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KDBC-TV, Dish Network settle differences (4:55 a.m.)
By Dave Burge / El Paso Times
Article Launched:11/30/2006 04:57:07 AM MST
http://www.elpasotimes.com/breakingnews/ci_4746202


Dish Network subscribers in El Paso will be able to view CBS affiliate Channel 4-KDBC (cable Channel 3) after all.
KDBC's owner, Pappas Telecasting Companies, announced late Wednesday night that it had resolved differences with the Dish Network.

Earlier in the day, Pappas had issued a press statement saying subscribers of the Dish Network would no longer be able to access its channels.

That would have meant that Dish Network subscribers in El Paso would be unable to watch some of the nation's top-rated CBS television shows, including the "CSI" franchise of three television shows, "Survivor," "NCIS" and "Cold Case."

Pappas, based Visalia, Calif., owns 27 stations nationwide.

The differences between the two companies stemmed from a federal appeals court ruling that Dish had violated copyright laws by illegally retransmitting so-called distant network signals throughout the country.

Pappas and Dish had been unable to reach an agreement to extend broadcasts beyond today, but in a news release from Pappas late Wednesday, Pappas
officials said they had reached a long term agreement to continue carriage of Pappas stations in 11 markets including El Paso.

Earlier, EchoStar, Dish Network's parent company, said Pappas was "demanding unreasonable terms and conditions," according to an e-mailed statement.

Pappas Chairman and CEO Harry J. Pappas, says, "Dish (had been) unwilling to pay even a modest price" to local stations that "must spend millions of dollars to buy or to produce this programming."

The move would have affected only Dish Network subscribers. KDBC can be viewed over the air, on cable and through DirecTV.

Now, DirecTV Group Inc., seizing on the court ruling against EchoStar, offered some customers of the rival satellite television service $150 to switch providers.

Subscribers to Dish Network who are losing broadcast network channels because of the court ruling also are being offered free equipment and installation, El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV said Wednesday in a statement.

The ruling creates an opportunity for News Corp.-controlled DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite TV service, to poach some of the 900,000 EchoStar customers who are affected by the decision.

EchoStar operates a call center and technical center in East El Paso that employ about 2,000 workers.

Dave Burge may be reached at dburge@elpasotimes.com; 546-6126.

Bloomberg News Service contributed to this story.

Roy Ortega contributed to this story.