WESH (Channel 2). and WKCF (Channel 18), are not currently available to DISH customers due to an impasse in negotiating a renewal retransmission consent agreement between Hearst Television and DISH Network.
Hearst Television had granted DISH a forty-eight hour extension which ended earlier today.
In a statement Hearst said, "While we had hoped to conclude our negotiations before the extended March 3rd deadline, DISH has continued to insist on including material terms that are less favorable than our current agreement. In addition, Hearst Television has made significant investments to deliver top quality programming to our viewers and DISH is seeking the right to carry our stations at below market rates, which is neither fair nor reasonable.
According to Dish Network, "Hearst’s decision to pull down its signal in 30 states and 26 markets leaves millions of DISH Network customers without access to their local programming. This massive consumer blackout brings the total number of blackouts in 2017 to 102, the largest number ever recorded this early in a calendar year. Hearst Television Inc. is responsible for more than half of all consumer blackouts this year, having previously pulled the plug on DIRECTV customers on New Year’s Day. Hearst pulled its signal from DISH customers despite offers from DISH to retroactivly ‘true-up’ for new rates, which would allow customers to continue to access their local broadcast channels while negotiations continue."
Dish included historic blackout statistics with their statement. According to Dish;
"TV blackouts hit a record in 2015, affecting 12 million Americans. Since 2010, millions of Americans have seen dark screens instead of watching their favorite channels due to 725 broadcaster blackouts. With 102 blackouts already this year, 2017 is on pace to be the worst year for blackouts ever."
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