Apollo cuts DISH customer access to its local stations in 10 markets
"We don't understand why Apollo is choosing to put customers in the middle of its negotiations, especially during a global pandemic when customers need access to local news and programming," said
DISH and Apollo have ongoing litigation about whether DISH's carriage agreement for the Cox stations was prematurely terminated when Apollo acquired those stations. In January, the
DISH requested Apollo's consent to allow the stations to remain on the air after dissolution of the temporary restraining order, but Apollo rejected DISH's request — even though DISH offered to pay increased rates for the stations going forward, and to true-up any amounts found owing if Apollo ultimately prevails in the parties' litigation. Apollo's decision to black out its channels inhibits customers from getting their local programming as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the nation. DISH has worked with the owners of 49 stations who have all agreed to set aside contractual disputes and accept comparable offers to keep local stations on the air, given the current pandemic situation and the resulting harm blackouts would cause consumers.
Affected Stations
Apollo's action affects viewers of local stations in the following markets:
WSB-TV, Channel 2 (ABC ,Atlanta, GA )WFXT-TV, Channel 25 (FOX ,Boston, MA )WSOC-TV, Channel 9 (ABC ,Charlotte, NC )WAXN-TV, Channel 64 (IND,Charlotte, NC )WHIO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS ,Dayton, OH )WFOX-TV, Channel 30 (FOX ,Jacksonville, FL )- WFOX2-TV,
Channel 32 (MNT,Jacksonville, FL ) WHBQ-TV, Channel 13 (FOX ,Memphis, TN )WFTV-TV, Channel 9 (ABC ,Orlando, FL )WRDQ-TV, Channel 27 (IND,Orlando, FL )WPXI-TV, Channel 11 (NBC ,Pittsburg , PA)KIRO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS ,Seattle, WA )KOKI-TV, Channel 23 (FOX ,Tulsa, OK )KMYT-TV, Channel 41 (MNT,Tulsa, OK )
DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.
About DISH
View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apollo-cuts-dish-customer-access-to-its-local-stations-in-10-markets-301098185.html
SOURCE
news@dish.com, 720-514-5351