Unfortunately, it looks like DISH Network is planning to drop all of the Sinclair Broadcast Group Television stations from your channel line-up. That means that not only will you lose Primetime Programming and Sports including Major League Baseball, The NFL, and College football from networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, but you will also lose your local news from the Sinclair Broadcast Group television stations.
Additionally, you are about to lose the hardcourt action leading up to the US Open on Tennis Channel.
DISH Network has already taken away many local sporting events from your favorite local teams by dropping Bally Sports from its lineup. Don’t let DISH take away your favorite primetime and local programming.
Sinclair Broadcast Group understands your frustration and is committed to reaching a fair agreement with DISH Network. We believe that since you’re paying for Sinclair Broadcast Group television stations and Tennis Channel in your monthly DISH bill, you should receive those local television stations and cable network.
We encourage you to call this number: 1-888-503-0076 to send a message to DISH and tell them you refuse to lose your stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is retransmission consent?
Retransmission consent is a process created by federal law pursuant to which cable and satellite companies negotiate with the owners of television stations for the right to carry those stations on their systems.
Why should DISH have to pay to carry a television station?
Local TV stations pay millions of dollars each year to buy high-quality programming and to produce important informational programs, such as the local news. It is just standard business practice that companies like DISH pay the same market rates as other pay TV providers for the right to resell programming to their subscribers.
But aren't television stations available for free over-the-air?
Local TV stations are available over-the-air at no cost with the use of an antenna. However, this doesn't mean that cable companies have the right to resell our signals without properly compensating us. It is no different from the fact that local radio stations are free over-the-air, but a satellite radio company like SiriusXM Radio has no right simply to carry local stations and charge subscribers for it.
Don't television stations benefit from carriage on cable systems in the form of larger audiences and increased advertising revenues?
All channels benefit from being carried on a cable or satellite system – both local TV stations, as well as cable networks which are also advertising supported. We’re simply asking to be treated fairly, based on prices that other pay TV providers have agreed to, given the popularity of our programming, in the amount our stations are compensated. DISH is not willing to pay the market prices that other pay TV providers pay.
Don’t our stations make money through advertising sales? So why also charge for retransmission consent?
It is true that a significant portion of our revenues comes from advertising sales. However, virtually all broadcast TV stations are compensated fairly when a pay TV provider uses that content and re-sells it to the public.
Is this just a dispute about money?
Although we do not believe it is productive to negotiate our private business relationships in public, the inability to reach agreement with DISH is about more than just money.
Is it fair to characterize our stations as "pulling its signal" from DISH?
Because DISH has refused to renew its agreement with us on market terms, they can no longer re-sell our stations to its subscribers.
What is the best way for the public to influence this matter?
We believe that DISH subscribers should simply let DISH know that they will no longer subscribe to DISH if they do not carry the stations that they watch. We also believe DISH subscribers should demand that DISH reduce their bills if they no longer carry our stations. You can contact DISH by calling them at 866-974-0781, or through their website (DISH.com), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DISH) and Twitter (@DISH_ANSWERS), and let them know you want them to continue to carry your local station.
How long is this dispute likely to last?
It is impossible to answer this question accurately, although it is certainly possible that DISH will never carry our stations in the future.
Won't DISH just bring in another station from another market with the same programming?
Contracts, the law and FCC regulations severely restrict DISH’s ability to do this. Local TV station programming contracts generally provide for market exclusivity (including network primetime and sports programming). Additionally, programming we produce, such as local news, wouldn't be available from another, out-of-market station.
Doesn't this punish the consumer?
Consumers have other means for obtaining our stations, such as DIRECTV, AT&T TV streaming service, or over-the-air reception, and sometimes from other cable companies or telephone companies, and so, while we recognize the inconvenience associated with switching providers, viewers have other options to watch our stations.
Isn’t this just about greed?
No. It’s about a local business working to operate its business profitably. Given that we spend millions of dollars each year to buy and produce high-quality programming, DISH needs to pay its fair its share, as all other pay TV providers do with virtually every broadcast TV station, for the right to re-sell our content to their subscribers. In addition, the inability to reach agreement with DISH is related to business terms other than the market rates we should be paid.
Won’t this cost get passed on to the consumer?
That is a question for DISH to answer. They may pass these costs on to their subscribers or they could choose just to reduce the profits they make. Alternatively, they could negotiate to reduce the fees they pay for programming which is far less popular than the programming provided by our stations, and for which we believe they pay disproportionately high prices as compared to the amount being requested by us.