Cox Media Group Calls on DISH to Begin Negotiating in Good Faith
03 December 2022 - 1:12PM
Cox Media Group (CMG) today again called on DISH to return CMG’s TV
stations to its platform and begin negotiating in good faith toward
a fair-market deal. CMG is also demanding that DISH stop making
false and misleading claims about the negotiations and CMG.
CMG’s statement comes just days after the company
sent a cease-and-desist letter to DISH demanding that it retract
and refrain from more misleading statements and claims.
“DISH’s latest statement, like the ones before it,
is filled with false claims. DISH aims to distract because the
truth is in plain sight. All DISH has to do to restore CMG’s
stations to the air is accept the no-strings-attached extension
proposal CMG made before DISH’s unilateral blackout,” said Paul
Curran, EVP of TV for CMG.
“With respect to a renewal deal, we’re simply
asking DISH to agree to the industry-standard provisions they’ve
previously agreed to, and operated under with us, for many years,”
Curran continued. ”That includes general terms and license fees
consistent with the market and what DISH’s competitors have agreed
to for the valuable news, sports and programming our stations
provide to their customers. We once again call on DISH to restore
CMG’s market-leading stations while CMG negotiates in good faith
toward a contract renewal.”
In addressing specific new additional false claims
made by DISH, CMG pointed out that it never sought to negotiate for
stations it didn’t own. CMG also emphasized that it repeatedly
asked for deadline extensions during the negotiation so that the
two sides could continue discussions and keep CMG’s stations – and
the programming DISH’s customers want – on the air. Those repeated
requests were denied, and DISH ultimately pulled CMG’s stations off
the air before CMG’s contract with DISH had even expired.
“We are once again calling on DISH to stop its
compulsion to issue false claims and instead join us in reaching a
resolution,” Curran said.
DISH customers who are frustrated by DISH’s latest
stunt to deprive them of vital programming should switch TV
providers now. All CMG stations are available on other major TV
providers. DISH customers should contact DISH today at
1-800-333-3474 to make their voices heard and urge DISH to put
CMG’s stations back on the air now.
About Cox Media GroupCMG Media
Corporation (d/b/a Cox Media Group) is an industry-leading media
company with unparalleled brands, award-winning content, and
exceptional team members. CMG provides valuable local and national
journalism and entertainment content to the people and communities
it serves. The company's businesses encompass 14 high-quality,
market-leading television brands in 9 markets; 52 top-performing
radio stations delivering multiple genres of content in 11 markets;
a Washington, DC news bureau; and numerous streaming and digital
platforms. CMG's TV portfolio includes multiple primary affiliates
of ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV, as well as
several valuable news and independent stations. For more
information about CMG, visit www.coxmediagroup.com.
Media
inquiries:CMGMediaRelations@cmg.com