By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
More than 30 years of experience covering TV technology.
TV Answer Man, we have been without our ABC station here on Dish for months. Do you know when this thing will end? Are they even talking about a settlement? — Vicki, Atlanta.
Vicki, you are not alone. Dish is now without 77 local channels due to four separate carriage disputes with local broadcasters. The satcaster’s subscribers have been without 37 Hearst-owned local stations since September 8; 13 Cox Media stations since last November; 25 Mission-owned stations since January; and two White Knight locals since January as well. Meanwhile, three other major TV providers (DIRECTV, Comcast and Charter’s Spectrum TV) have settled fee fights in recent weeks. What are they doing that Dish is not?
Well, Vicki, I have covered Dish and the TV industry for more than three decades and I can say with complete confidence that there is no tougher negotiator than Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen. The company’s co-founder does not believe in leaving money on the table and, consequently, will not settle a carriage dispute (or any other financial fight) without exacting the best terms possible. Over the years, that has led to numerous channel blackouts which Dish subscribers well know. But Ergen’s approach has also allowed the company to keep prices somewhat lower than its rivals, albeit not by a much these days. (Dish just raised prices by $5 a month on each programming package.)
Companies rarely disclose the private discussions of carriage settlement talks such as when they meet, or even if they are meeting. And that’s the case here with Dish’s multiple fee fights. But rest assured that they won’t be settled until Ergen is more than happy with the terms. That will likely mean the blackouts will last several more weeks, if not longer.
Vicki, we will update this situation if we get more information. Until then, 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 have several inputs on my TV. One for my DVD player/receiver, one for my streaming stick, and one connects to my indoor, rectangular, over the air antenna. When I want to watch over the air content, I just electronically flip a switch and watch broadcast television for free. Am I the only one who knows this?
I understand negotiating to get the best price for your company … that is what I did for 30 years for my company. However, I would always tell my employees to negotiate with our suppliers, get the best deal you can get, but NEVER use our customer base as a bargaining chip! Maybe someone should give that bit of advice to Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen! He may feel good about his bargaining skills, but at what point does the rate of return diminish? How many customers will you lose throughout this process? I only have 1 out of 4 local channels left from your service. If this is not corrected I am afraid that I will have to find a supplier that will give us what we are paying for! After over 8 years of excellent service from your company, I do not want to change, but, how many channels will we lose next month or the month after? I am the one writing this message, but there are 4 other Dish Customers in my Subdivision, we have talked and all feel the same way. Thank you for taking the time to read this message. and a return response would be very much appreciated.