KTVN in Negotiations with DISH

Here we go again. They want more money. DISH has until 11PM on January 8th to please Frankly Media and Sarkes Tarzian, Inc. I don't have time at the moment, but when I return I'll type up what the commercial reads. The commercial has a blue background and a narrator reading the white text. They went all out to convince the DMA they are worth more by throwing together, I mean producing, such a high quality commercial.

Thankfully the blackout won't affect me in the slightest, except for a higher bill.

 

Here is verbatim what the commercial says. Again, blue background and a narrator reading the white text that is scrolling upward.

Attention Dish Network Satellite TV subscribers:

KTVN and DISH have been negotiating a new carriage agreement. We are hopeful a new agreement will be reached, but, unfortunately, the negotiations appear to have reached an impasse and our contract with DISH has expired.

We have granted DISH an extension through January 8th. If you are a DISH subscriber we want to make you aware that if we are unable to reach a new agreement, as of 11PM January 8th, KTVN's top-rated programs including CBS, the NFL and Channel 2 News will no longer be available via the Dish satellite TV service.

We are asking DISH to pay KTVN a small fraction of what DISH pays for other significantly less popular program services. In fact, for much less popular programming, DISH pays four times what KTVN is asking for its highly rated programming.

We will keep you informed of the status of the negotiations. KTVN will, of course, continue to be available free, over the air, and also through local cable companies and through DIRECTV satellite service. Please plan accordingly.

 

It is now after 11 PM on January 8th and KTVN is still on DISH. Up to this point they ran several commercials and crawlers with the previously mentioned text. Now they are dead quiet about the status of the carriage agreement negotiations. Starting at 10:59 PM I recorded KTVN for 3 hours and then scanned the recording, nothing. Not a peep on-air. However, there is one small mention of DISH in the "Headlines" section of the KTVN website that was last updated on January 8th at 5:21 PM that says the following:

DISH Subscriber Information Guide

KTVN and the DISH Network have been in extensive negotiations over several weeks for continued carriage of KTVN’s CBS programming on the DISH satellite service.

11:00 p.m. Monday January 11th is now the deadline to complete a new agreement between KTVN and Dish satellite TV service. Significant progress in negotiations for continued carriage of KTVN’s CBS programming on the DISH satellite service has led to this positive action.

To be clear, there will be no disruption of KTVN’s CBS programming before 11:00 p.m. Monday January 11th 2016. The NFL Playoff game will be carried without disruption on Saturday January 9th.

It is our hope that continued negotiations will lead to a new agreement and that any disruption in carriage can be avoided. Watch this web page as we will use it to keep you informed of the progress of the negotiations. Thank you for watching KTVN and thank you for your support.
It seems that when the negotiations had "reached an impasse" and the "contract with DISH [had] expired" KTVN aired daily several commercials and crawlers over "top-rated programs", but now everyone has to go and find a link on their website for the status of the negotiations. I guess it was too much to expect that the same method that they used up until the deadline would be again used to inform their viewers after the deadline.

Since KTVN is the one in control of the deadline and with that update getting posted 5 hours beforehand, they had plenty of time to throw together, I mean produce, the same high quality commercial they made last time. Although, the deadline did fall on a Friday and the update was made after 5 PM. Still, they could have made the commercial days before since they knew when the next deadline would happen. Maybe something will be thrown together, I mean produce, on Monday.

What is more likely is that they didn't want to burn another commercial slot for their needs and lose ad revenue. And like what a lot of stations do these days instead providing on-air updates they direct people to their website or worse, use the social media excuse.

On the Blowgun Scale of 1-5, with 5 being the worst, at this time I give KTVN 2 darts in the neck.

 

In case anyone is interested, here is the DISH FAQ from KTVN:

• Why has DISH threatened to stop retransmitting KTVN’s signal and CBS’ programming?
  The contract for carriage of KTVN by DISH expired on December 19th —but KTVN has given DISH an extension, which expires at 11pm on January 8th, in the hope that negotiations for a new carriage contract will eventually be successful.
  
  
• Why is DISH threatening to stop carrying KTVN and CBS?
  DISH has refused to pay KTVN a fair price and agree to other reasonable terms for the right to resell KTVN’s CBS signal to its subscribers.
  
  
• But isn’t DISH only trying to hold down the price it pays KTVN to have CBS in its line up and, in turn, keep down the price it charges its subscribers?
  It is, of course, appropriate for DISH to minimize the price it pays for all programming. However, DISH, reportedly, pays some program companies about four times more for less popular program services than the price we are asking for KTVN and its more popular CBS programming. In fact, DISH, a multi-billion dollar company, is basically demanding that KTVN subsidize its operations to enable it to pay more for other programming services with whom KTVN directly competes. It would be irresponsible for us to subsidize DISH’s cost of operation and grant it the special financial benefits it is demanding.
  
  
• But aren’t you just asking DISH for more money to enhance your profits?
  No. The price we have to pay CBS and all of our program suppliers for highly rated sports and entertainment programming has been driven up significantly because pay TV companies like DISH are paying program suppliers higher rates in competition with us to try to buy the best programs as well.
  
  
• The upshot though is that DISH will raise rates for its subscribers if it pays you more, will it not?
  No. DISH does not have to raise its subscriber rates in order to pay us a fair and competitive market rate for our programming. DISH could—and should—simply pay less for the less popular channels that it buys and then forces you, as a subscriber, to buy—many of which you do not watch and would not buy if DISH gave you a choice.
  
  
• Will DISH reduce our monthly bill if it is no longer offering KTVN and CBS?
  It should, of course. But that is DISH’s decision; we have no control over it—you might want to ask DISH.
  
  
• Is DISH’s offer to KTVN for CBS consistent with today’s market rates for broadcast stations?
  No. DISH’s offer is significantly below what its competitors pay for the right to mark up the price they pay and resell KTVN’s programming. The rates we charge companies like DISH for the right to resell our programming are based on local competitive market conditions.
  
  
• So, as a DISH subscriber, how can I continue to receive KTVN and CBS and not miss my favorite program?
  You can receive KTVN free, over-the-air or you can cancel your satellite service from DISH and receive KTVN and its CBS programming and other program services from your local cable company, depending on where you live, or from the DIRECTV satellite service.
  
  
• What can I do to make sure DISH keeps KTVN and CBS on the satellite?
  We have told DISH that our executives are available to resolve the impasse and work to assure that its subscribers continue to have access to their favorite CBS sports, entertainment, local news, weather and public service programming from our Station. You may wish to express your concern to DISH and ask DISH to restore KTVN and CBS and treat all of us in this community fairly and equitably. We deeply regret the inconvenience DISH’s actions have caused.
  
  
  

Note: I had to trick the forum software to add spaces as it kept removing and/or making wrong modifications on its own, which I then had to repair. One dart to the neck of the forum software.

 

It's after 11 PM on January 11th and KTVN is still available through DISH Network. The above KTVN page that said to, "Watch this web page as we will use it to keep you informed of the progress of the negotiations" as of a few minutes ago returns a, "The page you requested is currently unavailable" type message. A search on the KTVN website turned up nothing. As of the time of this post, Google says the page was still available 16 hours ago.

 

These aren't the droids you're looking for....