DISH and FOX

[EW0350]

Does anybody think DISH Network is going to hold out and refuse to pay FOX's increased rates when the broadcast network renewal comes up November 1st? I'm seriously considering abograting our contract with them if we lose the local FOX affiliate, even though they claim the language allows them to do so. Just can't imagine they would incur the legal expense of taking me to small claims court over such. Realize, thougn, they could bad mouth me on my credit reports but I would put in a dispute there.

Anybody have any other thoughts?

 

[landtuna]

Several years ago I canceled DISH two months after my contract ran out but they continued to bill me and when that failed sent my account to a series of collection agencies. I think it is now on the fifth one. Because I had physical paperwork to back up my claim that my contract period was over both my credit card company and the three credit agencies supported me. However, I continue to receive dunning notices from the last of the collection agencies. And somewhere along the line they have doubled my 'disconnect' fee.

Be prepared for a battle unless you have explicit proof you are allowed to cancel if DISH drops a service (and I very much doubt language to that effect is in their current contract).

 

[EW0350]

I imagined that would be the case.

As to the contract language, I guess I ought to get it out and check it over. They maintain the language permits them to alter "packages" and "programming" at any time and that wording serves as my notice, and such changes are not grounds for me to break the contract.

 

[Bengalsfan]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

 

[landtuna]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

 

[EW0350]

[According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

Tuna, that is my understanding as well. And ini my conversations with DISH, they have not denied it.

I wonder how they are going to square this with the FCC "must carry" rule? And I know there are many of you out there saying "Why are we talking about TV on a radio discussion board?" Well, to me, media is media.

 

[jabba17]

[According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

Tuna, that is my understanding as well. And ini my conversations with DISH, they have not denied it.

I wonder how they are going to square this with the FCC "must carry" rule? And I know there are many of you out there saying "Why are we talking about TV on a radio discussion board?" Well, to me, media is media.

This thread is totally OT for this board, but from what I understand the "must carry" rule only applies to 1) broadcast stations on 2) cable, not satellite.

 

[TheRealOtherNeil]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

I would imagine the Falcons fans and the Gleeks will have something to say about it.

 

[rickontheradio]

"Drop dish network" ads are currently running on several Atlanta RADIO stations, will that keep this thread here?

 

[Bengalsfan]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

Well, they are lying to you in an obvious attempt to gain the upper hand. Dish Network's deal with local affiliates is with the local affiliates, not Fox Broadcasting. This lock out only effects the Fox cable networks.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101001006388/en/DISH-Network-Drops-Fox-Cable-Networks

 

[mnradiofan]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

Well, they are lying to you in an obvious attempt to gain the upper hand. Dish Network's deal with local affiliates is with the local affiliates, not Fox Broadcasting. This lock out only effects the Fox cable networks.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101001006388/en/DISH-Network-Drops-Fox-Cable-Networks

Actually, you're both right. The CURRENT dispute is over FX, NatGeo, and regional Fox owned sports nets. But, on October 31st, the contract to carry local Fox stations that are owned by Fox Broadcasting will run out. Fox is assuming (probably correctly) that this current contract negotiation is an indication that they do not intend to renew the deal with Fox Broadcasting.

Long story short, if you live in a market where Fox owns any stations and you subscribe to Dish, you will probably lose them on November 1st. Of course, what Fox fails to mention is that you can get these stations for free with an antenna, but they don't get paid when that happens, they actually pay for that.

With regards to the other person's "Must Carry" statement, the FCC changed those rules a few years back. Basically now, a TV station can elect EITHER for must-carry (for free), or they can charge the cable company to carry the channel. This does NOT apply to Dish or Direct TV.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Here's what I haven't figured out yet. Are the now-former Fox O&Os included in this dispute (as of 11/1) or not?

If you go to Fox's site on the dispute:

http://www.getwhatipaidfor.com/

...then put in a local ZIP code here, former Fox O&O WJW/8 is listed.

But the press release on the site doesn't list the markets Fox sold to Local TV some time back (including Cleveland):

http://getwhatipaidfor.com/press

DISH’s contract with Fox’s television stations is expiring in the following markets: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Gainesville, FL, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tampa, and Washington D.C.

Note: those are only current Fox O&O markets. No Cleveland, no Denver, no Greensboro, etc...but the "check for your local station" dialog up at the top does list WJW.

I suspect it's just something that needs to be fixed at the top, but I know cases like the Time Warner Cable/Brighthouse Networks deal, where the cable side of rights in the Brighthouse networks still runs through former owner Time Warner.

 

[ChaseW]

Here's what I haven't figured out yet. Are the now-former Fox O&Os included in this dispute (as of 11/1) or not?

If you go to Fox's site on the dispute:

http://www.getwhatipaidfor.com/

...then put in a local ZIP code here, former Fox O&O WJW/8 is listed.

But the press release on the site doesn't list the markets Fox sold to Local TV some time back (including Cleveland):

http://getwhatipaidfor.com/press

DISH’s contract with Fox’s television stations is expiring in the following markets: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Gainesville, FL, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tampa, and Washington D.C.

Note: those are only current Fox O&O markets. No Cleveland, no Denver, no Greensboro, etc...but the "check for your local station" dialog up at the top does list WJW.

I suspect it's just something that needs to be fixed at the top, but I know cases like the Time Warner Cable/Brighthouse Networks deal, where the cable side of rights in the Brighthouse networks still runs through former owner Time Warner.

I think Denver is also included because I have seen ads on KDVR (even though they are owned by Local TV) saying that Dish will drop them on Nov. 1 if they can't workout the contract issue.

 

[agentUrge]

The getwhatipaidfor.com site is a stroke of genius, really.

There's a part of me that is surprised that the other Fox networks aren't included in that but I could imagine that would be next...or at least as a last ditch effort. But I doubt it...Fox News is quite a cash cow for them

 

[Bengalsfan]

Fox5 isn't included in the lockout. Only the Fox Sports regional networks, FX and NatGeo are effected.

According to ads recently on my local Fox station they will be locked out effective Nov 1 if a settlement isn't reached before then.

Well, they are lying to you in an obvious attempt to gain the upper hand. Dish Network's deal with local affiliates is with the local affiliates, not Fox Broadcasting. This lock out only effects the Fox cable networks.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101001006388/en/DISH-Network-Drops-Fox-Cable-Networks

Actually, you're both right. The CURRENT dispute is over FX, NatGeo, and regional Fox owned sports nets. But, on October 31st, the contract to carry local Fox stations that are owned by Fox Broadcasting will run out. Fox is assuming (probably correctly) that this current contract negotiation is an indication that they do not intend to renew the deal with Fox Broadcasting.

Wow, I didn't know they were also fixing to take on the O&Os. Looks like Atlanta Dish subs may very well lose Fox5 then.

The way I see it, our economy has hit a snag. Looks like everyone is gonna have to start taking less until we can find our way out of it. I was reading a story today where the NFL stands to lose over a billion dollars if there is a lock out next year.

 

[EricStein]

The getwhatipaidfor.com site is a stroke of genius, really.

There's a part of me that is surprised that the other Fox networks aren't included in that but I could imagine that would be next...or at least as a last ditch effort. But I doubt it...Fox News is quite a cash cow for them

The FOX website is typical corporate spin and damage control. Most likely a political strategist is helping them.

I also noticed that the commercials on FOX's other networks still carried by DISH specifically say "switch to DirecTV" and not "switch to any other TV provider." I wonder how much interest DirecTV (remember, News Corp. used to control them and their second in charge was the previous CEO there) has in all of this, including the mess with Cablevision?

 

[Skynet74]

It's clear with that website they set up that FOX is pissed off and they are trying to push Dish into a corner.
PAY US MORE MONEY OR WE ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU LOSE CUSTOMERS TOO!

 

[EricStein]

It's clear with that website they set up that FOX is pissed off and they are trying to push Dish into a corner.
PAY US MORE MONEY OR WE ARE GOING TO MAKE YOU LOSE CUSTOMERS TOO!

That smells of some sort of blackmail on FOX's part if you ask me.

 

[azumanga]

I also noticed that the commercials on FOX's other networks still carried by DISH specifically say "switch to DirecTV" and not "switch to any other TV provider." I wonder how much interest DirecTV (remember, News Corp. used to control them and their second in charge was the previous CEO there) has in all of this, including the mess with Cablevision?

In the Tampa Bay area, the most-recent full-page ad mentioned DirecTV, as well as Verizon, Comcast and now Knology as other possible choices for getting the missing channels (Knology was omitted from these ads until recently), but still has not included Bright House, the region's most-dominant cable company that was involved with a dispute with Fox last year, as an option.

I wonder if other cable systems were being slighted in these ads?

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I think Denver is also included because I have seen ads on KDVR (even though they are owned by Local TV) saying that Dish will drop them on Nov. 1 if they can't workout the contract issue.

Are the spots produced by KDVR?

I haven't seen any similar spots on WJW, though I could just have missed them. I'm still wondering if Fox is handling the carriage deal for the former Fox O&Os, though I'd actually expect Tribune to do it - Local TV is basically run by Tribune.