort of federal oversight. I feel comfortable enough in the knowledge this will not be read by anyone, but if you have, thank you for reading my rant. I feel better, now.
We are in the same boat as you. Rural, antennas don’t work, and broadband is a slow boat to China. Have been with dish 23+ yes. Now and seriously ready to dump them. Have been like that before, but with the prices they charge now, it is just too much. My husband is very handicapped, and TV is pretty much all that is left him. Who in the government do we contact? As if they would care??
We have sat quietly for approximately 2 weeks. Frankly, I am sick and tired of this Bull shit, there is no reason for not being able to watch local free channels, while paying for cable. I detest whatever is going on with present disputes, but as a paying customer, I shouldn’t have to deal with this audacious, outlandish ploy to get consumers to switch cable providers. STOP THE MADDNESS. I have watched CBS, my entire life, so Tegna get it together.
I could be persuaded to pay more for Dish to carry local stations if those stations filter out the commercials. Commercials pay for the station’s signals, Dish just expands their reach.
I don’t want to dip into streaming, but this may drive me to look into it.
Does direct TV or Charter cable still have abc, because I think this is ridiculous.
I’m always with Dish here. They have kept my cable bill 1/3 of DirectTV. As long as they keep my cable price down, I’m loyal. I had my local channels removed and told them all that free tv should be free. That is why they run ads that pay them. Tegna is the greedy one here.
I think it is unfair to hold the people hostage during your dispute with Dish. I would change providers, but with a person in our household with dementia is would be very confusing to them. I feel you do not care about your viewers, only the money that you want.
Enough is enough if Dish doesn’t get over this and give me my free stations back I am going back to Direct if I was able to get these free stations without cable I would quit cable. We left Direct and went to Dish due to having an RV and being able to bring it with us but is it worth it.
I too am considering going back to Cox Cable or to ATT if I don’t quickly get my local CBS channel back. I am also a subscriber to Paramount Plus streaming and I am able to watch live TV and programs BUT you can’t pause or record live TV and you must wait to actually watch the program.
It appears this dispute has been going on since at least September with channels removed a month ago this week.
Both parties need to go back to negotiations and provide service to their customers while they negotiate. Dish says they have suggested continuing negotiations.
AND…the last published update was on 10/18 when Dish filed FCC complaint. We should be provided at least weekly updates to help with our decisions to go to another carrier.
Story was posted 10/26: https://tvanswerman.com/2021/10/26/dish-vs-tegna-is-there-anything-new-no/
Will end by the end of the year
I am so tired of missing so many of the shows I enjoy I think it’s time to switch maybe if people start cancelling maybe they will stop this nonsense
I’m going to offer a further complaint but, Dishsters should know that I’ll bet this is true of every provider out there.
We get frustrated and make a call, then are put on hold, and finally we talked to someone who tries their best to find a solution THOUGH IT IS SUBOPTIMAL AT BEST. What I want to tell you is that every employee that we come in contact with, and then are asked to rate our experience after, are STRONGLY AFFECTED by not only how we respond but WHETHER WE RESPOND!!! I have it on good authority that when we are asked to rate and review our interaction, our rating\reply has major repercussions for the employees and Dish CONSIDERS A NON REPLY AS AN *F* RATING FOR THE EMPLOYEE!
I guess what I’m saying is that if I direct my anger toward the employee and take it out on them did my rating I’M DIRECTING MY ANGER IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. They don’t have anything to do with the policy and oh, I also know for a fact that, they are not paid all that well. Perhaps there are exceptions but it’s kind of a crappy job.
I know this isn’t particularly helpful but, there’s almost no way of the customer being able to direct their comments to anyone involved in the decision-making process.
I want CBS back on Dish. Don’t care about this dispute. Bunch of greedy people spoiling my TV viewing is unacceptable!
Settle this,,, I want CBS. You are breaking a contract with ME,
Please return my channel
ABC
First we lose fox sports and dish don’t even offer bali for sports so i cant watch my local baseball team . Now its channel 3 . This is BS. . I have been with dish for many years . Why should i be loyal. Cable here i come . Grow up and settle this already . Ill give it one more week its already been over a month . If i don’t hv this channel back in a week .GOODBYE DISH .MY loyalty stops while you never had one
Kathy
Ohio
What Dish network customer really cares what Tegna wants to do do with their company, whether or not to sell or continue with business as usual? We viewers are the folks caught in the middle of this dispute – little over five weeks of not being able to enjoy the programming for whatever affiliate is affected in our market is absolutely insane! If memory serves me correctly, seems most of these disputes are settled between two and three weeks. Sure would be nice to get this settled before another week or two passes us by! Are any of the five networks putting any pressure on the two parties to settle this or are they just idly standing by? Can’t believe any of their advertisers are too pleased as well!
Something I can tell you is that the dispute between dish and foxsportsaz is in its third year. I remember reading back then that these things take a few weeks or perhaps months. Not sure the level of continuity between Fox sports and the Fox channel but the fact that we’re going on week 8 or 9 for a main network is disconcerting. I guess my options are fairly plain…
Can I put my dish account on hold till NBC returns?
I think it’s about time to leave Dish I have missed so many shows on ABC and NBC I am TIRED OF THIS it’s time to settle this dispute or lose more customers
absolutely right
I HATE GOVERNMENT OVER REGULATION BUT I UNFOTUNATLY BELIEVE IT IS THE ONLY LONG TERM SOLUTION
its time to quite screwing with the the paying public for your service bring back the local channels…..Its time to start looking for a replacement service its been way too long……dont care whos fault anymore at this point i pay too much for tv service to be treated like this.
these companies are both a couple of greedy buttheads. get to together and get it fixed!!!!!!!
I think these disputes are unnecessary and should not be happening. Television fees are out of control now and tv is all some people have to connect with the outside right now. Bottom line we all know this is about money. Find some happy medium and let us have our CBS channels back.
Greed is a terrible thing.
Settle now restore free local channels or i will cancel.
A half of a loaf is better than no loaf!
Dish, I’ve had enough. Tired of companies breaching their contracts while expecting you to honor your contract with them. I have been a loyal customer for 16 years, and I don’t care that you are negotiating with Tegna. Other companies have agreed to their price. Quit making your customers do without their channels while you wait each other out. You take away our channels we pay for, and give nothing in return. How about free HBO or something while you take our promised channels away. It’s time for a trip back to cable or even antenna. I am disgusted with Dish and Tegna.
I couldn’t agree more, about to get rid of dish
It is time to end this it almost 3 months
I ‘ve been waiting for dish to come to some agreement with Tegna. It has been a few months now and Tegna is saying go to direct. I am still paying for local channels and not getting them all. Come on what is dish doing saving up money. Why I am I paying for channels I don’t get?
Getthisdoneorlosecustmers-bowlseasonhasalotofgamesonabc
I pay dish about $180. Plus each and I am ready to cancel my dish and spend that money on streaming. I ask about a credit so they sent an off air antenna for the channel I lost,just not the same
4 years ago I had Comcast cable and they were disputing with NBC during the Olympics. The only Winter Olympic Games I got to see last time were curling and figure skating. I switched to dish two years ago and now I’m about to miss the Winter Olympics again! I’m so tired of this money hungry power grab. I will happily pay the extra 25 cents a year it will cost me to get NBC back. Just stop being so damn cheap.
…..honest truth, Dish doesn’t care about customers or customer service. My bill continues to rise, disputes or no. Tegna wants to sell their interest in these stations. They don’t care if they settle. Sure am glad all the corporate interests colluded to remove Locast. Just couldn’t have a simple venue for locals to be broadcast to those areas that OTA signals don’t reach.
This is so ridiculous channel 5 It’s a local channel why do we have to pay for it the bill is enough every month without having to pay for local But we do and now we don’t even get CBS it’s absurd and childish
Let’s just all cancel our DISH
This issue between Dish and Tegna is well past reasonable. I blame both. It is not December, so we missed football season and a season of TV episodes on CBS. Both businesses should be ashamed.
Ok it time to end this please put channel 8 back
I think customers have to contact their congressmen and put an end to this holding the customer hostage negotiation tactic used by both TEGNA and dish.
I agree enough is enough
well it is 3 months now without cbs. I have an antenna up as high as it is allowed to be without interfering with air traffic(just kidding). $0 ft high and I am about 80 or 90 miles from Ch 10 Tampa. Every night usually around 10pm I lose channel 10. I have sent them a message asking them to get a stronger signal but what do they care. Maybe we should write to some of the sponsors of their shows on CBS and tell them we cant get cbs or see any of their commercials. We are at their mercy. I could pay for hulu or paramount plus but it is the peinciple. I’m already paying $180 for dish. I refuse to pay for hulu just to get cbs programs the next day. UGH so pissed
Answerman what’s the update? Your initial forecast was well off.
https://tvanswerman.com/2021/12/27/2022-prediction-will-dish-vs-tegna-end/