What Was The Longest Dispute Between A TV Station And Cable/Dish Provider

[Markxxx]

The Sunbeam dispute with DirectTV in Boston and Miami got me to thinking. It always seems there is a threat of a dispute and it gets fixed at the 11th hour or the station is taken off for a day or so and then all is right again.

Of course, this is most likely confirmation bias on my part. So I ask, what has been the longest dispute (in terms of weeks) that a cable/dish/VIOS-Uverse provider has not carried an OTA TV station due to a dispute?

Thanks

 

[recto101]

Cablevision and ABC also CableVision and Fox in NYC?

 

[Joe_Capitano]

The longest one I can remember is what I have called "Fish v Dish" - the dispute between Fisher Communications and dish Network. That wore on for over 5 1/2 months, ending a few days before the DTV switchover.

Lots of mudslinging, particularly from "Fish".

Luckily for me, at the time I had access to at least a couple of Equity's ABC stations via Free-to-air satellite. Didn't miss much.

 

[borderblaster]

Haven't seen one longer than a month...seems to get solved the day before ratings sweeps start

 

[NHRadio]

Versus (now NBC sports) and DirecTV fought for just over 6 months until reaching an agreement.

 

[Joe_Capitano]

But Versus is not a station, it's a network. Big difference.

 

[rgseark2009]

Sheveport LA has been home of a couple of nasty ones over the years.....

Back in 2005 KTAL (Nexstar) and Cable one, COX had a nasty dispute that lasted several months. Also in 2008, KTBS and Dish network had a dispute with ABC affiliate being off from Dish subs in the Shreveport TV market (including some areas of Arkansas).

 

[nathannah]

G4 and DirecTV...they got dumped in November 2010 and it's still going on to this day (Yes, network, but still a lengthy battle). Don't see it ending anytime soon unless the next NBCU cable networks agreement puts it back.

 

[1069_KIFR]

It seems to be going on for nearly two years now, between San Bruno Cable and KOFY TV 20. They, KOFY, are still not being carried by SAN Bruno Cable.

 

[recto101]

Time Warner Vs. Fox and Time Warner Vs. ABC in LA and NYC?

 

[discjockeyjohn64]

I believe a long running one was Dish Network and Fisher Communications, owner of KOMO ABC 4 in Seattle. I recall they stopped showing KOMO in December of either 2009 or 2010 and it was off the Dish Network lineup for about six or seven months. I was so ticked off when mid-January rolled around that I cancelled Dish and switched to DirecTV. I was stunned that it took over six months to resolve the situation. It also affected KATU ABC 2 in Portland, and about six or eight smaller stations that were CBS affiliates that Fisher owns.

 

[ding12]

DirecTV and Emmis in the early 2000's. DirecTV had launched the Portland TV market without the CBS affiliate KOIN, and KOIN wasn't added until a year or so later, and even after Dish that launched Portland with all the nets. Emmis wanted more in retransmission consent.

To be fair though, DirecTV hadn't carried KOIN and dropped it, but just started the market without it. Emmis has since sold all of its broadcast stations.