DISH Statement on Apollo Group Management

[Scott Greczkowski]

“Apollo Global Management, the new owner of the former Northwest Broadcasting stations, has recently been warning its viewers that they may lose their local channels on DISH. Apollo, which is in contract renewal talks with DISH, has been demanding nearly double its current rate to carry its stations. DISH is doing everything in its power to strike a fair deal on behalf of customers.

While we negotiate, we have offered to extend the contract, with payment, until after the Super Bowl on Feb. 2 to ensure the best possible customer experience for the remainder of NFL season.

We urge Apollo to join us in continued negotiation, and believe we are able to reach a mutually beneficial deal without disrupting customers.

On Wednesday, DISH was granted a temporary restraining order to prevent Apollo from blacking out additional channels it acquired from Cox last year. Apollo has been warning Cox viewers that they may lose access to those stations on DISH, despite DISH and Cox having just renewed their multi-year contract in March 2019.

For reference, the Apollo-owned stations are listed below.

Former Northwest stations:

KLAX-TV, Channel 31, (ABC, Alexandria, La.)

• WICZ-TV, Channel 40 (FOX, Binghamton, N.Y.)
• WBPN, Channel 8 (MNT, Binghamton, N.Y.)
• KIEM-TV, Channel 3 (NBC, Eureka, Calif.)
• KVIQ-TV, Channel 17 (CBS, Eureka, Calif.)
• WABG-TV, Channel 6 (ABC, Greenwood-Greenville, Miss.)
• WABGD-TV, Channel 10 (FOX, Greenwood-Greenville, Miss.)
• WNBD-TV, Channel 33 (NBC, Greenwood-Greenville, Miss.)
• WXVT-TV, Channel 15 (CBS, Greenwood-Greenville, Miss.)
• KPVI-TV, Channel 6 (NBC, Idaho Falls-Pocatello, Idaho)
• KMVU-TV, Channel 26 (FOX, Medford-Klamath Falls, Ore.)
• KFBI-TV, Channel 48 (MNT, Medford-Klamath Falls, Ore.)
• KAYU-TV, Channel 28 (FOX, Spokane, Wash.)
• WSYT-TV, Channel 68 (FOX, Syracuse, N.Y.)
• WNYS-TV, Channel 43 (MNT, Syracuse, N.Y.)
• KCYU-TV, Channel 41 (FOX, Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, Wash.)
• KSWT-TV, Channel 13 (CBS, Yuma AZ - El Centro, Calif.)
• KYMA-TV, Channel 11 (NBC, Yuma AZ - El Centro, Calif.)

Former Cox stations:

● WSB-TV, Channel 2 (ABC, Atlanta, Ga.)

● WFXT-TV, Channel 25 (FOX, Boston, Mass.)

● WAXN-TV, Channel 64 (IND, Charlotte, N.C.)

● WSOC-TV, Channel 9 (ABC, Charlotte, N.C.)

● WHIO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS, Dayton, Ohio)

● WFOX-TV, Channel 30 (FOX, Jacksonville, Fla.)

● WFOX2-TV, Channel 32 (MNT, Jacksonville, Fla.)

● WHBQ-TV, Channel 62 (FOX, Memphis, Tenn.)

● WFTV-TV, Channel 9 (ABC, Orlando, Fla.)

● WRDQ-TV, Channel 27 (IND, Orlando, Fla.)

● WPXI-TV, Channel 11 (NBC, Pittsburgh, Pa.)

● KIRO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS, Seattle, Wash.)

● KMYT-TV, Channel 41 (MNT, Tulsa, Okla.)

● KOKI-TV, Channel 23 (FOX, Tulsa, Okla.)

 

[Jon J]

In one MS market Appllo ows all four network stations.

 

[Howard Simmons]

In one MS market Appllo ows all four network stations.

Time to cut the cord if you can't get them OTA.

 

[dishdude]

In one MS market Appllo ows all four network stations.

There really needs to be some legislation to curtail these huge companies buying up every station and then holding them hostage. This is really getting ridiculous.

 

[dvrexpander]

There really needs to be some legislation to curtail these huge companies buying up every station and then holding them hostage. This is really getting ridiculous.

How is that holding anyone hostage? I'm sure its not cheap to run them.
As for Dish...let em go if its too high. Super Bowl is a waste of TV space anymore anyway.
I wish Dish would just drop things like they did with HBO...they are still making money and haven't had it for months.

 

[Howard Simmons]

There really needs to be some legislation to curtail these huge companies buying up every station and then holding them hostage. This is really getting ridiculous.

[/QUOTE] Well there are people out there (Me) that like the network programming plus getting the local news that can't use a OTA antenna.

 

[The Fat Man]

So there is an agreement for the Cox media stations? I never knew that when a station is sold, they can reneg on a deal that already exists. Well then, my question is how low is the IQ of the decision makers at this company?

 

[dishdude]

Well there are people out there (Me) that like the network programming plus getting the local news that can't use a OTA antenna.

This is what drives me crazy, they should be required to have coverage for the entire DMA or allow out of market locals. Essentially we're paying retrans fees because they're too cheap to put up repeaters!

 

[DWS44]

I never knew that when a station is sold, they can reneg on a deal that already exists.

While nothing in the channel provider industry really surprises me anymore, that part jumped out at me, too. This Apollo Global sounds like a real winner.

 

[stardust3]

Apollo Global are just corporate bean counters, they are in a lot of different businesses. Specialize in leveraged buyouts, corporate mafia imo.

 

[eddie willers]

Apollo Global are just corporate bean counters, they are in a lot of different businesses. Specialize in leveraged buyouts, corporate mafia imo.

A new Tivo.

 

[mwdxer1]

This is what drives me crazy, they should be required to have coverage for the entire DMA or allow out of market locals. Essentially we're paying retrans fees because they're too cheap to put up repeaters!

I have always felt if we lose a network station, bring in another one to fill the gap until a deal can be made. Two things would happen, the poor subscriber would not be losing their network because some TV company wants a crazy increase, and the deal between the supplier and the network would come together much quicker, as that network station does not like someone to watch out of market TV. Here on the OR coast we have several translators from Portland stations, so we get most of the network fare and some sub channels. No ION, CW OTA but the rest ABC/NBC/CBS/PBS/FOX/MYTV.

 

[chiodo]

IMO, if you're a TV Station, that broadcasts OTA, then there should be no carriage fees to be charged to a Satellite TV or a Cable TV company.


Sent from my SM-975U using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[navychop]

Well, as you know, we’ve said that for years. BUT- the satcos and cablecos “derive a benefit” from retransmission. Therefore, there is an inherent right for those stations to receive recompense.

I’m not fond of that, but accept it. But it is only because of the way the system is set up.

 

[Joe Capitano]

Well, guess what, Children. The crawl is back on KIRO/7 here in Western WA - they're one of the stations dish has an existing retrans deal with that was signed, sealed and delivered last year - and was upheld by a Chancery Court in Illinois (see above). KIRO is now urging viewers to call and whine to dish (DON'T DO THAT!!!). I say whine to your Cox station if they're pulling this stunt locally. Ultimately it's YOUR money they and the Apollo gang want, and they're already getting more than enough of it as it is.

 

[Voyager6]

There really needs to be some legislation to curtail these huge companies buying up every station and then holding them hostage. This is really getting ridiculous.

Tell that to your Congress Critters then.

 

[osu1991]

The 2 Tulsa Cox stations are running the false info, claiming they extended the deadline for Dish, but Dish is threatening to drop the stations. No mention of the true information that a judge blocked Apollo from pulling the former Cox stations, as they just did a new deal last year.

 

[The Fat Man]

Honesty, if I spot it on WFXT, I'll take a picture of it and find out who I should send it to. You can't reneg on an existing contract. If I could, I'd have no more mortgage and college loans.

 

[osu1991]

Part of this mornings newscast with the scroll running to call Dish as Dish may drop KOKI and KMYT. These are former Cox stations that are already under contract.

 

[osu1991]

DISH-Apollo Retrans Spat Gets More Litigious

DISH-Apollo Retrans Spat Gets More Litigious

Cox Media Group (CMG) is suing DISH for copyright infringement for the continued carriage of 13 former Cox Enterprises stations.

www.cablefax.com

When DISH lost 18 Apollo Global-owned Cox Media Group stations on Jan 18 (formerly Northwest Broadcasting stations), it managed to keep 13 Cox Media Group stations from going dark on its lineup thanks to a temporary restraining order issued by Illinois state court. But in the latest turn of events, Cox Media Group (CMG) is suing DISH for copyright infringement for the continued carriage of those 13 former Cox Enterprises stations, which include Atlanta’s WSB (ABC) and Orlando’s WFOX (Fox).