DISH Network subscribers may be scrambling to find Sons of Anarchy this week as well as a host of other channels, including regional sports channels. The channel numbers haven't changed, but the lineup certainly has.
At midnight on September 30, 2010, FOX pulled DISH Network's feeds for FX, as well as the National Geographic Channel and 19 various FOX Regional Sports Networks. The two sides have been embroiled in a contract dispute for months. Dish says that FOX asked for a 50 percent rate increase.
"FOX has a long history of trying to shake down pay TV providers, including Cablevision, Time Warner, and Bright House," said Dave Shull, DISH's senior VP of programming, in a statement. "Our customers should not be held hostage in order to finance FOX's irresponsible acquisition of sports rights. Consumers are already burdened enough in this challenging economy."
Of course, Fox is counteracting, claiming those numbers are untrue -- and that DISH is being equally unreasonable.
"Their suggestion that we're seeking a 50 percent increase in programming fees is flatly wrong," said Mike Hopkins, president of FOX Networks' Affiliate Sales and Marketing, in a statement. "It's completely disingenuous for DISH -- a company that is on pace to extract more than $10 billion dollars in revenue and $3 billion in profits from its subscribers -- to suggest that we are bullying their customers. Their tactics of promoting untrue accusations and removing programming is standard procedure for them."
While the two sides are putting out press releases, customers seem extremely upset about the lack of sports programming, as well as missing popular FX programming, such as Sons of Anarchy, It's Always Sunning in Philadelphia, The League and Terriers. FOX is also claiming that it could pull all local affiliates from the satellite service, starting November 1, 2010. That would mean no World Series finale (assuming it makes it to game 5), no American Idol, and a lot of extremely angry customers [or, it would mean putting an antenna on your roof, and pulling in the local channels for free - Ed.]. But for now, local Fox affiliates, Fox News and Fox Business News are not affected.
To make up for the loss, DISH is currently offering the following channels, at no additional charge: HD Net Movies, HD Theater, NBA TV, New England Sports Network, NFL Network, NHL Network, Altitude Sports, Big Ten Network, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast Sports Network Mid-Atlantic, Comcast Sports New England, ESPN Classic, FOX Sports Northwest, FOX Sports Pittsburgh, FOX Sports Rocky Mountain, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network2, SportsNet New York, and SportsTime Ohio.
In the meantime, both sides have also created competing websites, in an effort to inform and persuade customers as to who's the biggest culprit in the dispute.
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