One dish faces multiple breakdowns as transportation contracts expire – Variety



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The Dish satellite broadcaster is recognized in the media industry as a tough negotiator when transport contracts need to be renewed. HBO is no longer available on the service since November. Now, other television networks are facing a similar perspective.

Unless Dish and some content providers reach new conditions by Monday night, subscribers using multiple cable networks operated or maintained by Walt Disney may lose their access. "Our contract with Dish for FX and National Geographic networks is about to expire, so we have a responsibility to inform our viewers of the potential loss of our programming. However, we remain fully committed to reaching an agreement and hope to do so, "Disney said in a statement.

What's more, subscribers who use Fox Prime Ticket, Fox Carolinas, Fox SportsTime Ohio or any of Fox's approximately 20 regional sports networks may lose their access via Dish or Sling, Dish's broadband video service. YES, the regional sports network broadcasting New York Yankees games, is expected to leave Sling if conditions can not be reached by the same deadline, according to knowledgeable people. These networks, which were sold to Walt Disney by the former 21st Century Fox as part of a larger deal and are expected to be sold to other parties in the coming months, are currently under Disney's control, but have to be transferred to various buyers over the next few weeks, and an interim group is overseeing the transportation negotiations, according to a person familiar with the issue.

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Another contract is also nearing the end of his term, according to people familiar with the situation – the one that allows Dish to transport the various Fox Corporation outlets, including Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network and Fox. Sports 1.

A Dish spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Fox Corp. refused to comment on the status of its transport contracts. Dish is currently battling Meredith Corp., which operates 17 stations in a dozen markets that left Dish a few days ago as part of a dispute over contract renewal.

Already, YES and regional networks Fox have launched new websites telling consumers that they may no longer have access to some of the sports networks they rely on to cover local gaming. "Sling TV may drop your Yankees," says keepyesnetwork.com, which also includes a countdown telling visitors the end of the contract. Similarly, at keepmyhometeams.com, visitors are informed that "Starting Monday, July 22, Dish and Sling will no longer broadcast Fox Networks Sports Networks nationwide."

Dish's relationship with content companies is only the last to dissipate at a time when viewers are abandoning traditional distributors for their favorite content and when media companies are looking to get the best price from suppliers as they go. as their audiences migrate to video streaming.

AT & T and CBS are struggling with a new battle over renewal conditions. The 28 CBS stations now serve only 6.6 million subscribers to the telecommunications giant's DirecTV and U-Verse services. AT & T is also competing with Nexstar, whose stations are no longer available on AT & T platforms since July 4th.

Dish's discussions come at an intriguing time for society. The satellite broadcaster is in talks to take control of various spectrum licenses and other badets owned by T-Mobile or Sprint, which are employing to complete a $ 26 billion merger. Dish would have spent $ 6 billion to acquire telecommunications properties.

The ownership of regional sports properties is expected to be transferred from Disney to other companies in the coming weeks. Sinclair Broadcast Group has agreed to buy 21 Disney networks as part of a deal valued at $ 10.6 billion. Meanwhile, YES is being bought by a group including the Yankees and the Amazon e-commerce giant, as well as Sinclair, who will own a smaller stake in the company.

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