ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the contract expiration with DISH approaches, Tegna Inc., one of the nation's largest local station owners, is demanding a massive increase to nearly a billion dollars in fees for its programming and is using viewers as a bargaining chip in their negotiations.

In the early 2000's, broadcasters like Tegna began charging cable and satellite companies to deliver their "free" local station signals to the public. This new revenue stream for broadcasters totaled a few million dollars in 2006, but has grown to over $12 billion dollars today. Free local programming has effectively become a multi-billion-dollar industry.

"Businesses should have the opportunity to be profitable, but there's a big difference between running a profitable business and taking blatant advantage of consumers," said Brian Neylon, group president, DISH TV. "Tegna is demanding an unreasonable fee increase — an increase the programmer knows will directly impact its viewers."

DISH's agreement with Tegna Inc. could impact subscribers' access to local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CW and MTN stations across 52 U.S. cities. If Tegna does not come to a fair agreement with DISH before the contract expires, it will take its channels away from subscribers across the nation.

"There is still time to reach an agreement with Tegna that is fair for all parties involved, especially our customers," said Neylon. "As many Americans look forward to tuning in to football games this fall, and stay aware of the latest health and safety news, we hope Tegna sees how important it is to come to a deal that is beneficial for all."

About DISH
DISH Network Corporation is a connectivity company. Since 1980, it has served as a disruptive force, driving innovation and value on behalf of consumers. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers with its satellite DISH TV and streaming SLING TV services. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation's first cloud-native, Open RAN-based 5G broadband network. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.

SOURCE DISH Network Corporation