Dish Restores Four Citadel Stations To Roster
After Five-Week, On-Air Absence, Parties Ink Retransmission Deal
By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 9/8/2008 4:53:00 AM
After a month-long spat, Dish Network and Citadel Communications reached a retransmission-consent deal that restored four of the broadcaster’s Midwestern stations to the satellite provider’s lineup this past weekend.
On Saturday, Dish Network resumed carrying WOI, an ABC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa; WHBF, a CBS affiliate in Davenport, Iowa; KLKN, an ABC affiliate in Lincoln, Neb.; and KCAU, an ABC affiliate in Sioux City, Iowa.
The four Citadel stations had been removed from Dish Network’s lineup Aug. 1, when both parties couldn’t come to terms on a retransmission-consent renewal. They were deadlocked about what kind of compensation Dish Network should pay Citadel in order to carry its four stations. The broadcaster was seeking a price increase from Dish.
A Dish Network spokeswoman Monday confirmed that the Citadel stations were back on the satellite provider’s roster.
Citadel officials couldn’t be reached for comment, but Friday night president Ray Cole posted a message to viewers on WOI’s Web site regarding its talks with Dish Network.
“ABC5 returns to Dish Network!!” Cole said on the site. “We are pleased to announce that Citadel Communications Company and Dish Network have finalized a new agreement related to the carriage of ABC5 [WOI-TV/DT]. ABC5 is expected to be available on Dish by 12:01am on Saturday, Sept. 6. Thank you for your patience, and the support shown us, during the time that ABC5 was not carried on Dish.”
In an earlier Web message last Friday, Cole said that negotiations in the past week with Dish Network had made progress.
On Aug. 1 Dish Network also stopped carrying Gol TV when it couldn’t reach a new carriage deal with the network. Gol TV remains off the satellite provider’s roster.
Good News, Bad News
08/01/2008More Fireworks Between AT&T and Dish Network
07/02/2008Dish Drops Four Stations In Midwest
08/03/2008
