EchoStar Willing to Drop CBS in Dispute With Viacom

Scott Greczkowski

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EchoStar Willing to Drop CBS in Dispute With Viacom
Thursday March 4, 4:36 pm ET
By Mark Wigfield


WASHINGTON -- EchoStar Communications Corp. (NasdaqNM: DISH - News) will drop the top-rated CBS network from its satellite television lineup rather than accede to demands of the network's owner, Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIAb - News; VIA, VIAB), says Charles Ergen, EchoStar chairman and chief executive. "This is extortion at the highest level," Mr. Ergen told reporters Thursday following a speech sponsored by the free-market think-tank, the Progress and Freedom Foundation. "Viacom has crossed the line."


Read the rest at http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/040304/1636001167_1.html
 
Pretty soon dish network will only be broadcasting horse racing, church services, shopping, and reruns of charlie chats....oh and you can't forget Bingo TV!

Dish networks new catch phrase should be, "Sorry, no NFL Sunday ticket, but we have Cricket!"
 
Great. Most of my favorite shows are on CBS. I hope they settle this without killing off CBS.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
Hopefully everyone can get CBS OTA when and if this happens. I am really thankful I get all my locals OTA including CBSHD. Will we see a drop in price in our locals package cause CBS is a major channel to lose in the lineup?
 
I don't have an OTA setup at all :(

I used to have cable, and ditched it for E* back 4-5 years ago. When they first added the major networks, Dallas/Ft. Worth had the majors, and
I've been getting them (and after SHVIA, all the rest of the D/FW locals) via E*.

If they lose KTVT (Our CBS O&O station) I'm gonna be VERY upset.
 
Oh cripes

Where I live, all of our stations are on translators, and low powered ones if that.
I have 2 CBS stations that I can attempt to pick up
KCCW (which is a satellite of WCCO)..picture is somewhat decent, but not that good
KDLH (translator in Aitkin)..this is 587 watts and I'm 20 miles from it....just a lovely picture...all fuzzy.

Charlie...you better not lose CBS or my dad will shoot his TV....he watches CBS all the time. I can somewhat live without it...but not my dad
 
Neutron said:
This would only apply to the O&O CBS stations right?

yep..all 17 of them

from the Dish site
The 17 markets served by CBS O&O stations are: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Marquette, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Green Bay.
 
ingramba said:
Ler, I'm in the DFW area in Frisco and get KTVT with an attic antenna from Rat Shack. Why couldn't we get CBS OTA even if Dish dosen't carry it?

I could, If I had a attic antenna :)

My point is, I don't have the antenna.

LER
 
I still can't believe that Charlie is acting like this. All of this crap over one station that Viacom wants DISH to carry?????
 
Ok, Let me get this straight, If you have D.., Cable, or rabbit ears you could get CBS OTA but if you have Dish you can't? What if you don't sub. to Dish's locals package and just have a OTA antenna? Kinda confused! :confused:
 
ingramba said:
Ok, Let me get this straight, If you have D.., Cable, or rabbit ears you could get CBS OTA but if you have Dish you can't? What if you don't sub. to Dish's locals package and just have a OTA antenna? Kinda confused! :confused:

I could get it OTA, but then I couldn't record it with my 3 PVR's, and the signal might be snowy.

I don't have an antenna hooked up to ANY of the TV's, and would have to BUY one if E* loses KTVT.
 
ingramba said:
Ok, Let me get this straight, If you have D.., Cable, or rabbit ears you could get CBS OTA but if you have Dish you can't? What if you don't sub. to Dish's locals package and just have a OTA antenna? Kinda confused! :confused:

yep...

but in my case...no cable (lines arent there)
no D (in a Pegasuck area)
OTA (see my post above)

So CBS thru Dish is my only viable option.

You can have an OTA antenna and not have Dish's local package.
 
Ice,
I have a 20' mast on the top of the house with an amplified VHF/UHF antenna to get my 'translators'. pita.
 
i have been critical of dish lately, but i believe charlie is doing the correct thing and not giving in to blackmail. sure some will suffer (luckily, i will not), but if charlie gives in, we will be paying more for price increases next year than what we had to pay this year.

i will be really upset, but can live without, nick and jessica and viva la bam on mtv if that station is removed as well.
 
The only channel my kids would miss would be Nickelodeon. They would put up a fuss for a day or two then just watch more Cartoon Network. It wouldn't affect me much at all.
 
Way to go Charlie. Just make sure you send your customers some antennas. :)
 
Scott Greczkowski said:
Hey he did it last time. :D
I can hear his statement now...

"I would rather spend millions on sending my customers some OTA Antennas than I would paying your outrageous rates."

They reply with:

"Well your customer won't get GAS with those antennas."

And he finally replies:

"The only gas my customers need will come out of your --- when I shove my foot in it."

Bill
 
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