PROVIDENCE, R.I.: LIN Media and Dish came to a retransmission stand-off just before the weekend, resulting in 27 local TV stations in 17 markets going dark on the satellite system. LIN said the contract expired Friday at midnight.
“We only want what is fair for our local stations, so that we can continue providing the premium news, sports, entertainment and other local programming that is most important to viewers,” said LIN chief Vincent Sadusky. “We will continue negotiating with Dish so we may reach an agreement.”
Dish previously released a statement saying LIN was seeking “a 140 percent rate hike and other burdensome contract terms.”
The contract between the two ended just a day after the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to reform retransmission rules. A key element of the proposal is to allow a pay provider to carry an out-of-market TV station should an in-market affiliate pull its signals. It would give TV stations far less leverage in retransmission negotiations. (See “FCC Retrans Proposal Includes Elimination of Non-Dupe Rule.”)
Stations involved:
Albuquerque, N.M.: KRQE-TV (CBS) and KASA-TV (Fox)
Austin, Texas: KXAN-TV (NBC) and KNVA-TV (CW)
Buffalo, N.Y.: WIVB -TV (CBS) and WNLO-TV (CW)
Columbus, Ohio: WWHO-TV (CW)
Dayton, Ohio: WDTN -TV (NBC) and WBDT -TV (CW)
Ft. Wayne, Ind.: WANE-TV (CBS)
Grand Rapids, Mich.: WOOD-TV (NBC),WOTV-TV (ABC)
Green Bay, Wis: WLUK-TV (Fox)
Indianapolis: WISH -TV (CBS) and WNDY-TV (MyNetwork TV)
Lafayette, Ind.: WLFI -TV (CBS)
Mobile, Ala.: WALA -TV (Fox) and WFNA-TV (CW)
New Haven, Conn.: WTNH-TV (ABC) and WCTX-TV (MyNetwork TV)
Norfolk, Va.: WAVY -TV (NBC) and WVBT-TV (Fox)
Providence, R.I.: WPRI -TV (CBS) and WNAC-TV (Fox)
Springfield, Mass.: WWLP-TV (NBC)
TerreHaute, Ind.: WTHI-TV (CBS)
Toledo, Ohio: WUPW -TV (Fox)
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