LIN stations back on Dish after settlement

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Less than nine days after being removed from Dish Network in a retransmission consent contract stand-off, 27 LIN Media stations in 17 markets were restored to the satellite service on Sunday (3/13). As usual, settlement terms were not revealed.


“We are pleased that our negotiations with Dish Network resulted in a fair resolution and a new retransmission consent agreement “We thank our viewers and our advertisers for their tremendous support,” said a statement from LIN Media CEO Vince Sadusky.

“Dish Network is pleased to have reached a deal with LIN Media that restored local TV channels to customers in 17 markets. We sincerely appreciate the patience our customers have shown during this time. We will continue to work hard to offer more choices and the lowest everyday prices in the industry,” was the public comment from Dish Network.

Here are the TV stations owned, operated, or serviced by LIN Media which have been restored to the Dish Network local-to-local satellite service:

Albuquerque: KRQE-TV (CBS) and KASA-TV (FOX)
Austin: KXAN-TV (NBC) and KNVA-TV (CW)
Buffalo: WIVB-TV (CBS) and WNLO-TV (CW)
Columbus: WWHO-TV (CW)
Dayton: WDTN-TV (NBC), WBDT-TV (CW)
Ft. Wayne: WANE-TV (CBS)
Grand Rapids: WOOD-TV (NBC), WOTV-TV (ABC)
Green Bay: WLUK-TV (FOX)
Indianapolis: WISH-TV (CBS) and WNDY-TV (MyNetwork TV)
Lafayette: WLFI-TV (CBS)
Mobile: WALA-TV (FOX) and WFNA-TV (CW)
New Haven: WTNH-TV (ABC) and WCTX-TV (MyNetwork TV)
Norfolk: WAVY-TV (NBC) and WVBT-TV (FOX)
Providence: WPRI-TV (CBS) and WNAC-TV (FOX)
Springfield (Mass): WWLP-TV (NBC)
Terre Haute: WTHI-TV (CBS)
Toledo: WUPW-TV (FOX)

RBR-TVBR observation: Whatever PR advantage Dish Network thought it would get from having this retrans dispute in play when the FCC discussed potential retrans reform, the actual outcome of the FCC meeting just before Dish kicked the LIN stations offered nothing to suggest that major changes are in the offing. As we noted then, the underlying message from the Commission was for Dish to get back to the bargaining table, which it apparently did.