To all of you saying there is no real distinction I don't get it. All the cards are with the programmer, not the carrier. Saying it is a "non distinction" is the exact same as saying DISH should just do whatever the programmer wants. DISH has two options in negotiating, do whatever Fox wants after negotiations have not come to a conclusion or refuse and lose the channel. At the point of not agreeing DISH does not (with rare exceptions) then take the program off the air voluntarily. The programmer can give permission to continue to carry it or they take it off, not DISH. It is clearly the programmer making the subscribers suffer at that point, as is their exact intent to put pressure on the carrier.
So according to some, DISH not agreeing to the demands is very wrong, but the programmer not agreeing with what DISH wants is just fine. And meanwhile some of those same people and others rip DISH for increases, increases that still have them less expensive generally than others.
And then just to be clear if reports are correct Fox is holding DISH hostage over existing contracts.