The Inspirational Network has been changing themselves over the years from being a religious channel to a family entertainment channel. While I'm glad they have moved away from airing so many false teachers that beg for money and preach a health & wealth gospel over the true gospel, this is still about money.
The other religious networks don't air commercials - The Inspirational Network does. I'm sure they have been using the money to purchase TV shows, but they are probably making a good profit at the same time. Dish wants some of that profit and that is why they now want INSP to pay. INSP does have a valid agrument in that Dish actually pays most other commercial channels a fee to carry them not the other way around.
I think INSP and Dish should come up with a new agreement that takes INSP out of the religious channel tier and into the family tier near Hallmark and draft a similar financial arrangement to other channels with the same ratings. Being out of the religious tier could help INSP attract more viewers who never venture into the religious tier. They could then gain better ratings and more ad revenue.
As INSP changes their programming even more, it could be an asset for Dish to keep family viewers as subscribers. Of course this could change INSP's agreement with other providers and they may not want to go that route.
If Dish should take INSP off for good, then may I suggest they work up a deal with FamilyNet that also airs classic family friendly TV shows in addition to some religious programming. They are also in HD.
The other religious networks don't air commercials - The Inspirational Network does. I'm sure they have been using the money to purchase TV shows, but they are probably making a good profit at the same time. Dish wants some of that profit and that is why they now want INSP to pay. INSP does have a valid agrument in that Dish actually pays most other commercial channels a fee to carry them not the other way around.
I think INSP and Dish should come up with a new agreement that takes INSP out of the religious channel tier and into the family tier near Hallmark and draft a similar financial arrangement to other channels with the same ratings. Being out of the religious tier could help INSP attract more viewers who never venture into the religious tier. They could then gain better ratings and more ad revenue.
As INSP changes their programming even more, it could be an asset for Dish to keep family viewers as subscribers. Of course this could change INSP's agreement with other providers and they may not want to go that route.
If Dish should take INSP off for good, then may I suggest they work up a deal with FamilyNet that also airs classic family friendly TV shows in addition to some religious programming. They are also in HD.