Des Moines station, others, taken off Dish lineup

[ThunderRoad]

From the Des Moines Register:

The signals of WOI-TV in central Iowa and three other Midwest television stations owned by Citadel Communications Co. were scheduled to disappear from the Dish Network lineup at midnight.

Ray Cole, president of Citadel Communications, said negotiations over a new "carriage agreement" between Citadel and Dish Network broke down over the amount of money Dish Network would pay Citadel for carrying broadcasts of WOI-TV in Des Moines, KCAU-TV in Sioux City, KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Neb., and WHBF-TV in the Quad Cities. WHBF is a CBS affiliate. The other stations are ABC affiliates.

"We find it unfortunate for our viewers and their subscribers," said Cole.

Citadel made a proposal for a new carriage agreement more than two months ago, Cole said.

"Our proposal went 60 days without a response," he said. "It's only been in the past 10 days that we've been in any serious negotiations."

Francie Bauer, spokesman for Dish Network Corp. in Englewood, Colo., said the company doesn't comment on its negotiations.

"It's not us pulling their signal, it's them pulling their signal so we can't retransmit that signal," Bauer said.

Cole declined to say what each side was offering in the negotiations, citing "a strict confidentiality agreement."

"We made a fair and reasonable offer," he said. "The ball is in their court."

[Silly Burrito]

Sounds like Baton Rouge. Dish is having a showdown with WBRZ, our local ABC affiliate, and it's been off the air for 4 months or so. Good thing that I have an antenna and can pick up the OTA feed, but it's annoying paying full price for locals and not getting them. They could at least keep the guide data for OTA channels.

[Michael P]

Sounds like Baton Rouge. Dish is having a showdown with WBRZ, our local ABC affiliate, and it's been off the air for 4 months or so. Good thing that I have an antenna and can pick up the OTA feed, but it's annoying paying full price for locals and not getting them. They could at least keep the guide data for OTA channels.In the past, when there has been a contract dispute that resulted in a network affilliate getting pulled off Dish, you got a partial credit on your bill. If you have not gotten a partial credit on your billthe past 4 months, call Dish and ask for it. Dish cannot charge you for something they can't deliver.

So you say the OTA EPG dissappeared too?

[jclewter79]

I live in a partial market you should be getting $1 or $1.50 off per month for that missing channel.

[grog]

I moved here from West Des Moines so I feel your pain.

Still OTA is a good option:

See:

http://www.woi-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8768554

http://www.kcci.com/news/17069746/detail.html?rss=des&psp=news

[compubit]

Lincoln may not get that credit, since the market has 2 ABC affiliates:

KLKN/8 out of Lincoln (Citadel), and
KHGI/13 out of Kearney (Pappas)

Jim

[gopherscot]

I live in the Quad Citiesand have lost out CBS channel 4 (WHBF). Get the same thing with the guide data showing the dispute. Since I get OTA HD locals I wish they would at least show normal channel display in the guide. My SD is with Dish and my HD is OTA and both show the same thing on the guide. I surehope this gets over quick ... unlike Baton Rouge.

[stadt11]

** DES MOINES Needs Your Help **

Anyone & everyone... Please call this # 515-457-9645 ext. 127. Voice your concerns with WOI President & General Manager Ray Cole.

Even if you're not from Iowa, the more complaints/concerns that he hears the better!

http://www.fairsatellite.com/abcDM.shtml

WOI is imposing an unreasonable rate increase and DishNetwork does not want this increase to impact their customers.

WOI News Sucks! Nobody watches their station other than scheduled programming!

We need your help! Please call, it is greatly appreciated!

[jimborst]

** DES MOINES Needs Your Help **

Anyone & everyone... Please call this # 515-457-9645 ext. 127. Voice your concerns with WOI President & General Manager Ray Cole.

Even if you're not from Iowa, the more complaints/concerns that he hears the better!

http://www.fairsatellite.com/abcDM.shtml

WOI is imposing an unreasonable rate increase and DishNetwork does not want this increase to impact their customers.

WOI News Sucks! Nobody watches their station other than scheduled programming!

We need your help! Please call, it is greatly appreciated!

Just last week I emailed Mr. Cole, the KCAU general manager , and the guy at Dish that was in the video that Dish had up on the channel. They need to be contacted alot. BTW, WOI is not the only station in this fight, KCAU in Sioux City and the ABC in Lincoln, NE are also affected.

[blooker68]

There are few times when local broadcasters have not been the enemy. However, they are pure sweetness and light when compared to cable companies.

[Jon Ellis]

The affected stations are WHBF (CBS) in the Quad Cities, WOI (ABC) in Des Moines, KCAU (ABC) in Sioux City, and KLKN (ABC) in Lincoln.

Losing KLKN doesn't hurt DISH customers because Lincoln is a rare market that has a second, separately-owned ABC affiliate (KHGI) which is still available, and CBS affiliate KOLN has dominated news coverage in Lincoln for decades.

[dodadish]

KLKN had the Simpsons on Saturday evenings. KHGI don't... Should I get a refund??:D

[jimborst]

It looks like the agreement has been reached!!! The stations are in the uplink report and on KCAU there is a "KCAU off air" slate instead of the Dish Network slate at this time 3:00 am CDT. KCAU's website and statement: http://www.kcautv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8962096

[Parp]

KLKN in Lincoln is back on.