03-09-2004, 02:02 PM
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#11 (permalink)
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Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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LINK
Quote:
Viacom Channels Pulled Off DISH Network
ENGLEWOOD/NEW YORK, March 9: EchoStar’s DISH Network has pulled from its offerings 16 of Viacom’s owned-and-operated CBS stations, along with the company’s 10 cable channels.
In a statement, EchoStar said it had no choice, citing Viacom’s "strong-arm" tactics and arguing that the company wanted DISH to carry "Viacom-owned channels of little or no measurable appeal" in exchange for the rights to carry the 16 owned-and-operated CBS stations.
"DISH Network customers in the cities with CBS owned-and-operated stations are entitled to keep up with local news and events distributed over publicly owned airwaves, and Viacom is interfering with that right," said Charles Ergen, chairman and CEO of EchoStar. "DISH Network will always have a place for CBS and we’re willing to pay for retransmission rights, but Viacom is holding the public airwaves hostage, trying to extract concessions and higher rates on programming unrelated to CBS."
Ergen continued, "Our goal is to remain the best value for our customers for the lowest price. To do this, we need fair contracts with competitive pricing that allow DISH Network to select the channels most compatible with the interests of our customers."
The platform, which serves 9 million subscribers, is offering its customers in those 16 owned-and-operated markets a $1 monthly credit. A $1 credit is also being given to subscribers of America’s Top 60, America’s Top 120, America’s Top 180, America’s Everything Pak, and DISH Latino Max, as a result of the loss of channels like MTV, MTV Espanol, Nickelodeon and BET, among others.
Viacom responded by saying that it was "dismayed and disappointed" by the move. "We tried for months to reach an accommodation that would allow them to continue carrying CBS, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, MTV, BET and many of our other channels, but EchoStar/DISH Network refused to entertain a reasonable proposal or to negotiate in earnest."
The statement went on to note that DISH had recently upped its subscriber fees by some $3 a month, "Yet they are unwilling to consider paying an additional six cents a month per subscriber for the right to carry our channels," the statement said. "Our networks are some of the most popular on television and when Americans watch TV, they spend more than 20% of their time with our networks; nonetheless, we are asking for less than 5% of what EchoStar/DISH Network currently generates from the average customer."
Viacom went on to "urge" DISH subscribers to switch to another, "reputable" platform.
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