DISH to Lose Over 100 Local Channels – Over 3 Million Users Impacted

It was recently reported that DISH Network could be losing a significant number of local channels. This could happen as early as next week.

A statement from Sinclair Broadcast Group suggests DISH may lose 112 Sinclair-owned TV channels. An agreement is set to expire on August 16, 2021, and this is the cause.

This loss would affect a substantial number of DISH subscribers. Over 3.5 million DISH users across 38 percent of the US would be impacted.

Sinclair’s official press release offered some insight into the matter.

“We attempted to reach mutually agreeable and standard terms with DISH Network. Unfortunately, our efforts to renegotiate our retransmission consent have not been successful.”

This direct quote comes from David Gibber, a Senior Vice President at Sinclair. He elaborated further on the issue.

“Considering the current state of negotiations, we believe it’s crucial to inform DISH Network subscribers about a potential issue. They might lose access to some of their preferred local stations through DISH Network. This includes their access to live, local news, well-liked syndicated programming, and sports programming. Popular sports options like college and NFL football could be affected, as well as network programming from our ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and CW affiliates in those markets.

A review of the complete report reveals some noteworthy local stations that would be affected. The list includes the following:

Austin, TX: KEYE (CBS)
Baltimore, MD: WBFF (FOX), WBFF-2 (MyTV)
Buffalo, NY: WUTV (FOX), WNYO (MyTV)
Charleston, SC: WCIV-2 (ABC), WCIV (MyTV)
Chattanooga, TN: WTVC (ABC), WTVC-2 (FOX)
Cincinnati, OH: WKRC (CBS)
Columbus, OH: WSYX (ABC), WSYX-3 (FOX)
Eureka, CA: KAEF (ABC), KECA (CW)
Gainesville, FL: WGFL (CBS), WGFL-2 (MyTV)
Green Bay-Appleton, WI: WLUK (FOX), WCWF (CW)
Las Vegas, NV: KSNV (NBC), KVCW (CW), KVCW-2 (MyTV)
Lexington, KY: WDKY (FOX)
Madison, WI: WMSN (FOX)
Milwaukee, WI: WVTV (CW), WVTV-2 (MyTV)
Minneapolis, MN: WUCW (CW)
Nashville, TN: WZTV (FOX), WUXP (MyTV)
Omaha, NE: KPTM (FOX)
Pittsburgh, PA: WPGH (FOX), WPNT (MyTV)
Portland, OR: KATU (ABC)
Rochester, NY: WUHF (FOX)
Salt Lake City, UT: KUTV (CBS), KMYU (MyTV)
San Antonio, TX: KABB (FOX), WOAI (NBC
Savannah, GA: WTGS (FOX)
Seattle-Tacoma, WA: KOMO (ABC)
St. Louis, MO: KDNL (ABC)
Tallahassee-Thomasville, FL-GA: WTWC (NBC), WTWC-2 (FOX)
Washington, DC (Hagerstown, MD): WJLA (ABC)

DISH has issued a statement in response to Sinclair’s announcement. Their statement is as follows:

“Sinclair is requesting a significant increase in fees for their television channels, close to a billion dollars. This is a substantial jump from our current payment for the same channels, especially considering the decline in viewership. We believe Sinclair’s demands are unreasonable. They are neglecting their public interest obligations and using customers as leverage in these negotiations.”

The unfolding of this situation will be intriguing to observe. As more information becomes available, we will continue to monitor the story and provide updates.

TROYPOINT TIP: If you’re among the 3.5 million subscribers potentially losing local channels, consider exploring alternatives. Our IPTV guide offers information on the top live TV services, apps, players, and more.

TROYPOINT IPTV Guide

Additionally, you can explore the high-quality services listed below. These can enhance your streaming experience of local channels on various devices.

Note: Another option for accessing specific local channels is using OTA Antennas in your area.