Looks Like Lin is back!

At the first of this year we were "threatened" with losing our local FOX affilliate in a retransmission dispute with Crime Warner. Referencing the idea thst the poster above had, TW entered into a side agreement with FOX to carry its national programming despite the fact that they didnt have an agreement with the local affilliate. It took all of the negotiating power from the local affilliate and they caved.
 
Actually, Time Warner did that all over the country. They made arrangements to bring in primetime programming from neighboring markets.

Dish could EASILY do similarly on the technical side. Legally? If Time Warner was going to do it, did they find a loophole?
 
upset that we may lose something that we are already paying extra for!

We are already paying an additional $16 a mo for the local channels via DISH..... so to find out at this stage in the game that we may lose the ONE local channel that we actually watch is really upsetting! On the upside, I do have a huge arial antenna on my roof..I may have to get it hooked up and running ;)
 
We are already paying an additional $16 a mo for the local channels via DISH..... so to find out at this stage in the game that we may lose the ONE local channel that we actually watch is really upsetting! On the upside, I do have a huge arial antenna on my roof..I may have to get it hooked up and running ;)

Somehow I think $16.00 a month for locals is a bit of a stretch... $5.00 maybe.. If you are paying $16.00 a month for locals you need to re-negotiate.. :)
 
Answer

Dear Don,

Thank you for your email and I just want to say that I understand your disappointment and that we are trying hard to come to an agreement with DISH network so you do not lose any of your programming. Basically Don, we are asking DISH for fair market value, DISH is already charging you the subscriber for our station and we are just asking DISH to compensate us fair market value. The rates we are asking for are a fraction of what DISH pays for many cable networks that you may never even watch. Local television stations are consistently ranked among the most-watched channels, in part because we provide local news and programming that cable networks don’t offer and we host/sponsor important community service events, yet we do not get compensated fairly for the value of our stations. Nobody would find that reasonable, which is why Congress enacted laws that allow us to negotiate for fair compensation.
I hope this email has helped in answering your question. For more information; please go to www.linmedia.com
Thank you for your support of your LOCAL Stations
 
Adweek says that Dish picked this time to draw the line in part because of the FCC meeting tomorrow.

Though it has limited authority to radically change the rules, the FCC put retransmission reform on its agenda for this Thursday.

One analyst thinks the timing was not an accident. "While this is just another retrans battle, the timing is interesting...We think DISH is holding out due to the FCC meeting," said Marci Ryvicker, a senior analyst with Wells Fargo Securities.


LIN, DISH Fight Might Be Godsend for Retrans Advocates
 
Response to me from Mobile, Al Fox Affiliate.

Thank you for your email and I understand your frustration. WALA has been an important member of the local community since 1953 and we are committed to providing our viewers around-the-clock news, political coverage, traffic, weather, public service announcements, as well as high quality local and national programming. The bottom line is DISH profits by including broadcast stations like WALA and WFNA in its line-up. Like any other business, DISH should pay fair market value for the ability to resell our station's programming to you.

The rates we are asking for are a fraction of what DISH pays for many cable networks that you may never even watch. Local television stations are consistently ranked among the most-watched channels, in part because we provide local news and programming that cable networks don’t offer and we host/sponsor important community service events, yet we do not get compensated fairly for the value of our stations. Nobody would find that reasonable, which is why Congress enacted laws that allow us to negotiate for fair compensation.

We are working hard to reach a deal with DISH so that you won't lose access to your favorite programs. All we want is what is fair, so we can continue to serve our communities.

In the meantime, know you have choices. You can view us for free and in high definition over-the-air by using an antenna or switch to an alternative pay-TV provider. For more information, please visit our web site: Mobile AL News, Weather | Fox10tv.com

Thank you for supporting LOCAL television.


Matt Pumo
VP/General Manager
WALA FOX 10 / WFNA TV
Fox10tv.com
 
Dish will cave. They have before. From the pioneer to do this, Nexstar Broadcasting to every other market, dish has come up with payments per local subscriber. Nexstar went on sucessfully to get payments from Cable that other groups since have. They (dish) pays for other providers, why not broadcasters.. Heck Dish does not provide local programming at cost to us. I know the amounts dish pays per subscriber but can't tell.
 
Huge Kudos to the responses here. No one wants to lose their locals, but unlike a couple of years ago when so many always blamed Dish, it has become apparent the networks try to hold Dish, and us, hostage unless their demands are met. And now it isn't just Dish who now stands up to them.

I admit, I don't know who the costs rests with, but I'm guessing most of it is with Dish. Maybe it's time to extend the free OTA reception. Don't let the networks get anything at all except if there is a specific cost to get the signal to Dish that they don't otherwise incur to get it OTA. And then regulate Dish (Direct, etc..) that they can only recover their cost to get the signal to us. Nothing more for networks. Please note, this is not "I think I should get it for free." Well it is, but only because it is free OTA, so the networks should not be allowed to charge for their programming just because it comes over the Dish. And being fair, Dish/direct should not be able to charge us either, other than recovering their costs.

Dish is the one that pays all the bills in getting the station to us. The OTA station coesn't pay for any cost other than the ones that are for normal transmission of the signal. Dish either picks it up off the air or runs a fiber to the station or pays say AT&T OR VERIZON for the fiber cost.
 
They (dish) pays for other providers, why not broadcasters.. Heck Dish does not provide local programming at cost to us. I know the amounts dish pays per subscriber but can't tell.

Why not? Because as Senator Leiberman pointed out, broadcasters were never meant to be charging the viewer. It's why they are given so many privileges. (my words - such as denying me to see another DMA's networks) That's why. Take away their complete control, and then talk to me about letting them charge me for watching what is supposed to be free on their end. Dish, Direct, Cable, etc all charge more then what it costs, what do you want, for them to make no money? At that rate I will have no choices because they will all go out of business.
You make it sound like it is some big secret conspiracy that Dish makes money. Who would ever have thought that? :)
 
Dish will cave. They have before. From the pioneer to do this, Nexstar Broadcasting to every other market, dish has come up with payments per local subscriber. Nexstar went on sucessfully to get payments from Cable that other groups since have. They (dish) pays for other providers, why not broadcasters.. Heck Dish does not provide local programming at cost to us. I know the amounts dish pays per subscriber but can't tell.
Bet your wrong. It's D* that usually caves.
 
DISH charges it customers pennies per day. The website fails mention how many pennies per day LIN Media is asking for:). I am sure LIN Media is contractually prohibited from publicly disclosing their negoitated rates... this is however an obvious attempt at deception. While DISH does not disclose the negotiated rates either, they do mention a rather large 140 percent price increase. That seems a bit unreasonable to me.

From the website of WIVB/WLNO Buffalo, NY...........
Question: What do you mean by fair compensation?

Answer: The fair compensation we are asking for amounts to pennies a day per subscriber, which is actually much less than what cable and satellite companies pay for cable networks that you may or may not watch. Our stations are important assets to our local community. They are consistently ranked among the most-watched television channels, in part because we provide local news, programming and information that cable networks don’t offer. Local broadcasters around the country are fighting for fair compensation and an even playing field with cable networks so that we can continue to provide you premiere news, sports, entertainment, weather, traffic updates, political coverage and other local and national programming that is most important to you.
[/email]
 
Just received a "Breaking News" email from Dish:

Dear Valued DISH Network Customer,

As you may already be aware, DISH Network and LIN are in contract negotiations regarding your local stations. LIN has demanded an outrageous rate increase of over 140% for the continued carriage of your channels.

The increase is so immense that DISH Network and its customers couldn’t possibly absorb it. It is like demanding an overnight increase of almost $8 a gallon for gas, which is unacceptable and irresponsible.

In these challenging economic times, it is important that we rally together to show LIN how their actions negatively affect DISH Network and its customers. We apologize that LIN is putting you in the middle of our negotiations. We understand your outrage and want you to know that you're not alone! Public policy makers have voiced their opposition to broadcasters taking away local TV news, sports, weather, and important emergency information in order to force TV distributors like DISH Network to meet their increasing demands.

We feel a strong obligation to protect our customers from outrageous rate increases, like those that LIN has demanded—but we need your help! LIN needs to hear how their absurd demands and negotiation tactics negatively impact viewers like you. We urge you to make your voice heard.

With your help, we can send a clear message that outrageous rate increases are unfair, irresponsible, and frustrating to you, their viewers, and hard-working Americans. Most importantly, with your help, we can convince LIN to negotiate in good faith.

We will continue to attempt negotiations with LIN and are hopeful we will be able to reach a fair deal.
 
A single television station raising it rates by a few pennies to a pay television provider is in no way equivalent to gas prices rising to $8.00 a gallon. It *might* be equivalent to the price of oil or gasoline pump repair rising a few cents per gallon or per unit, at best, if you disregard the fact that gasoline is much more important (i.e. gets people to work, gets food to grocery stores, etc.).
 
I doubt they are trying to equate a TV provider service with gasoline, just trying to illustrate the percentage increase in a way that's probably easier to understand for an item we buy often. Would a gallon of milk for $8 be better??
 
OK. Imagine the charge you pay for locals going up from $5/mo to $7. Feel better?
 

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