Dish tonight lost 13 Cox Media-owned local network affiliates in nine markets due to a carriage dispute between the companies, Dish announced.

In addition to the regular carriage fees, Dish alleges that Cox Media is seeking payment for Dish subscribers who do not get local channels through the satellite TV service. (Dish offers plans that do not include local channels.)

“Cox’s refusal to negotiate in good faith and subsequently forcing a blackout of its stations for DISH customers is deplorable,” Brian Neylon, Dish’s group president, said in a statement. “Cox is demanding an exorbitant rate increase, negotiating for channels it does not yet own and insists on payment from customers who do not subscribe to local broadcasting, even as it continues to underinvest in local programming. Broadcasters like Cox put profits ahead of the public interests they are supposed to serve, even when its viewership has declined for years.”

Cox Media-owned local stations posted an alert tonight warning Dish subscribers that they can no longer watch their programming.

“Dish Network removed (WSB-TV in Atlanta) after the satellite provider refused to agree to a fair deal for a new retransmission consent agreement with Cox Media Group,” says the alert at WSB-TV in Atlanta.. “If you are currently affected by Dish’s decision to deprive you of important local news and programming during these critical times, make your voice heard! Call Dish today at 1-800-333-3474 and demand that they get your local programming back.”

Dish says the Cox Media local stations that have been blacked out on Dish are:

(ABC: WSB) – Atlanta, GA
(FOX: WFXT) – Boston, MA
(ABC: WSOC) – Charlotte, NC
(CBS: WHIO) – Dayton, OH
(FOX: KLSR) – Eugene, OR

(FOX: WFOX) – Jacksonville, FL
(ABC: WFTV) – Orlando, FL
(NBC: WPXI) – Pittsburgh, PA
(CBS: KIRO) – Seattle, WA

But Cox has four other independent channels that are part of the dispute:

KMYT-TV, Channel 41 (MNT, Tulsa, OK)
WFOX2-TV, Channel 32 (MNT, Jacksonville, FL)
WAXN-TV, Channel 64 (IND, Charlotte, NC)
WRDQ-TV, Channel 27 (IND, Orlando, FL)

Cox and Dish engaged in a several month-long blackout dispute in 2020 before settling in December 2020.

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