Baton Rouge Temperature: 50°
  SEARCH:    GO    2theadvocate    Classifieds    Advocate Archives
Monday, May 12, 2008

WBRZ No Longer On DISH Network

  • WBRZ Press Release
  • Published: May 1, 2008 - UPDATED: 3:02 p.m.

As of midnight, April 30, 2008, WBRZ will no longer be available on DISH Network's local channel lineup. WBRZ continues to negotiate with DISH Network in good faith, hoping to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible.

The relationship between WBRZ and the Dish Network began to deteriorate in the Fall of 2007, when WBRZ realized that fees collected from Baton Rouge subscribers were not paid to the station since the inception of Dish Network’s local-into-local service which was May of 2006. That was in violation of the carriage agreement.

When the contract expired in March of 2007, WBRZ insisted that the Dish Network be more attentive to business practices and to bring the level of compensation to less than 5% of what they collect from their subscribers for the local broadcast signals. WBRZ requested less than a penny a day versus the twenty cents a day they collect from local subscribers in the Baton Rouge market. Dish Network believes the content, news, weather, sports and ABC Television Network seen exclusively on WBRZ is valued at 2% of what they collect for local TV stations. WBRZ recognizes this as a terrible oversight to the value WBRZ brings to the Dish Network line up of networks.

Since Dish Network already charges customers $5.99 a month for the local service, the 20 cents WBRZ requests should have no effect on the monthly bill. It would, however, have a minimal effect on Dish Network’s profits which were up significantly in the last two years.

Dish subscribers may continue to receive the WBRZ analog and digital signals, free of charge, with an antenna. The WBRZ high-definition signal is also available through other cable services. Viewers may also receive the analog signal with DirecTV.

WBRZ apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause our viewers who choose to continue subscribing to the Dish Network service. WBRZ is open to your comments. To contact us, please call us at 225-336-2225 or email us at dish@wbrz.com.

If you wish to speak to DISH Network, you may contact it at 1-888-284-7116. You can send Dish Network comments directly to ceoofdishnetwork@dishnetwork.com.

For more information, visit our FAQs on this matter.


Comments (12)
Jilliane Duplessis
Thursday, May 01, 2008
8:27 PM

From what I have read it sound's as if WBRZ is looking for a fair cut, fair IS fair, but there must be a point where you can both sleep at night knowing the right thing has been done. Both Dish and WBRZ say that a resolve should be in the work's here soon, but I'm thinking the he said/she said talk isn't helping. How do I feel about this situation? Well to be frank, I have never had this problem with WAFB.
Frank E. Hopkins
Monday, May 05, 2008
4:37 PM

I think this is a petty thing for both wbrz and dish. wbrz nor dish is concerned about their loyal customers, both say it's just a matter of pennies on both sides, I will just set back and see who is really concerned about their customers or if it's just an old fashion pissing contest. I am willing to pay either one their measley 20 cents. I and my children have been watching wbrz for over 40 years. This is buisiness only, not customer related!!, Shame on both (greedy) parties
Tommy T
Monday, May 05, 2008
6:00 PM

Myself and about 21 other members of the family all religiously subscribe to DISH Network. They have by far, the best service and DVR as many of us have switched to them from other providers and are very happy with our current service. Many of us also watch ABC and feel its programming is much better TV then the competitors. However, until you guys resolve this silly problem we all will be watching either NBC, FOX, or CBS. The DISH is already installed in all of our homes like many other Baton Rouge residents, and its complicated nor do we want to switch, making it way easier just to watch another station. Because of this, WBRZ is the party that will lose customers until this is resolved, not DISH.
Peggy
Monday, May 05, 2008
7:01 PM

I have listened to both sides and it seems to me the bottom line is who gets the most money - all at the expense of the consumer, not to mention the businesses who have paid for advertising on WBRZ and their advertisements are not being seen or heard by the subscribers of DISH. If I were those business owners I would be calling WBRZ & telling them I'm taking my business elsewheres. I agree with Mr. Hopkins - "shame on both (greedy) parties!!!"
John
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
7:46 AM

I say more power to ya WBRZ - We don't watch your news and the only ABC show we watch is LOST. As far as me and my family is concerned, the HD internet download we got last week for LOST is far superior to the crappy signal you upload to Dish. Stand your ground WBRZ, be the people of courage that I know the Manships are and I will continue to watch the other networks anyway.
Tiffany
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
1:42 PM

IWe have had DISH now for about 18 months and LOVE the service we have, I am VERY disappointed in both DISH and WBRZ because I feel that they are fighting each other and in the mean time your customers are the being published. I hope that DISH and WBRZ will come to some kind of agreement soon. This is just plain crazy. I too agree with Mr. Hopkins, Shame on you BOTH for forgeting about your customers and being Greedy.
BJ
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
2:48 PM

ABC is my favorite local channel and DISH is the best network. Im not changing my DISH so I hope WBRZ and DISH can resolve this soon. Please.
John
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
8:46 PM

This is not the only place this is going on, Your sister ABC station in Shreveport, KTBS, has been off the air with Dish Network since Jan 1st, As of today they are still off the air. Warning, Dish seams to get away with doing what they want to as far as the programing and charging what they want... I have worked for both Dish and Direct Tv, and would recommend that anyone thinking of getting a dish would go with Direct Tv, but only as the lesser of 2 evils... I had Direct when I worked for Dish Network because I liked it better and kept it even though I could of have got a deal with Dish.. Good Luck WBRZ, hope you can get this worked out....
Travis
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
8:05 AM

Just pick the signal up with antenna it's free and in HD. Most of the newer DishNetwork receivers even have built in over the air tuners. If you don't have one, apply for your $40 coupons from the government and pick up a tuner at RadioShack for $20. You'll be watching the best quality local stations you've ever seen since it is HD converted down to SD. But by all means if you have a newer HDTV with a tuner, hook up a simple antenna to it and hit scan, you'd really be surprised. Or you can do what other folks do, change your DishNetwork service address to another market such as New Orleans for SD locals or Birmingham, AL for HD locals.
Glen Warner
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
2:59 PM

Dish Net has ALWAYS had issues paying tv networks ie: Lifetime and ESPN. Dish net was also sued and LOST because they ripped off TIVO by using their software. Dish net is not a company I recommend, I sell both DIRECTV and DISH NET here in Baton Rouge. People who have DISH NET know about the loss of the Lifetime network last year and the TIVO lawsuit, why be surprised with ABC?
gerald
Thursday, May 08, 2008
3:50 PM

WHEN WBRZ WAS ASKED "ARE YOU ASKING FOR A 100% INCREASE IN COST" THEY SAID "THEY WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THAT ISSUE" READ IT, IT'S ON WBRZ'S SITE. THEY ARE ASKING FOR A LARGE INCREASE IN COST. WE LOVE WBRZ, BUT NOT 100% MORE NOW THAN LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME.
Marcel Dupre
Friday, May 09, 2008
1:57 PM

We have been dish customers since moving to Baton Rouge from New Orleans in 1996. Our dish DVR is awesome and we have lots invested in them already in time and money. It seems to me that the Manships and Dish could arrive at a compromise somewhere between the 10 and 20 cent figure that they are arguing over quickly enough to allow the consumers to be able to see our ABC programming without interruption. Do we need to lobby congress to allow for non-local ABC affiliates signal to be received by satellite customers so we can get an HD ABC broadcast from NY or LA and just forget about local ABC programming altogether? Is this what Dish and WBRZ would prefer? I do not appreciate being a hostage in the middle of a 10 cent dispute!
ADVERTISEMENTS
PROMOTIONS


Dish Network

2theadvocate.com Ticket Giveaway - Alicia Keys

WBRZ CHANNEL 2


 
Envelope icon Have a question, comment, news tip or story idea? Click here to give us some feedback.