Yet Another Dispute For Dish Network
Last week we seen a dispute between Dish and Young Broadcasting, and this week we learned of another disputer this time with ComCorp. And now we here at The Satellite Dish are hearing about another local’s dispute, this time with Fisher Communications.
Fisher Communications owns such stations as KOMO, KATU, KBCI, KVAL among others.
Like the other disputes the stations have websites which inform users of their dispute with Dish Network, however unlike the other disputes there is no mention of how much money is being sought by Fisher Communications.
Station KOMO’s website takes a different approach by listing how much other channels cost Dish Network by posting a list of License fees from 2006.
This contract with Dish Network for these Fisher Communications stations appears to expire tonight at 11pm Pacific Time.
If they are dropped we will update you here in the morning at MultiChannel.COM!
Sirius is listening!
It appears that the folks at Sirius XM Satellite Radio are indeed listening to their customers. Since their programming lineup changes took place last month the internet satellite radio fan forums have been filled with complaints from many long time satellite radio fans.
Yesterday Sirius put out a press release alerting fans they were returning two of the stations people were upset about losing to the satellites on January 15th. The stations returning at The Strobe and Backspin.
The strobe played Disco music and Backbeat played classic hip hop. Sirius even went as far as bringing back former Beta program director “Geronimo” to host a morning show called “The Beat Morning Show.”
"Bringing back The Strobe and Backspin, and adding The Beat Morning Show, is part of our commitment to respond to our subscribers’ overwhelming passion for our service," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SIRIUS XM Radio.
In addition it appears that Greenstein got the message from satellite radio fans by saying, “We are fortunate to have an enthusiastic audience that embraces satellite radio with unprecedented fervor. We will continue to listen to them as we strive to create the best audio entertainment experience
available."
It’s about time they realize that satellite radio fans don’t pay for satellite radio to hear homogenized FM radio content. They want their niche programming and expanded playlists that made satellite radio worth paying for. Not the watered down FM clone radio that Sirius has tried to feed us for the past month.
All eyes will be on Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin who will be appearing at tomorrow’s shareholder meeting. The question is will Mel get it too? Hopefully the 15 cent stock price is enough to open Mel’s eyes that customers are not happy.
whenwillthisend? commented:
i actually talked to a customer rep at Dish last night b/c i noticed the programming was showing up on the guide as well. they have no new news at all and as a matter of fact, the rep told me that they will soon be giving out a credit as a \”sorry\”. it wasn\’t disclosed to me that there was this dispute prior to me signing up so i feel like Dish misreprented themselves. this sucks.
Jelegg commented:
I see on the guide this evening that the KOMO shows are showing up but when you try to watch you get the Charlie Chat recorded December 31, 2008. I wonder if they are getting close to a resolution? Before, all you saw was \”important information\” on the guide listing.
dulazarusbellsouth.net commented:
I want to know the name, address, and email address for the CEO of Dish Network Satellite. My son was denied a contract with Dish because his credit info needed more info. So was I and my husband.We have excellent credit owe -0- debts and own all of our assets. I emailed Dish and got no response. Dorothy U. Lazarus
I like ABC commented:
I changed to DirectTV because my favorite shows are on ABC. When I called Dishnet to cancel, they offered to give me a months service for free if I stayed with them. If you stay with Dishnet, you might want to call and get them to take a month off your bill. That's the least they can do.
pam commented:
wondering same question as Sherry
Sherry commented:
So can we ditch Dish since they aren't fufilling what they originally advertised or will we get penalized for breaking "
Rick commented:
Ok, for all you Kool-Aid drinkers out there, here it is. I have been in touch with both the CEO of Dish Network and the General Manager of KATU in Portland, Or. When the question of a rate increase by Fisher Communications the General Manager had nothing to say on the matter, the whole conversation was that Fisher was being "
H.Paschall commented:
I used to love Dish Network, but now I feel I've been scammed. They called me last week, and offered me free HBO package since I was "such a valuable customer" (I have been with Dish Network for over 7 years). Of course it would require a 2 year commitment, but really, that didn't bother me as for the most part, I have no complaints about them (save the issue with Comcast Sportsnet, which I used to think was Comcast being greedy, but now I'm not so sure). Anyway, I agree to the package, and the next day I find out my local ABC affiliate has been pulled. I'd like to hear how many other Portland area customers were given this "special" offer. Also, I'd like to know if I have recourse to pull out of this deal, since I feel I didn't have all the pertinent information?
THOMAS commented:
It's a stupid law to pay the broadcasters a carriage fee or retrans fee. Local viewers our not really shafted, those viewers our. The ones in Washington state of shafted. You can not even get a local signal in HD. The law which congress passed, was same to Distant Networks Service, but they kept raising the price every year. DirecTV and Cable negiotations could also back fire. Fisher Communications ask 3 times as much for there retrans. and carriage. The Fat Cats National Association of Broadcasters folks have been un-fair to so many. Bakersfield, California folks who can't figure out how to get local off air in Bakersfield, will end up watching no football. KBAK CBS and KBFX FOX owned by Fisher Communications. Fisher Communications planned a lawsuit.
gweedo767 commented:
Now just give me back Kids Stuff (well..give it back to my 3 year old that is) and things will be looking better again.
Dick Lengthy commented:
Dish Network is once again showing their true colors. Funny how Dish Network owns 95% of "disputes" with the cable and broadcast networks, isn't it? Two things are for certain: given their track record, Dish Network is always at fault until proven otherwise; Dish Network attempted to sabotage VOOM, illegally pulled the plug back in May, and will be found liable for damanges in court.
Dish Network customers would be wise to find another provider!
will in seattle commented:
It is Fisher and all the others that should be paying Dish and Direct for carriage.
Angie in WA State commented:
I too am in the Portland-Vancouver Metro Area, and just lost my local ABC feed as of 12 am Dec 18th. Dish is stating that KATU was demanding an 80% increase in payment for the new contract. I have sent messages to the KATU GM & Fischer Communications, strongly urging a more reasonable rate increase.
For pete's sake, the entire nation is in a deep recession, sliding towards depression, and KATU thinks they deserve an 80% raise?
grydlok commented:
Backspin is coming back yes.
JG commented:
This sucks. I live in portland and just lost access to our local ABC affiliate, KATU. This is probably the last straw with me for Dishnetwork.
I have been royally pissed that they have not been able to reach an agreement with Comcast to carry their new Comcast Sports Net in my area so I don't get to watch 50 of the our home town team games, the Portland Trailblazers, and they are finally good again, dang it!
I do hate CommieCast so, and dish does have good receivers, but these channel issues are quite annoying.
Jen B commented:
It's situations like this that make loyal dish network customers consider leaving the company. Why should I stay when I can go to comcast and get more stations?
Wyatt G commented:
Woohoo!!! Backspin is coming back!!!
JohnF commented:
These little media companies are run by little tin horned dictators who think they can compete with Dish. Local programming and the tv stations that broadcast them are paid for by advertising. No advertising pays Dish, just the local stations. These junior dictators are trying to bump up their free cash on the backs of satellite subscribers. Dish pays all the costs in getting the content moved into the system and up to their satellites and back to you. These media companies deserve nothing and are lucky to get anything at all. Now they want more than what real DMAs get paid?
Good luck!
Navychop commented:
VOOM destroyed themselves thru repeats. We loved VOOM when it was at it's best, but by the end it was stale with re-runs and little new to watch.
I suspect DirecTV will now be taking a harder line with stations, too. Money is getting tighter, as other DirecTV actions have shown. Keep in mind, these locals really don't want to lose satco carriage- their ad revenues would decline with the smaller audience.
Dish is fine. Certainly their ViP series of receivers are the best on the market.
Isaac commented:
Finally people are seeing dihes true colors.
They took my favorite programming Voom off the air.
Watch out they are comming for your favorite channels as well.
Nothing is safe!!!
dishnet commented:
And in the meantime directv is adding more hd (like pbs locals) and dish cant even keep the lousy locals they have...
Reaper commented:
Another day another Dish dispute. I'm so glad that I dropped Dish when they dropped VOOM.
jerryez commented:
My local NBC in Mobile, Al had an agreement with Dish but two days before Dish uplinked the HD feed, the station was sold to so9me A hole company that still has not reached an agreement with Dish and the has been at leat 9 months. So Young and ComCorp are not the only ones that do not have agreements with Dish. I am sure there are lots of others that just are not negotiating. Dish, of course is the biggest A hole.
