Today DISH and Hearst announced that Hearst owned ABC, CBS, CW, and NBC stations have gone dark on DISH. This comes as the two sides fight over fees for the local channels.
“Hearst continues to raise its prices despite its declining viewership and lower-quality content,” said Gary Schanman, executive vice president and group president, video services, DISH Network. “Demanding higher rates for the same entertainment and news just doesn’t make sense, especially as Hearst’s content is widely available on other platforms. This hurts our customers in their pocketbooks and their ability to watch the programming and content they want. Unfortunately, Hearst, like many other programmers, expects DISH and our customers to foot the bill.”
DISh says Hearst is making unreasonable demands for its current channels.
“It’s a broken system. As programmers continue to hold distributors hostage, customers will end up being impacted the most. We’ll continue to negotiate for a fair deal to provide the best value for our customers,” added Schanman. “Hearst is an important long-term partner for us, and we hope they’ll come to a reasonable agreement and restore their channels for our customers as quickly as possible.”
Here are all the locals that went dark on DISH today:
Alburquerque, NM (KOAT), Baltimore, MD (WBAL), Birmingham, AL (WVTM), Boston, MA (WCVB & WMUR), Burlington, VT (WNNE & WPTZ),Cincinnati, OH (WLWT), Des Moines, IA (KCCI), Fort Myers, FL (WBBH), Fort Smith, AR (KHBS & KHBSD & KHOG), Greensboro, NC (WCWG & WXII), Greenville, SC (WYFF), Harrisburg, PA (WGAL), Jackson, MS (WAPT), Kansas City, MO (KCWE & KMBC), Louisville, KY (WLKY), Milwaukee, WI (WISN), Monterey, CA (KSBW & KSBWD), New Orleans, LA (WDSU), Oklahoma City, OK (KOCO), Omaha, NE (KETV), Orlando, FL (WESH & WKCF), Pittsburgh, PA (WTAE), Portland, ME (WMTW & WPXT), Sacramento, CA (KCRA & KQCA), Savannah, GA (WJCL), Tampa, FL (WMOR), West Palm Beach, FL (WPBF).
With this blackout DISH joins Spectrum, DIRECTV, and more who are all seeing major contract fights with locals.
Locals affected by this blackout can find these locals with an antenna or on these streaming services:
DIRECTV STREAM
- Price: Starts at $74.99/mo.
- Channels: 75+
- DVR: Unlimited
- Free Trial: 5 Days
Especially for those leaving DIRECTV Satellite, DIRECTV STREAM is one of the best streaming services if you’re looking for something with a wide range of channels and upgradability. Each plan includes unlimited and the Entertainment package, which is the base plan, you can stream over 75 channels for only $74.99 per month. Check out our full breakdown of DIRECTV STREAM to learn more details about the service.
New subscribers can take advantage of a 5-day free trial before subscribing.
Fubo
- Price: Starts at $74.99/mo.
- Channels: 140+
- DVR: 1000 hours
- Free Trial: 7 Days
If you’re a sports fan then Fubo might be the right streaming service for you. The Pro plan is their base plan and it includes over 140 channels and over 100 sporting events for the low price of $74.99 per month. Each plan from Fubo includes over 1000 hours of DVR space to record shows and events. Our full Fubo breakdown explores the various plans and features that are available with the service.
New subscribers can try Fubo for free for one week.
Hulu + Live TV
- Price: Starts at $69.99/mo.
- Channels: 85+
- DVR: Unlimited
- Free Trial: None
With over 85 channels and an expansive streaming library with thousands of titles, Hulu + Live TV is a great option to switch to for only $69.99 per month. The service offers unlimited access to the Hulu library, Disney+, and live sports on ESPN+ for no additional charge. Plus, you can enjoy and rewatch with unlimited DVR storage that stays in your library for up to 9 months. Take a look at our Hulu + Live TV breakdown to learn more.