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Another pay TV battle as Dish, Lin spar over fees

Associated Press
March 1, 2011
Keywords
Pay TV, TV, TV Stations, WISH
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Another battle over pay TV fees is coming down to the wire — this time over what Dish Network is paying TV station owner Lin TV Corp. to retransmit signals of 27 stations.

The stations are affiliates of CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC and the CW in 17 cities including Indianapolis, Providence, R.I., and Buffalo, N.Y.

Indianapolis CBS affiliate WISH-TV Channel 8 is among those affected.

Dish Network Corp.'s Dave Shull says Lin is demanding more than double the current fee in the first year and even more later. He says he's "frustrated" that Lin publicized the dispute, which had remained behind closed doors until Monday.

If a deal isn't reached by 2 a.m. Saturday, some satellite TV households may lose the signals of local stations. Neither side would say how many subscribers would be affected.

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  • Linn
    JlrMarch 4, 2011 7:11 PM
    Linn will continue to hold its viewers hostage. They dont care about their customer only about money. Hold the line Dish Network . We appreciate it.
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  • why do they want money..don't we pay enough for gas n food
    Cheryl LyerlaMarch 3, 2011 4:03 PM
    I remember when I was a kid we only had 5 channels..now we have cable n dish network the penny n dime us do death..now they want more money..I guess if they don't get it ..there goes channel 8 ratings..who is winning here
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • DISH & WISH-TV, Indianapolis
    Michael DuncanMarch 3, 2011 12:57 PM
    I am a DISH subscriber in Marion, IN. Have been for several years. I have also looked at my most recent DISH bill in which they raised the rates. As I understand, LIN Broadcasting is trying to double their charge to DISH to rebroadcast their signal to subscribers. These are lawyers talking amongst themselves, and hopefully, they will work out an agreement before the world comes to an end. If they don't, both will lose viewers & subscribers. Both sides, I'm sure know this as well. Local broadcast stations depend upon advertising to conduct business. As a broadcaster myself, I understand this. The reporters, photographers, producers and their assistants, as well as their families, have to eat. At the same time, I don't think it's right to pay extra for channels such as AMC, WE, etc that have their own advertising. So it is my hope that these corporations can reach an agreement because I'm too old to climb on roof and adjust my antenna! Thank you for my 2-minutes of fame!
    Yours truly,
    Mike Duncan
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • 1st Brighthouse, now DISH
    RichMarch 2, 2011 2:35 PM
    I dropped Brighthouse because of this very same issue with LIN! I picked up DISH, and now I have to go through the same thing with LIN again? Not this time. I'll buy a digital antenna and pick up the signal for FREE, and be able to watch the NCAA tourney games. Outside of that, I don't watch anything on CBS anyway.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • and I thought
      charlesMarch 2, 2011 7:27 AM
      and I thought it was dish networks faught but it turns out that it's the greed on lin's part just how much money do you think you need anyway?
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • broke
      Ronald MonroeMarch 2, 2011 7:10 AM
      take my money and lose a broke customer !
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • common denomator
      ShirleyMarch 2, 2011 5:30 AM
      Gee didn't Linn have trouble with Brighthouse Cable not to long ago. History does have a way of repeating its self.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment
    • Pay TV, what a concept
      EarlMarch 2, 2011 1:35 AM
      That sounds like comcast, double what they charge now and more later.
      Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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    1. liek the rest of America

    2. These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.

    3. It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.

    4. No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.

    5. whoa!

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