Here you go hopefully the dispute will be over: 2019 Ohio State Football Schedule | FBSchedules.com
Fox Blocks Millions of DISH Customers
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Yes but it's the same corporate line that they post.
crodrules is going to have a long day liking all these posts.
The red zone package is probably the biggest freebie they’re willing to give up, unless you’re out of contract. Then you might be able to twist their arms a bit.
Is it known that DirecTV is about too lose Fox also? Maybe I just hadn't noticed before, but the local fox ota channel here just ran a commercial saying they were in dispute and on the verge. Yikes
DirecTV has a deadline with the 193 Sinclair locals around the country sometime tonight.
You got it wrong. It was Dish Network that blocked the Fox Broadcasts. Everything points to Dish being the guilty party.
I can't live without NFL football games.
For any coverage you may have planned regarding Fox’s treatment of consumers over the past 24 hours, below is a statement attributable to Brian Neylon, Group President of DISH:
“Fox pre-packaged an attack on its own viewers. They deliberately planned to remove their content and bombard consumers with deceivingly false threats while blocking them from the things they want to watch.
“At a recent investor conference, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch, and CFO Steve Tomsic laughed about raising their retransmission consent revenues by 62 percent, increases that would come out of the wallets of their viewers. All while Fox’s ratings have shown a multi-year decline. You don’t create highly produced TV ads on the fly. Fox had spots attacking DISH ready to go, knowing they would launch a full-frontal assault on their own viewers.
“Consumers blame pay-TV companies, because we’re the ones who send them the bill. But it’s Curt Menefee and his bosses at Fox who are falsely threatening customers on national TV – in markets where Fox doesn’t own a single station. It’s Fox News scrolling messages insinuating that viewers may lose that channel too – they will not. We have a long-term agreement to carry Fox News. Fox is deceiving its own viewers, and it’s just plain wrong.
“Fox is doing everything in its power to enlist its viewers in the fight to increase their own pay-TV bills. Fox assumes consumers won’t catch on. Broadcasters are doing it to customers of DISH, AT&T, Charter, Verizon and others. It’s gone too far. We aren’t making this happen. We’re now shouting from the rooftops on behalf of consumers: Stop!”
*Editor note: View Fox’s Investor Day in May and the exchange between CEO Lachlan Murdoch and CFO Steve Tomsic (approximately 33 minutes into the video) here: Investor Day - Fox Corporation
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fox Blocks Millions of DISH and Sling TV Customers from Local Channels, Cable Networks
Fox removes local channels in 17 markets across 23 states and D.C.
Fox pulls cable networks including FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes
Fox rejects DISH offer to extend contract
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., September 26, 2019 – DISH today reported that Fox Corporation blocked DISH and Sling TV customers’ access to its local channels in 17 markets across 23 states and the District of Columbia (the full list of affected stations can be viewed here). Fox has also removed cable networks FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes.
Fox is demanding a double-digit percentage rate increase for continued carriage of its local channels. Fox is also attempting to “force bundle” its local channels and unrelated cable networks to get more money and gain negotiating leverage.
At its May investor day, Fox executives promoted their plan to increase retransmission revenue by 62 percent, to $2.6 billion by 2022.
“Taken together, Fox’s actions are profoundly anti-consumer,” said Andy LeCuyer, DISH senior vice president of Programming. “Fox is raising prices and turning its back on its public obligation to provide channels to consumers for free. It’s clear that Fox cares more about padding its bottom line than serving its viewers.”
“To add insult to injury, Fox pulled its channels right as viewers head into the heart of the NFL and college football season,” continued LeCuyer. “We ask Fox to stop punishing its own viewers so we can focus on reaching a fair deal.”
Affected customers can view NFL games using an over-the-air antenna or stream local and most primetime games for free on mobile phones and tablets via the NFL App.
Consumer Choice and Forced Bundling at Issue
In addition to blacking out local stations, Fox has also blocked DISH and Sling TV customers’ access to its cable networks FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes. Fox is attempting to get more money by “force bundling” its unrelated cable networks and leveraging its local channels.
“Fox is using local viewers as leverage to get more money for unrelated channels,” said LeCuyer. “We simply don’t think it’s fair to use local viewers to raise rates on expensive, unrelated sports programming .”
DISH Offer of Extension, True Up Rejected
DISH and Fox had been making steady progress in their recent negotiations, and DISH was hopeful that they would come to a mutual agreement to renew carriage of its local stations. In that spirit, DISH offered a short-term contract extension to Fox that would include a retroactive true-up when new rates were agreed upon, and would preserve the ability of DISH and Sling customers to access the Fox stations while negotiations continued. The true-up would ensure that Fox was made whole at the new rates for the period of any contract extension.
“Fox had nothing to lose and consumers had everything to gain by leaving its channels up,” said LeCuyer. “Instead, Fox chose to harm its own viewers.”
DISH Offers Free Antenna Installation, Alternative Viewing Options Available
As DISH works to reach an agreement, the company is offering digital over-the-air antennas at no cost to DISH customers in the affected markets. Customers who use a digital antenna are able to access news, sports and popular network shows from Fox, and have the option to completely drop their local channels from their programming package to save $12 on their monthly bill. DISH will install an antenna for qualifying customers in Fox markets based on the reception available at their home.
“A digital antenna is a great experience and solution for a growing number of customers,” continued LeCuyer. “The channels integrate seamlessly into the Hopper interface. Plus, switching to antenna-delivered locals can unlock $144 savings annually. We want to give customers the choice to save money.”
Local station availability over the air is dependent on geographic location and topography. Consequently, some customer locations may not qualify for an antenna installation.
Another viewing alternative is offered by Locast, a free nonprofit service that provides local broadcast channels over the internet in select markets. Locast is available on connected DISH Hopper devices. Customers can visit locast.org to learn more.
Need for Retransmission Consent Reform
“Fox is using its mix of local and national channels against viewers, abusing outdated laws to try to force consumers to pay more. This greedy attempt to extort more money from our customers is one of the main reasons we – and our industry – are asking Congress to restore balance in the broadcaster-pay TV equation,” said Jeff Blum, DISH senior vice president of Public Policy and Government Affairs. “We are asking lawmakers to reform outdated TV laws to give our customers the best viewing experience at an affordable price – without the threat of broadcaster blackouts.”
Along with other pay-TV companies and public interest groups that form the American Television Alliance, DISH has called for the U.S. Congress to revamp the out-of-date laws that favor these high fees and unnecessary blackouts.
Blum continued: “We continue to urge the FCC and Congress to update a system that emboldens broadcasters to black out consumers.”
Rising Retransmission Rates
Each year, the cost to carry local broadcast stations rises far beyond the rate of inflation, leading to blackouts across the country that affect millions of subscribers of various pay-TV companies. According to Kagan, a leading source on the media industry, broadcast fees burdening pay-TV consumers are expected to reach an unprecedented $16.3 billion in 2024. These same rates, for channels available free over the air, were as low as $215 million in 2006. With a current annual increase of as much as 40 percent, the cost to deliver local channels is the fastest growing part of consumers’ monthly pay-TV bills.
DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.
About DISH Network L.L.C.
Since 1980, DISH has worked on behalf of consumers to deliver innovation and value. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers. DISH Network L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ
ISH), a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.
###
Media Contact
news@dish.com
720-514-5351
Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!
“Fox pre-packaged an attack on its own viewers. They deliberately planned to remove their content and bombard consumers with deceivingly false threats while blocking them from the things they want to watch.
“At a recent investor conference, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch, and CFO Steve Tomsic laughed about raising their retransmission consent revenues by 62 percent, increases that would come out of the wallets of their viewers. All while Fox’s ratings have shown a multi-year decline. You don’t create highly produced TV ads on the fly. Fox had spots attacking DISH ready to go, knowing they would launch a full-frontal assault on their own viewers.
“Consumers blame pay-TV companies, because we’re the ones who send them the bill. But it’s Curt Menefee and his bosses at Fox who are falsely threatening customers on national TV – in markets where Fox doesn’t own a single station. It’s Fox News scrolling messages insinuating that viewers may lose that channel too – they will not. We have a long-term agreement to carry Fox News. Fox is deceiving its own viewers, and it’s just plain wrong.
“Fox is doing everything in its power to enlist its viewers in the fight to increase their own pay-TV bills. Fox assumes consumers won’t catch on. Broadcasters are doing it to customers of DISH, AT&T, Charter, Verizon and others. It’s gone too far. We aren’t making this happen. We’re now shouting from the rooftops on behalf of consumers: Stop!”
*Editor note: View Fox’s Investor Day in May and the exchange between CEO Lachlan Murdoch and CFO Steve Tomsic (approximately 33 minutes into the video) here: Investor Day - Fox Corporation
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fox Blocks Millions of DISH and Sling TV Customers from Local Channels, Cable Networks
Fox removes local channels in 17 markets across 23 states and D.C.
Fox pulls cable networks including FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes
Fox rejects DISH offer to extend contract
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., September 26, 2019 – DISH today reported that Fox Corporation blocked DISH and Sling TV customers’ access to its local channels in 17 markets across 23 states and the District of Columbia (the full list of affected stations can be viewed here). Fox has also removed cable networks FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes.
Fox is demanding a double-digit percentage rate increase for continued carriage of its local channels. Fox is also attempting to “force bundle” its local channels and unrelated cable networks to get more money and gain negotiating leverage.
At its May investor day, Fox executives promoted their plan to increase retransmission revenue by 62 percent, to $2.6 billion by 2022.
“Taken together, Fox’s actions are profoundly anti-consumer,” said Andy LeCuyer, DISH senior vice president of Programming. “Fox is raising prices and turning its back on its public obligation to provide channels to consumers for free. It’s clear that Fox cares more about padding its bottom line than serving its viewers.”
“To add insult to injury, Fox pulled its channels right as viewers head into the heart of the NFL and college football season,” continued LeCuyer. “We ask Fox to stop punishing its own viewers so we can focus on reaching a fair deal.”
Affected customers can view NFL games using an over-the-air antenna or stream local and most primetime games for free on mobile phones and tablets via the NFL App.
Consumer Choice and Forced Bundling at Issue
In addition to blacking out local stations, Fox has also blocked DISH and Sling TV customers’ access to its cable networks FS1, FS2, Big 10 Network, Fox Soccer Plus and Fox Deportes. Fox is attempting to get more money by “force bundling” its unrelated cable networks and leveraging its local channels.
“Fox is using local viewers as leverage to get more money for unrelated channels,” said LeCuyer. “We simply don’t think it’s fair to use local viewers to raise rates on expensive, unrelated sports programming .”
DISH Offer of Extension, True Up Rejected
DISH and Fox had been making steady progress in their recent negotiations, and DISH was hopeful that they would come to a mutual agreement to renew carriage of its local stations. In that spirit, DISH offered a short-term contract extension to Fox that would include a retroactive true-up when new rates were agreed upon, and would preserve the ability of DISH and Sling customers to access the Fox stations while negotiations continued. The true-up would ensure that Fox was made whole at the new rates for the period of any contract extension.
“Fox had nothing to lose and consumers had everything to gain by leaving its channels up,” said LeCuyer. “Instead, Fox chose to harm its own viewers.”
DISH Offers Free Antenna Installation, Alternative Viewing Options Available
As DISH works to reach an agreement, the company is offering digital over-the-air antennas at no cost to DISH customers in the affected markets. Customers who use a digital antenna are able to access news, sports and popular network shows from Fox, and have the option to completely drop their local channels from their programming package to save $12 on their monthly bill. DISH will install an antenna for qualifying customers in Fox markets based on the reception available at their home.
“A digital antenna is a great experience and solution for a growing number of customers,” continued LeCuyer. “The channels integrate seamlessly into the Hopper interface. Plus, switching to antenna-delivered locals can unlock $144 savings annually. We want to give customers the choice to save money.”
Local station availability over the air is dependent on geographic location and topography. Consequently, some customer locations may not qualify for an antenna installation.
Another viewing alternative is offered by Locast, a free nonprofit service that provides local broadcast channels over the internet in select markets. Locast is available on connected DISH Hopper devices. Customers can visit locast.org to learn more.
Need for Retransmission Consent Reform
“Fox is using its mix of local and national channels against viewers, abusing outdated laws to try to force consumers to pay more. This greedy attempt to extort more money from our customers is one of the main reasons we – and our industry – are asking Congress to restore balance in the broadcaster-pay TV equation,” said Jeff Blum, DISH senior vice president of Public Policy and Government Affairs. “We are asking lawmakers to reform outdated TV laws to give our customers the best viewing experience at an affordable price – without the threat of broadcaster blackouts.”
Along with other pay-TV companies and public interest groups that form the American Television Alliance, DISH has called for the U.S. Congress to revamp the out-of-date laws that favor these high fees and unnecessary blackouts.
Blum continued: “We continue to urge the FCC and Congress to update a system that emboldens broadcasters to black out consumers.”
Rising Retransmission Rates
Each year, the cost to carry local broadcast stations rises far beyond the rate of inflation, leading to blackouts across the country that affect millions of subscribers of various pay-TV companies. According to Kagan, a leading source on the media industry, broadcast fees burdening pay-TV consumers are expected to reach an unprecedented $16.3 billion in 2024. These same rates, for channels available free over the air, were as low as $215 million in 2006. With a current annual increase of as much as 40 percent, the cost to deliver local channels is the fastest growing part of consumers’ monthly pay-TV bills.
DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.
About DISH Network L.L.C.
Since 1980, DISH has worked on behalf of consumers to deliver innovation and value. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers. DISH Network L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ
ISH), a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.###
Media Contact
news@dish.com
720-514-5351
Sent from my iPhone using the SatelliteGuys app!
I did see an actual ad-space commerial,
not a crawl,
by fox advising people about the dish blackout and switching providers.
Fox is spending ad $$s out of pocket.
Sent from my SM-G930P using the SatelliteGuys app!
not a crawl,
by fox advising people about the dish blackout and switching providers.
Fox is spending ad $$s out of pocket.
Sent from my SM-G930P using the SatelliteGuys app!
DISH should just make ota installation standard with all satellite installations. Then sell the user his usb ota tuner and when the channels decide to black out in your area , you would have the ota version WITH guide information to fall back on. IF DISH really wanted to screw the channels they could make a 4 tuner ota usb tuner then you could record all 4 big networks using just ota tuner. This is how you fight and win in your battles with adversaries. Provide the means so that all subs are covered either way for locals and then tell the local channels who try to extort more money every year to go pound sand. The subscriber will never be inconvenienced in the matters when these disputes break out. Will give DISH the leverage in their negotiations.
Except when the locals dispute includes other national channels, like what is happening now.
I've seen a crawler on a Fox channel telling people that Dish dropped FS1, BTN and other Fox channels, imploring viewers to call or go to some website to make Dish restore the channels and then gets petulant about and says "Who knows what Dish will drop next!"
Come on, really? Let's incite a panic, or something. When I see something like that, it practically screams "We yanked the channels, but we're not going to tell you that".
Come on, really? Let's incite a panic, or something. When I see something like that, it practically screams "We yanked the channels, but we're not going to tell you that".
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