From CNNMoney:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/09/tech...ex.htm?cnn=yes

No MTV, CBS on DISH

EchoStar service pulls local stations, Nickelodeon in continuing dispute about rates.
March 9, 2004: 6:35 AM EST



NEW YORK (Reuters) - EchoStar Communications Corp. pulled from service Tuesday 16 of Viacom's local CBS stations and 10 of its national channels after the companies failed to agree on contract terms and prices.

Viacom (VIA.B: Research, Estimates) said in a statement it was "dismayed and disappointed" by the action, which affected channels such as MTV and Nickelodeon, after a deadline expired early Tuesday.

Satellite company EchoStar (DISH: Research, Estimates) said it would like to transmit CBS programming on its DISH network again, but both parties stood their ground in the dispute.

The move, which analysts say affects 1.6 million EchoStar viewers in major cities such as New York and Los Angeles, follows a lawsuit from EchoStar in January after a four-month deadlock over rates and conditions.

EchoStar said Viacom was illegally forcing its DISH Network to carry cable networks it does not want in order for it to retain the right to transmit CBS.

"DISH Network would always have a place for CBS, and we're willing to pay for retransmission rights," said EchoStar Chief Executive Charles Ergen, but he said Viacom was "holding the public airways hostage."

EchoStar said Viacom had also asked for rate increases of up to 40 percent over the length of its contract with the company.

Viacom urged EchoStar customers to switch to another distributor, and said the satellite company should be able to cope with a rate rise since it had already raised its own fees to end-users.

"They recently hiked their subscribers' bills by as much as $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," Viacom said in a statement.

EchoStar said it would provide a $1 monthly credit to customers who lose programming while the channels are unavailable.


NO MARCH MADNESS!

They better get their act together and get a contract quick or they're going to lose a lot of customers. I have cable, so I don't have to worry about it, but this is really bad timing.

CBS is holding Comcast hostage as well.

The Tiffany network isn't "all that"

I love my DirecTV!

They've been running a scroll on some of these stations encouraging people to call Echostar and complain. I guess it didn't work.

I get the fact that Viacom was putting the screws to Echostar and they didn't feel like they should take it lying down. But a stinking $1 monthly credit to customers who lose those stations? What an admirable thing to do.

on a lesser note our local CBS affiliate is having issues with out local TimeWarner Cable.

They won't give them the rights to the HDTV signal.

The local CBS wants $$$ and TimeWarner is standing it's ground saying it should be free because it's just a "rebroadcast" not a new program/service.
They don't charge extra to their current subscribers for HDTV, so they don't think CBS should be compensated either.

I'll stick it out with Dish. I hate to lose a few channels, but I love to see them fight for this.

that is kind of what my local TimeWarner is doing.

on channel 1806, it says "This channel is reserved for the HDTV broadcast of CBS, we will broadcast it as soon as they release the signal to us".

Basically says we are ready and willing, they are just holding it hostage, call them and complain not us.

I don't have satellite, so I'm a little fuzzy on all of the necessary details, but what are you going to do about the NCAA Tournament that starts in a week? I know my buddy has satellite for some channels, cable for some channels, and then some sort of antenna for some other channels. Maybe it's not as big a deal as I thought, but I'd be calling my local cable company and switching services if I lost CBS with no chance of watching the Tourney.

I'll go off air for the tourney if need be.

Not all dish network viewers are losing CBS. Portland still gets it just fine.

Last night I did lose MTV, COmedy Central, and the others though.

The lack of the NFL package, MLB Extra Innings package, and this latest nonsense on Dish Network is enough to get me to switch, so if anybody sees any great DirecTV deals, post em here.

I can't believe Bush is doing this!!!

yep my daughter wanted to watch dora the explorer this morning and we were assed out.

somebody didn't read the sticky

Screw the NCAA's. No DORA=No sale! Those bastards must pay.

"assed out"--LOL

Oops Missed it. Sorry's all around..

I figured with the whole "Holding airways hostage" statement it would eventually turn into a whole terrorism/national security thing

Bah, just find some show on one of the Spanish channels with a guy in a gorilla costume. There's like 1500 such shows, an she won't know the difference.

Scorcho, I posted a really good deal for you in the TV Talk thread. Don't know if you've seen it yet or not...

NFLST is the shit. I've had it since 1997, and I don't regret buying it. Sundays are crazy at my house. I'll watch the live HDTV game, while my three TiVo's are recording six different games. Then I watch a new game every night of the week. Pure bliss.

I say give in to temptation, and get DirecTV.

We're having the same problem with Comcast in Portland.

fixed.

can someone give (or point me to) a list of the exact dish network channels that is impacts?

I Have Dishnetwork, but I only have the premium channels so this doesn't affect me, but I guess it sucks for my MTV friends!!!

CBS
Nickelodeon
Comedy Central
MTV
VH1
BET
Nick at Nite

Those are the major ones. I'm guessing SpikeTV is affected as well.

I'm going to go nuts not being able to watch the Real World and Crank Yankers tonight.

I guess not. I called Dish and told them to put the screws to Viacom, and I would support them all the way.

TV is a funny thing. All rational thought flys out the window when you get a blank screen where CSI or The Real World should be. My gf's apartment complex uses a cable company that feeds the DISH signal. She insists that she's moving if she loses her Survivor/Real World fix.