CBS, Dish carriage talks collapse

CBS and satellite TV company Dish Network in the US have failed to reach an agreement on a new carriage deal, resulting in the CBS network going dark on Dish.

Warren Schlichting

The two companies have been locked in a dispute over distribution fees for months, with each side blaming the other for the blackout.

CBS and a number of local stations owned by the broadcaster, plus Pop and  Smithsonian Channel, were withdrawn from Dish in 18 markets across 26 states earlier today, according to reports.

CBS posted a statement online that the dispute is “yet another example of the company punishing its subscribers instead of negotiating a fair carriage deal that reflects the current marketplace.”

If the two companies fail to reach an agreement, Dish subscribers could be without CBS over the Thanksgiving holiday, CBS added.

Warren Schlichting, Dish’s executive VP of marketing, programming and media sales, said: “CBS is attempting to tax Dish customers on programming that’s losing viewers, tax Dish customers on programming available for free over the air and tax Dish customers for content available directly from CBS.”

“Our customers are clear: they don’t want to pay a CBS tax. It’s regrettable and unnecessary that CBS is bringing its greed into the homes of millions of families this Thanksgiving.”