here we go again, another dispute between Dish & Tegna impending

[Peter Parker]

more than likely it does not mean anything. Lots of corporations choose names that have no meaning to avoid any IP issues with other firms.

 

[EatMyVolts]

The Enormously Greedy Network Aggregator? Just another owner/manager of a number of broadcast stations, the name probably has no real meaning.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

UPDATE: TEGNA stations were restored to DISH customers this morning. Previous news regarding DISH and TEGNA is below the most recent news release.

DISH Reaches Retransmission Consent Agreement with TEGNA

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., December 1, 2018 – DISH has reached a multi-year agreement with TEGNA for carriage of:

KXVA-TV, Channel 15 (FOX, Abilene, TX)
KIDZ-TV, Channel 42 (MNT, Abilene, TX)
WXIA-TV, Channel 11 (NBC, Atlanta, GA)
WATL-TV, Channel 36 (MNT, Atlanta, GA)
KVUE-TV, Channel 24 (ABC, Austin, TX)
NVUE-TV, Channel 33 (Estrella, Austin, TX)
WLBZ-TV, Channel 2 (NBC, Bangor, ME)
KBMT-TV, Channel 12 (ABC, Beaumont, TX)
KJAC-TV, Channel 50 (NBC, Beaumont, TX)
KTVB-TV, Channel 7 (NBC, Boise, ID)
WGRZ-TV, Channel 2 (NBC, Buffalo, NY)
WCNC-TV, Channel 36 (NBC, Charlotte, NC)
WKYC-TV, Channel 3 (NBC, Cleveland, OH)
WLTX-TV, Channel 19 (CBS, Columbia, SC)
KIII-TV, Channel 3 (ABC, Corpus Christi, TX)
WFAA-TV, Channel 8 (ABC, Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX)
KUSA-TV, Channel 9 (NBC, Denver, CO)
KTVD-TV, Channel 20 (MNT, Denver, CO)
WZZM-TV, Channel 13 (ABC, Grand Rapids, MI)
WMFY-TV, Channel 2 (CBS, Greensboro, NC)
KHOU-TV, Channel 11 (CBS, Houston, TX)
WJXX-TV, Channel 25 (ABC, Jacksonville, FL)
WTLV-TV, Channel 12 (NBC, Jacksonville, FL)
WBIR-TV, Channel 10 (NBC, Knoxville, TN)
KTHV-TV, Channel 11 (CBS, Little Rock, AR)
WHAS-TV, Channel 11 (ABC, Louisville, KY)
WMAZ-TV, Channel 13 (CBS, Macon, GA)
KARE-TV, Channel 11 (NBC, Minneapolis, MN)
WWL-TV, Channel 4 (CBS, New Orleans, LA)
WUPL-TV, Channel 54 (MNT, New Orleans, LA)
WVEC-TV, Channel 13 (ABC, Norfolk, VA)
KPNX-TV, Channel 12 (NBC, Phoenix, AZ)
KGW-TV, Channel 8 (NBC, Portland, OR)
WCSH-TV, Channel 6 (NBC, Portland-Auburn, ME)
KXTV-TV, Channel 10 (ABC, Sacramento, CA)
KIDY-TV, Channel 6 (FOX, San Angelo, TX)
KENS-TV, Channel 5 (CBS, San Antonio, TX)
KING-TV, Channel 5 (NBC, Seattle, WA)
KONG-TV, Channel 16 (IND, Seattle, WA)
KREM-TV, Channel 2 (CBS, Spokane, WA)
KSKN-TV, Channel 22 (CW, Spokane, WA)
KSDK-TV, Channel 5 (NBC, St. Louis, MO)
WTSP-TV, Channel 10 (CBS, Tampa, FL)
KMSB-TV, Channel 11 (FOX, Tucson, AZ)
KTFT-TV, Channel 7 (NBC, Twin Falls, ID)
KYTX-TV, Channel 19 (CBS, Tyler, TX)
KAGS-TV, Channel 23 (NBC, Waco, TX)
KCEN-TV, Channel 6 (NBC, Waco, TX)
WUSA-TV, Channel 9 (CBS, Washington D.C.)

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About DISH Network L.L.C.
Since 1980, DISH has worked on behalf of consumers to deliver innovation and value. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers. DISH Network L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQISH), a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.


# # #

Media Contact
news@dish.com
720-514-5351
@DISHNews

From: News <News@dish.com>
Date: Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 1:15 AM
Subject: TEGNA blacks out DISH customers in 39 Markets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


TEGNA blacks out DISH customers in 39 Markets

TENGA blacks out popular football games and holiday shows; turns back on public interest obligations using viewers as negotiating leverage
TEGNA rejects DISH offer to extend contract, including retroactive ‘true-up’ for new rates, which would keep local channels up while negotiations continue
DISH offers qualified affected customers free digital over-the-air (OTA) antenna and installation
Over the past 5 years, broadcast fees more than double while ratings see double digit decline

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., December 1, 2018 – This evening, TEGNA Inc. blacked out DISH customers’ access to its 49 local channels in 39 markets across 34 states and the District of Columbia. TEGNA is blocking consumers in an effort to gain negotiating leverage as it demands nearly double the monthly rates for its local channels, even as broadcast TV ratings decline.

“TEGNA refused DISH’s offer to extend the contract, instead choosing to black out its stations on the eve of college football’s conference championships and during the homestretch for the NFL season. It couldn’t be more obvious that TEGNA is using its own viewers as leverage as it demands nearly double the monthly rates, even as ratings on broadcast TV are down double digits,” said Andy LeCuyer, DISH senior vice president of Programming.

According to Nielsen, primetime TV ratings are down on the big four broadcasters (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) 12 percent over the past five years. During that same period, broadcast retransmission fees more than doubled, from $4.9 billion to $10.2 billion, according to SNL Kagan, a leading source on the media industry.

TEGNA rejected DISH’s offer of a short-term contract extension that would include a retroactive true-up when new rates were agreed upon and would preserve the ability of DISH customers to access the stations while negotiations continued. The true-up would ensure that TEGNA was made whole at the new rates for the period of any contract extension.

“The channels could come back today if TEGNA would allow it, and we can restore the channels immediately if they give us the green light,” added LeCuyer. “On behalf of customers, we ask TEGNA to stop punishing its own viewers so we can focus on reaching a fair deal.”

Affected DISH customers can view NFL games using an over-the-air antenna or stream local and most primetime games for free on mobile phones and tablets as announced by the NFL.

“As an immediate solution, we are encouraging fans to take advantage of streaming NFL games for free on a phone or tablet while we urge TEGNA to return these stations to our customers,” said LeCuyer.

Retransmission Consent

In exchange for using the public airwaves, broadcasters provide their channels for free, accessible with an over-the-air antenna; however, pay-TV companies are required to pay broadcasters to provide those same channels to their customers. If the two parties do not reach an agreement, the pay-TV provider must stop delivering those stations.

More information on this FCC-mandated process is available here: Retransmission Consent


Free Antenna Installation, Seamless Integration

As DISH works to reach an agreement, the company is offering digital over-the-air (OTA) antennas at no cost so that customers in affected markets can watch these channels for free.

Tens of thousands of eligible DISH customers have integrated OTA antennas into their DISH experience, accessing news, popular network shows and sports from local channels for free. Customers with qualifying equipment, programming, and location can choose to receive local channels free over the air and save $12 per month on their bill.

“Integrating OTA-delivered local channels can unlock $144 savings annually for DISH customers,” explained LeCuyer. “Customers will see the local channels and show information for the most popular channels in the guide on the Hopper DVR, and can watch and record local channels using their DISH remote without switching inputs on the TV. DISH doesn’t save money, but consumers can.”

Local station availability over the air is dependent on geographic location and topography. Consequently, some customer locations may not qualify for an antenna installation.


Price of Local Channels Soars

Each year, the cost to carry local broadcast stations rises far beyond the rate of inflation, leading to blackouts across the country that affect millions of consumers across all pay-TV companies. In the past decade, the fees TEGNA and other broadcasters charge pay-TV providers to carry local channels has risen 1,700 percent.

“A decade ago, a gallon of gas cost about two dollars. If gas prices had gone up like the cost to watch your local channels, that same gallon of gas today would be about 40 dollars,” continued LeCuyer.

According to SNL Kagan, broadcast fees burdening pay-TV consumers are expected to reach an unprecedented $12.8 billion in 2023. These same rates, for channels available free over the air, were as low as $215 million in 2006. With this projected 60x increase, the cost to deliver local channels is the fastest growing part of consumers’ monthly pay-TV bills.

Along with other pay-TV companies and public interest groups that form the American Television Alliance, DISH has called for the U.S. Congress to revamp the out-of-date laws that favor these high fees and unnecessary blackouts.

DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.


About DISH Network L.L.C.
Since 1980, DISH has worked on behalf of consumers to deliver innovation and value. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers. DISH Network L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQISH), a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.

# # #

Media Contact
news@dish.com
720-514-5351





Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Claude Greiner]

Has anyone considered maybe the problem is Dish?

Seriously. No other provider I know of had been involved with so many disputes

 

[Bobby]

I would like to have full access to OTA but terrain makes it impossible for CBS, FOX, ME and a couple more on the same antenna stick.

No TEGNA stations here. BTW, what does TEGNA mean?

Tegna Inc. - Wikipedia.

 

[dare2be]

No TEGNA stations here. BTW, what does TEGNA mean?

Conglomerate.

 

[dare2be]

Has anyone considered maybe the problem is Dish?

Seriously. No other provider I know of had been involved with so many disputes

Yes. I said so earlier in this thread. No other provider I know of allows customers to drop locals. I'm sure that was a major contention.

 

[ncted]

The problem is, despite what you'd read here, people WANT locals. Dish & Direct became a true competitor to cable, and subscriber numbers jumped up, when they started offering locals. So, unless they get together and make an agreement not to carry any locals, which I think would be collusion and therefore illegal, whichever one decides to refuse to pay for locals, the other will benefit.

Honestly, it would be nice if Dish offered a Locals Only package. I do not have good OTA reception, and I expect that to only get worse with the repack. If the Welcome Pack is still available when my contract is up, that is likely what I'll subscribe to. Otherwise, OTT streaming services will be tried.

 

[ncted]

Has anyone considered maybe the problem is Dish?

Seriously. No other provider I know of had been involved with so many disputes

Of course it is Dish. Other providers have disputes, but most of them are content to just roll over and pass the expense along to their customers. Some people like how Dish does it, and others do not. Of course we rarely hear about the times everything goes smoothly. One exception is last year when Capitol Broadcasting was having a dispute with Uverse at the same time they were negotiating a new contract with Dish. Capitol made a point of letting everyone know how smoothly things went with Dish compared to AT&T.

Dish avoids retrans dispute

 

[SandFarmer]

I see that the Guide was changed to reflect the stations gone really fast. But setting it back is not going too quickly on my end.

 

[bobvick]

Another programming dispute. When will it end?

When there’s nothing else to take down!

 

[mwdxer1]

Yes, they are back! That did not take long, only a few hours. I think since Dish does charge $12 a sub to get locals, why not just pass the cost for locals over to the customers. So we pay $13 a month for locals instead of $12? Does it really maker any difference? Now with the HBO thing, that is different demanding Dish to pay for a minimum number of subs. That is crazy as anyone with decent internet can stream the service for the same $15 a month on a individual basis.

 

[dare2be]

Again, l said before, it was probably the fact that locals are separate and optional that was part of the dispute.

 

[sam_gordon]

Other providers have disputes, but most of them are content to just roll over and pass the expense along to their customers. Some people like how Dish does it, and others do not. Of course we rarely hear about the times everything goes smoothly.

So that begs the question, how much does DirecTV/Cable increase each year? If they're only increasing $5/month and Dish increases $5/month, than what's the point of all these "hard" stances?

I think since Dish does charge $12 a sub to get locals

I thought it was $10. Then again, I dropped locals years ago, so I could definitely be wrong.

 

[NYDutch]

DTV's 2018 prices increases ranged from $2 to $8/mo depending on the package.

https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/directv/KM1240211

 

[Ziptied]

Yes, they are back! That did not take long, only a few hours. I think since Dish does charge $12 a sub to get locals, why not just pass the cost for locals over to the customers. So we pay $13 a month for locals instead of $12? Does it really maker any difference? Now with the HBO thing, that is different demanding Dish to pay for a minimum number of subs. That is crazy as anyone with decent internet can stream the service for the same $15 a month on a individual basis.

It have to believe it makes a pretty big difference in the price we pay for the channels we watch. In these contract disputes, I look at DISH, DTV, Spectrum, etc as somewhat of a consumer advocate as far as keeping retrans fees as low as possible. As I've said before, I really don't have any problem when DISH plays "Hardball" and just says no to network demands. I can only imagine what our bills would look like if DISH and it's competitors rolled over to every demand from every network.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Yes. I said so earlier in this thread. No other provider I know of allows customers to drop locals. I'm sure that was a major contention.

Yeah the locals are only broken down to hide a price increase.

Every few years they include the locals as part of the base programming package, and the following year split them up again.

One year they will include locals to help hide a price increase, saying that even though the prices went up, locals are now included.

Then the following year they will break out the locals saying they they are giving customers a choice not to pay for them.

I have seen this happen several times in the past 20 years.

Now they say you can integrate locals with the ota dongle, but don’t you use the guide data if your not paying for locals?

I know if you don’t pay your bill the ota tuner gets shut down also

 

[Claude Greiner]

Honestly, it would be nice if Dish offered a Locals Only package. I do not have good OTA reception, and I expect that to only get worse with the repack. If the Welcome Pack is still available when my contract is up, that is likely what I'll subscribe to. Otherwise, OTT streaming services will be tried.

I thought you could still do that?

 

[dare2be]

Yeah the locals are only broken down to hide a price increase.

Every few years they include the locals as part of the base programming package, and the following year split them up again.

One year they will include locals to help hide a price increase, saying that even though the prices went up, locals are now included.

Then the following year they will break out the locals saying they they are giving customers a choice not to pay for them.

I have seen this happen several times in the past 20 years.

Now they say you can integrate locals with the ota dongle, but don’t you use the guide data if your not paying for locals?

I know if you don’t pay your bill the ota tuner gets shut down also

Everything you said is more or less accurate, except this is the only time that locals were optional and could be dropped by the customer.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Everything you said is more or less accurate, except this is the only time that locals were optional and could be dropped by the customer.

Whenever locals where a separate line item they could be dropped.

If locals where part of the package and dish didn’t offer locals in your DMA you would get a $5 or $5.99 credit.

The only time you couldn’t drop locals is if they where included in a package you subscribed to and you had locals available in your area.

What I’m surprised to see is locals priced at $10. If you had Comcast the broadcast Tv fee is $7 or $8.

You think they would price them at $5 and raise the base package $5.

At $10, I’m sure a lot of customers would drop locals, especially considering digital Ota technology as good as it is in some areas.

What all the providers need to do is allow us to drop ESPN, and the regional sports channel. Honestly ESPN ain’t worth watching unless your at a bar, and I only care for the regional sports channel April through September for baseball.

A package with no sports is something Dish could do very well with.

What if you moved to the NY DMA. Is there a credit offered for no regional sports?