Note from Dish Network to Retailers (Re Viacom)

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Scott Greczkowski

Scott Greczkowski

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Sep 7, 2003
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Important Notice
Viacom Channel Pulldowns

March 9, 2004

Dear DISH Network Retailer,

We regret to inform you that negotiations to renew our licensing agreement with the Viacom Corporation have been unsuccessful. Viacom has demanded a drastic rate increase of nearly 40%, which is approximately 4 times the rate of inflation. Viacom’s demand amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars in additional fees that will ultimately be passed along to our customers. Viacom has tried to force us to tear up certain existing contracts and accept the same programming at higher rates. Read on for important details.

Viacom Channels
The following channels are being pulled down 3/9/04 at 3:00 AM EST. Customers who subscribe to America’s Top 60, America’s Top 60 Plus, America’s Top 120, America’s Top 180, America’s Everything Pak, DISH Latino Dos and DISH Latino Max will receive a $1 credit on their monthly bill during the period in which these channels are absent.
BET Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite- East & West
CBS HD (East) and CBS HD (West) Nick Games and Sports
Comedy Central NOGGIN
MTV VH1
MTV2 VH1 Classic
MTV Español

CBS Local Markets
Each local CBS affiliate listed below will be pulled down 3/9/04 at 3:00 AM EST. Customers who subscribe to locals in these markets will receive a $1 credit on their monthly bill during the period in which CBS is absent from their locals lineup.
Austin Los Angeles
Boston Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
Baltimore Minneapolis
Chicago New York
Dallas-Ft. Worth Pittsburgh
Denver Philadelphia
Detroit Salt Lake City
Green Bay-Appleton San Francisco

* Customers who subscribe to one of the affected CBS local markets as well as America’s Top 60 or higher will receive a $2 credit on their monthly bill during the period in which these channels are absent. (SG)

Distant CBS Local Markets
Customers taking distant CBS from Denver, Chicago and Dallas will move channels as follows:
· Distant Denver CBS will move from 8201 to 8199
· Distant Chicago CBS will move from 8491 to 8489
· Distant Dallas CBS will move from 8401 to Chicago 8489
Certain customers may qualify for distant locals in which they can receive CBS as a distant. Please logon to the Retailer Web Site to check whether or not your customers are eligible.

For the duration of the Viacom pulldown, customers can tune into the following channels for similar programming: Toon Disney, Encore WAM and FUSE. These channels will be available to all customers who subscribe to America’s Top 60, America’s Top 60 Plus, America’s Top 120, America’s Top 180, America’s Everything Pak, DISH Latino Dos and DISH Latino Max. All other alternative programming is available in America’s Top 60.

We continue to work tirelessly with Viacom to reach a reasonable agreement to return these channels to our customers. Effective immediately, we are forced to remove these channels from our lineup and we ask that you remove all of the Viacom channels and corresponding logos from your advertising. Keep in mind that all co-op advertising that has already been pre-approved is still eligible for reimbursement. Moving forward, all ads submitted for co-op pre-approval must comply with these new changes.

We continue to strive to control costs on behalf of our customers and are hopeful that this matter will be resolved quickly. You may express your opinion by contacting your local CBS station manager. You will see a list of station managers and contact information for your specific market below. If you would like to voice your opinion or concerns, you may also contact MTV Networks at (212) 258-8000, Viacom at (212) 258-6000 or CBS at (212) 975-4321. For further details, tune into any of the affected channels listed above or visit retailer.echostar.com. You can contact DISH Network directly at CEOofDishNetwork@Dishnetwork.com.

City Affiliate Call Letters Name Title Phone

Austin CBS KEYE Gary Schneider General Manager 512-835-0042
Baltimore CBS WJZ Jay Newman VP/General Manager 410-466-0013
Boston CBS WBZ Ed Goldman VP/General Manager 617-787-7000
Chicago CBS WBBM Joe Ahern President/General Mgr. 312-202-2222
Dallas-Ft. Worth CBS KTVT Steve Mauldin President/General Mgr. 214-750-1111
Denver CBS KCNC Walt Dehaven General Manager 303-861-4444
Detroit CBS WWJ Linda Danna VP/General Manager 248-350-5050
Green Bay-Appleton CBS WFRV Perry Kidder Station Manager 920-437-5411
Los Angeles CBS KCBS Don Corsini VP/General Manager 323-460-3000
Miami CBS WFOR Michael A. Colleran VP/General Manager 305-591-4444
Minneapolis CBS WCCO Ed Piette VP/General Manager 612-339-4444
New York CBS WCBS Lew Leone President/General Mgr. 212-975-4321
Philadelphia CBS KYW Peter Dunn VP/General Manager 215-238-4700
Pittsburgh CBS KDKA Gary Cozen VP/General Manager 412-575-2200
Salt Lake City CBS KUTV Dave Phillips General Manager 801-973-3000
San Francisco CBS KPIX Ron Longinotti VP/General Manager 415-362-5550

Thanks for Supporting DISH Network!
 
Good for C.E..Viacom is the new pig.I won't miss any of their programming.We don't watch those networks anyway.
 
Petemc11 said:
Good for C.E..Viacom is the new pig.I won't miss any of their programming.We don't watch those networks anyway.
Click to expand...

Same here...the only thing I watched was CBS for the news, but I can watch it on another channel.
 
My kids pretty much watch Nick/Noggin exclusively. But I support E*on this.
 
How can I check to see if I am "elliagible" for distants? I live far outside of the broadcast range of KCBSes signal. But someone localy have put up publicly owned rebroadcasting towers. That rebroadcast the LA channels.

So does that mean that I am in a "white area"? or does the fact that some "nice person" is rebroadcasting out here keep me from getting CBS?
 
MacKenzieIII said:
How can I check to see if I am "elliagible" for distants? I live far outside of the broadcast range of KCBSes signal. But someone localy have put up publicly owned rebroadcasting towers. That rebroadcast the LA channels.

So does that mean that I am in a "white area"? or does the fact that some "nice person" is rebroadcasting out here keep me from getting CBS?
Click to expand...

Go to www.dishnetwork.com. They have a locals page there, type in your address & it will tell what you are eligible for.
 
On a normal day, you could go to Dish's site an enter your address. it will give you what you are qualified for (locals &/or distants).

The reason I say on a normal day is because Dish's site is flooded with hits, so it is real hard to get into it.
 
Sparkman said:
Go to www.dishnetwork.com. They have a locals page there, type in your address & it will tell what you are eligible for.
Click to expand...

I have been to that site, and it told me I was elliagable for my "LA" locals. But the point is that I am well out side of the actual range of the main KCBS transmiting tower. But there is a localy owned repeater.

I understand from the chat that some places are protected by law that they must allow rebroadcast. And I was trying to understand what made you fall into such an area.
 
When you got the response did it tell you that you were also eligible for out of market "distant nets"? That section is in the middle of the response message.

Just out of curiosity, where are you? Ridgecrest/China Lake area?
 
MacKenzieIII said:
I have been to that site, and it told me I was elliagable for my "LA" locals. But the point is that I am well out side of the actual range of the main KCBS transmiting tower. But there is a localy owned repeater.

I understand from the chat that some places are protected by law that they must allow rebroadcast. And I was trying to understand what made you fall into such an area.
Click to expand...

MacKenzie...I'm in the same boat. I am over 100 miles from the Minneapolis towers, and would have to rely on translator stations (and very low powered ones if that). But every area of the US is classified in a DMA (designated market area) and these areas are eligible for those locals, even if they can't normally pick them up OTA. Normally these channels would be available if you had cable. As an example, here is the Mpls stations that are available via Dish, and what I can get OTA
2 PBS.....can get another PBS on 22
4 CBS.....I can get it on Channel 12 very fuzzy..also can get another CBS on 33 but that is very fuzzy too
5 ABC.....Channel 16 (very low powered..usually comes in at nite)
9 FOX.....Channel 39 (actually pretty clear. This FOX is ouot of a different area)
11 NBC....Channel 14 (somewhat clear. Depends on the day)
17 PBS....nope
23 WB....nope
29 UPN...nope
45 Ind....nope

There are areas known as "white areas", where you can qualify for distants. I qualify for FOX distant (Dish doesnt know about ch 39 that was up about a year ago). The best option is to rerun your address and check to see if you qualify for distants.
 
dlsnyder said:
When you got the response did it tell you that you were also eligible for out of market "distant nets"? That section is in the middle of the response message.

Just out of curiosity, where are you? Ridgecrest/China Lake area?
Click to expand...


I am in Ridgecrest, CA it is between Bishop and Mojave. I work for China Lake Naval Air Station (as a civilian).
 
My question is what about those UPN stations that are owned by CBS/Viacom. Why are they not affected? Or are they? I have not had a chance to check to see if my local UPN is affected.
 
wileadams said:
My question is what about those UPN stations that are owned by CBS/Viacom. Why are they not affected? Or are they? I have not had a chance to check to see if my local UPN is affected.
Click to expand...

They aren't affected because their contract wasn't up yet. Same as Viacom owned cable channels like TVLand and Spike.
 
Randy_B said:
My kids pretty much watch Nick/Noggin exclusively. But I support E*on this.
Click to expand...



My son loves Blues Clues and Dora the Explorer and Little Bear. He is 3and a half and luckily I have protected a lot of his shows and deleted the timers that were effected. I hope this gets solved soon so he can watch his favorite shows again. He has been watching these since he just turned 2 so this is a big need in our house. But I agree with Charlie on this. I just hope he will add PBS Kids in place of Noggin . In fact if Charlie really wanted to piss off Viacom he would add all the other channels requested and drop off all the Viacom channels permanetly. OF course No price increase needed. :rolleyes:
 
This is from the Residential Agreement posted on the Dish Network site:

G. Changes in Services offered. DISH Network reserves the right to change the Services that we offer,
and our prices or fees related to such Services at any time. If the change affects you,
we will provide you notice of the change and its effective date.
The notice may be provided on your billing statement or by other communication permitted under Section 9B.
In the event of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages or other Services,
you understand and agree that we have no obligation to replace or supplement the programming,
programming packages or other Services previously offered that have been deleted,
rearranged or otherwise changed. You further understand and agree you will not be entitled to
any refund because of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages,
or other Services previously offered.

B. Notice. If we send you notice, it will be considered given when deposited in the U.S. Mail,
addressed to you at your billing address or hand-delivered to you.
Our notice to you will also be effective if provided on your billing statement or by telephone.
If you give notice to us, it will be deemed given when received by us at the address listed on
the first page of this Agreement.
 
nes said:
This is from the Residential Agreement posted on the Dish Network site:

G. Changes in Services offered. DISH Network reserves the right to change the Services that we offer,
and our prices or fees related to such Services at any time. If the change affects you,
we will provide you notice of the change and its effective date.
The notice may be provided on your billing statement or by other communication permitted under Section 9B.
In the event of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages or other Services,
you understand and agree that we have no obligation to replace or supplement the programming,
programming packages or other Services previously offered that have been deleted,
rearranged or otherwise changed. You further understand and agree you will not be entitled to
any refund because of a change in the contents of any programming, programming packages,
or other Services previously offered.

B. Notice. If we send you notice, it will be considered given when deposited in the U.S. Mail,
addressed to you at your billing address or hand-delivered to you.
Our notice to you will also be effective if provided on your billing statement or by telephone.
If you give notice to us, it will be deemed given when received by us at the address listed on
the first page of this Agreement.
Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, we understood this the last ten times you posted this..........
 
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