Fox local channel no longer on Dish

shortspark

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Aug 11, 2007
330
88
texas
I am in the Tyler, Tx. market and the local Fox channel has not been available for quite some time. I would have thought Fox and Dish would have come to an agreement by now. This is the only way I have to watch the super bowl. I live a long way from the station and would need a deep fringe antenna atop a very high tower to bring it in so that is out of the question. I called Dish and they said the only thing they could do for me was a one time $5 credit which I laughed at. I will probably go to cable as I have been a good Dish customer for 20 years and expect something more than that, especially since I pay for local channel service and I am not receiving it, at least not totally.

Has anyone had this problem and how did you resolve it?
 
If you have internet you could stream the Super Bowl. Fubo TV will stream it.


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Yes, I know there are several ways to watch the game. Doing away with Dish and subscribing to my local cable is one way too but chances are I will probably go to a sports bar somewhere. However, the point I was making is that I am paying for local channel access and I am not getting all I paid for. The loss of the super bowl is but one example of programming I am paying for but not receiving and in return Dish only offered a one time $5 credit. That is insulting to a 20 year customer.

Some people blame Dish, some people blame the providers who are trying to get unreasonable amounts of money for programming. I don't know or care who is at fault. All I know is that I am paying Dish and expect service, not 99% of it but all the service I am paying for. I don't understand why Dish would risk loosing a good customer by not offering something in return until the problem is solved. It tells me they don't care. I was just wondering what other people have done who find themselves in this situation.
 
Short of coming to a new retrains agreement and getting the channels back, what would you suggest DISH do for you. In addition to the above suggestions, maybe an OTA solution would do?
 
You could write your local Congressman / Senator to support legislation that would force national channel transmission signals for customers who have lost their local channels due to a dispute.

Yes, this won't accomplish anything, but it is something that can be done.
 
The ota solution won't work for me because I live too far from the tower and would have to erect a deep fringe boosted antenna atop a 50' structure, or so I've been told.

I would expect Dish to take care of its best customers, those based on years of loyalty. In what way you ask? A number of ways are available. Maybe a free equipment upgrade, maybe a year of a movie channel or sport package, a ten dollar a month discount, at least until we get the locals back, coupons for free on demand movies, and there are various other options. But what did they offer me? A miserable five dollar one time credit. They should have been embarrassed to have even offered it. Here is what the service rep said and I can quote it because I have the chat transcript: "...a five dollar credit is all I can give you. I am sorry I can not give you a good offer to make you stay with us". This was after I told them I would look into my local cable and say goodbye to Dish once and for all.

If in fact this is all they can do I consider it piss poor customer service. I can't believe anyone could view it any other way.
 
your contract states channels are subject to change.
2019 was a record year for disputes.
retransmission fees have skyrocketed in the last 10 years,a s will continue to do so

you should contact the station, ask them if they will lower thier advertising costs for loss of viewers.

you need to back your provider in these cases
 
Not picking on anyone in particular.

Lot's of times I read on these forums about how "I've been with DISH for this number of years" or "I'm a loyal customer" and "I'm one of their best customers".

It works both ways folks. If I was DISH, I could say "We've provided you with outstanding, affordable service for this number of years" or "We've loyally been there when you had a problem and given you first class support" and "We're one of the best providers out there".

The fact is, DISH is struggling to stay viable, while at the same time trying to provide a quality service at a reasonable price. There's only so much DISH can do to try and keep all their customers. Eventually, they will lose this battle.

Bottom line, it's just business. If it is in your best interest to leave DISH and find another provider, then do so. If not, then get used to the idea that satellite TV is going to become more and more expensive with less and less product available. It's a power struggle in the industry, and you and I as customers are collateral damage. However, this too shall pass. JMO
 
the Fox stations in Tyler is owned by White Knight Broadcasting but is operated by Nexstar Media under a "Shared Service Agreement". so therefore it could be White Knight is looking for a new deal for carriage of the channel. have you consider "moving" to get a different Fox station like KDFW in Dallas.

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We lost Fox and a related station owned by the same group for about 3 months last summer. As NFL was approaching I contacted DISH and complained. Long story short is that DISH offered me a free OTA antenna as an option. Literally no cost to me and I have it in writing that I own the antenna if I ever quit DISH. They installed it on the roof, next to the DISH, ran a seperate wire to the Hopper and it works wonders.

So I would get on this now and work them, so you have it soon. Granted, I have been a customer for a number of years, but they did this on their own. I didn't even think of this as an option. Start a chat with them - that's what I did - and walaa, it happened.
 
What I would do is this: Just in front of the Super Bowl I would go on a free trial of YouTube TV. When you are setting that up, simply show Dallas or Houston as your zip code and you will get their channels for the free trial period. I did this several months ago. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and put in a zip code for Sherman Oaks, CA which is in the Los Angeles area. I instantly had all four networks for Los Angeles on my AppleTV, Roku, Firestick and Vizio monitor. Once I got it activated I immediately went back in and cancelled. It stayed on for the entire trial period and then dropped off without any charge to me at all. In order for this to work you will need reasonable internet speed and any device that can add the Youtube TV app.
 
The antenna idea for free is good but I doubt they will provide one that powerful. I need a deep fringe relatively high up. It is worth a try. I like the youtube free trial. That might work just fine. But at the end of the day I think they will work something out. Maybe not in time for the Super Bowl since that is leverage but at some point I am confident we will get the Fox local channel back. And as far as the Super Bowl is concerned, I like my original idea best - go to the darkest bar I can find in the next town with the brightest tv and coldest beer!! That should fix everything!
 
The ota solution won't work for me because I live too far from the tower and would have to erect a deep fringe boosted antenna atop a 50' structure, or so I've been told.

I would expect Dish to take care of its best customers, those based on years of loyalty. In what way you ask? A number of ways are available. Maybe a free equipment upgrade, maybe a year of a movie channel or sport package, a ten dollar a month discount, at least until we get the locals back, coupons for free on demand movies, and there are various other options. But what did they offer me? A miserable five dollar one time credit. They should have been embarrassed to have even offered it. Here is what the service rep said and I can quote it because I have the chat transcript: "...a five dollar credit is all I can give you. I am sorry I can not give you a good offer to make you stay with us". This was after I told them I would look into my local cable and say goodbye to Dish once and for all.

If in fact this is all they can do I consider it piss poor customer service. I can't believe anyone could view it any other way.
How much left do you have on your contract? Was the FOX station off at the time you signed your last contract?
 
I don't have a contract I don't think. The last equipment change was June 2018 when I went from the 721 to a Hopper and Joey. There was nothing said about a contract and I don't find one mentioned in my account profile or other account information.

I just got off chat and they said according to where I live I am not eligible for the antenna because it won't pick up the station. I figured that anyway but it was worth a try.
 
I don't have a contract I don't think. The last equipment change was June 2018 when I went from the 721 to a Hopper and Joey. There was nothing said about a contract and I don't find one mentioned in my account profile or other account information.

I just got off chat and they said according to where I live I am not eligible for the antenna because it won't pick up the station. I figured that anyway but it was worth a try.
I'm pretty sure and someone can correct me but if you switched to the Hopper then you have a new contract as of June 2018.
 
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A couple of observations. First not a criticism at all, your complaint really isn't the loss of the Fox channel. It's that DISH won't give you what you feel is appropriate for that loss. When the CBS channel was off there was no compensation enough for my wife. I had to come up with a way for her to watch CBS this morning, the soap operas, the local CBS City show each afternoon, and CBS shows at night. Period end of discussion. I was able to teach her to use the Firestick or to watch on her tablet with a subscription to CBS All Access.

In your case the Super Bowl will likely be available on Amazon again and also likely directly from CBS Sports online.
 
Yes, I know there are several ways to watch the game. Doing away with Dish and subscribing to my local cable is one way too but chances are I will probably go to a sports bar somewhere. However, the point I was making is that I am paying for local channel access and I am not getting all I paid for. The loss of the super bowl is but one example of programming I am paying for but not receiving and in return Dish only offered a one time $5 credit. That is insulting to a 20 year customer.

Some people blame Dish, some people blame the providers who are trying to get unreasonable amounts of money for programming. I don't know or care who is at fault. All I know is that I am paying Dish and expect service, not 99% of it but all the service I am paying for. I don't understand why Dish would risk loosing a good customer by not offering something in return until the problem is solved. It tells me they don't care. I was just wondering what other people have done who find themselves in this situation.
I'm trying the complain to your Congress man route. But so far few try this and complaining will get nothing done. All local channels owners (in my opinion) are super greedy. They know you will complain and pay even more. Thank you representative for that law back in 1992. Satellite/cable extends locals coverage area they claim in their DMA. Why shouldn't locals be paying them instead.
 

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