Sinclair warns of 112 channels being dropped by DISH next Monday (8/16)

[syphix]

BIG loss for DISH:

DISH Will Likely Lose 112 Channels Including Locals & Tennis Channel Next Week | Cord Cutters News

DISH Network is expected to drop 112 Sinclair-owned TV stations next Monday, according to a statement from Sinclair today. Sinclair announced today that “it is unlikely” that DISH and Sinclair will come to an agreement on carriage terms before the current agreement expires on August 16, 2021. As...

www.cordcuttersnews.com

Sinclair announced today that "it is unlikely" that DISH and Sinclair will come to an agreement on carriage terms before the current agreement expires on August 16, 2021. As a result, DISH will lose broadcast stations and Tennis Channel. The loss would impact 3.5 million customers.

So much for the return of RSN's to DISH...

 

[LQQK]

Disturbing news! Hope they kiss and make up quickly.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

So they are holding the local channels in an attempt to force DISH to take back the RSN's?

I hope congress steps in.

 

[Jon J]

I only watch one program on the local Fox station...Jeopardy.
Withdrawal won't be all that difficult.

 

[Foxbat]

Buh-bye...

 

[Peter Parker]

Thank god for my antenna Of course there goes the guide data

 

[NashGuy]

Uh-oh, my parents are on Dish and Sinclair owns their local ABC *and* Fox affiliates. They watch local and national news on ABC every day, plus other stuff on both channels. They've long been unhappy with what they're paying for service (as well as occasional rain fade). This may be what prompts them to switch.

 

[syphix]

So they are holding the local channels in an attempt to force DISH to take back the RSN's?

I hope congress steps in.

I see no mention of that in the article from Cord Cutters News, but I think it's been hypothesized here on this forum by others that that is indeed the case.

 

[NYDutch]

We're at our upstate NY site for another few weeks. We'll lose the Albany, NY CBS outlet, but we'll still have the Burlington, VT outlet. The Albany station is good on our OTA antenna anyway...

 

[zippyfrog]

And a loss of Tennis Channel. I forgot they owned Tennis Channel. I flip that on from time to time and that could be a loss for me. Definitely not the end of the world, but would be a small loss.

 

[zippyfrog]

I see no mention of that in the article from Cord Cutters News, but I think it's been hypothesized here on this forum by others that that is indeed the case.

It sounds like Charlie Ergen said that the RSN's is the reason in the earnings call. Calling it a tax on those who don't watch sports.

Asked if there is any link between a potential deal with Sinclair for the broadcast stations and one for the RSNs, Ergen did not sound any hopeful notes. "We don't have any customers calling us on RSNs today," he shrugged. "If the local channels were to go down, we would have more than one customer calling us the next day saying, 'Where's my local channel?'" As far as potential scenarios for sports, "We're happy to talk about anything that's creative and doesn't harm our customers," Ergen said. "But we're not interested in taxing our customers when they don't watch the channels. That doesn't make any sense."

Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen On Intensifying Sinclair Carriage Fight: “We’re Not Interested In Taxing Our Customers”

Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen says a looming blackout of Sinclair Broadcast Group stations "is about money. It's about economics."

deadline.com

 

[dishdude]

won't miss them one bit.

 

[TheKrell]

Thank god for my antenna Of course there goes the guide data

Huh? I get guide data on my OTA locals...

 

[Howard Simmons]

I only watch one program on the local Fox station...Jeopardy.
Withdrawal won't be all that difficult.

This will be it for me with Dish if this comes to pass. I'm losing three stations this time(ABC, CW and NBC)

 

[TheKrell]

This will be it for me with Dish if this comes to pass. I'm losing three stations this time(ABC, CW and NBC)

I forget your particulars. Many of us get OTA data directly off an antenna and use our Dish receivers to record them. IMHO the quality is better than the same channels off (no pun intended) Dish. Can you get nothing from an antenna?

 

[Howard Simmons]

I forget your particulars. Many of us get OTA data directly off an antenna and use our Dish receivers to record them. IMHO the quality is better than the same channels off (no pun intended) Dish. Can you get nothing from an antenna?

I can't install an antenna where I live. Besides that if I could it would have to be 30 feet or more because I'm in a dead zone as far as locals go. Pensacola is the closet within 60 miles.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

inclair threatens to remove local channels from DISH customers

August 9, 2021
- Sinclair demands nearly a billion dollars in fees and carriage of unpopular and unrelated programming
- Broadcaster prioritizes greed, uses customers as pawns in negotiations
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinclair Broadcast Group, the country's third largest local channel owner, is threatening to black out DISH customers' access to 144 local channels across 86 markets nationwide. The media conglomerate is trying to use its market power to demand an unreasonable fee increase, using millions of Americans as pawns in its negotiations.

"Sinclair is demanding DISH pay nearly a billion dollars in fees for their television channels — a massive increase from what we pay for these same channels today despite declining viewership," said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV. "Sinclair is making these outrageous demands, turning its back on its public interest obligation and putting customers in the middle of its negotiations."
Over the past couple of years, Sinclair spent billions of dollars to acquire new channels, and now they're demanding a massive increase because they want DISH customers to foot the bill. In addition, Sinclair is also demanding that DISH carry other programming that many customers don't watch.
"Sinclair is threatening to remove its channels from DISH customers if its unreasonable demands are not met," said Neylon. "This negotiating tactic is used to upset our customers and intimidate us into accepting outrageous contract terms — a tactic the channel owner uses frequently."
"There is still time to reach an agreement with Sinclair that is fair for all parties involved, especially our customers," added Neylon. "We will continue to fight on behalf of DISH customers to keep TV bills as low as possible. Despite the fact that Sinclair has walked away from the table multiple times, we stand ready to negotiate in good faith."
DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.

 

[Howard Simmons]

I guess this will be the big topic in the coming months.

 

[NashGuy]

This will be it for me with Dish if this comes to pass. I'm losing three stations this time(ABC, CW and NBC)

Wow, what market are you in? Is it a small market where ABC and NBC are both subchannels on the same station? Otherwise, I can't see how one company could own both in the same market.

 

[Howard Simmons]

Wow, what market are you in? Is it a small market where ABC and NBC are both subchannels on the same station? Otherwise, I can't see how one company could own both in the same market.

Mobile/Pensacola area. WEAR(ABC) WFGCW) are sister stations owned by Sinclair. WPMI(NBC) is in Mobile. Another sister station owned by Sinclair.