On July 1, 2018, DISH Network dropped Univision from its lineup.
Then, things got ugly, leading the DBS provider to axe all of Univision Communications’s networks, including Univision Deportes Network.
Now, in a surprise announcement, DISH and Univision have a new deal.
In an announcement distributed just before Tuesday’s Closing Bell on Wall Street, DISH and Univision Communications jointly announced that a long-term agreement for carriage of Univision networks and stations on DishLATINO and DISH has been reached.
Restoration of Univision channels will begin immediately, ending nine months of pre-emption on the satellite TV service.
In a statement, DISH President/CEO Erik Carlson said, “We want to thank our DISH customers for their patience as we worked to reach an agreement that is fair to all parties, especially our customers. For more than 20 years, DISH has led our industry in serving the U.S. Hispanic community, and today’s announcement is reflective of our commitment to delivering quality content at the right value.”
For his part, Univision CEO Vince Sadusky said his company was pleased to have inked an agreement with DISH “that recognizes the value of our top-rated networks and stations. We look forward to once again providing DISH and DishLATINO customers with the news, sports, and entertainment content they love. Thank you to our loyal audience for your unwavering support.”
Starting today, O&Os and affiliates aligned with the Univision and UniMás are back, including stations owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entravision.
Also restored are cable networks Univision Deportes Network, Galavisión, Tlnovelas and FOROtv.
Meanwhile, the companies agreed to settle all pending litigation between the two companies.
This formally puts to an end a bitter patent fight involving DISH Network’s Sling TV and the Univision Now OTT-based service.
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