Dish Spreads Anti-Fox Rant Across Seven Websites
In recent retrans and carriage deals, the Web has served as a megaphone in the wars of words between programmers and distributors.
There’s Time Warner Cable’s RollOverorGetTough.com site, for instance, which the MSO used in the Fox standoff last year and leading up to the ultimately uneventful denouement with Disney/ESPN (see Time Warner Cable Updates ‘Get Tough’ Ad Campaign and Disney, Time Warner Cable Finalize Programming Deal).
Meanwhile, Fox has launched KeepFoxOn.com as it nears the retrans deadline with Cablevision (see Fox, Cablevision Prepare For Battle).
Now Dish Network, in its spat with Fox, has taken the Web-publicity strategy to a new level — registering not one, not two, but seven URLs to make its case after the programmer yanked 19 regional sports networks, FX and National Geographic Channel (see Fox Pulls Nets From Dish).
The domain names together almost read like a telegram — or a series of bumper stickers:
> DISHWillContinueToFightForCustomers.com
And here is Fox’s response site: GetWhatIPaidFor.com. I’m not sure of the search-engine optimization implications of seven sites vs. one — but Dish clearly thinks that more is more.
Joe commented:
They all cost to much, people lose their jobs, unemployment going up and the rich get richer. Everyone should just drop all of them and let them kiss up.
Lucky commented:
Directv is better! everyone get over it! Dish Network is such an outdated satellite company! i hope this takes them under! i sit back and laugh.
Craig commented:
FOX, FX, NG all gone?
There are many shows I watch, but this time Iâm standing behind DISH. Trying to get me to subscribe to Direct TV? Not happening!!!
Martine commented:
I doubt Fox will want to lose access to 14 million customers. If they want to be bullies, I'm sure that other networks will step up and provide the games in the future. However for the time being, it sucks. I applaud Dish Network for not allowing Fox to push them around. Maybe more cable providers will follow suit after.
T.J. David commented:
I hope advertisers realize that there are w lot of people not seeing the advertisers ads. Also, the 50% fee increase is just a little bit gagging. I do not have to have Fox, I do have Dish and back them 100%.
Fox is Aboard the O- Train commented:
Fox is loaded with Spin
J Littleton commented:
I applaud DISH for taking a stance against the insatiable appetite of FOX. At one time or another, I have subscribed to all three of the providers available in our area: Charter cable, DirecTV and DISH. By far, DISH provides the best programming AND is also the most affordable. That's why I stay with DISH.
After reviewing my channel guide, I found I'll be losing exactly ZERO channels. Fox does not provide any programming that I care to watch. It would not affect me at all if ALL of the Fox channels were PERMANENTLY removed from the DISH network. Allow viewers to subscribe to Fox 'a la carte' if they wish.