Dish Network has restored dozens of local television stations owned or operated by Gray Media after both sides reached a new distribution agreement covering those channels, the companies announced on Friday.
The deal resolves a carriage dispute that started in March, after Dish Network allegedly made an unusual demand to Gray Media that was substantially different from the broadcasters’ other distribution agreements, the company said at the time.
Gray Media declined to say what that unusual demand was when asked by The Desk for more information, but pointed to Dish Network’s history of engaging in disputes with other broadcast TV station owners over the past few years. Those disputes have increased in frequency and length after broadcasters began charging more money for their channels — fees that cable, satellite and streaming cable-like services pass along to subscribers in their monthly bills.
Financial terms of the new carriage agreement were not disclosed. Amy Maclean, the editorial director of CFX (formerly Cablefax), was the first to report on the deal.
Less clear is whether the deal resolves a complaint filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in April that accused Dish Network of offering some of its business subscribers access to at least one Gray Media-owned TV station while the dispute was in play. The complaint came after a senior Gray Media executive noticed the channel was available in his hotel room during a business trip, and learned from hotel employees that Dish Network was their TV provider. Marketing materials reviewed by The Desk show Dish Network offers hospitality businesses a solution that commingles its satellite TV channels with local broadcast stations.
Separately, Gray Media announced on Friday the completion of a $171 million transaction to acquire 10 local TV stations from Allen Media Group, which is selling off assets in order to pay down debt. Earlier in the week, Gray also closed on a deal to swap several stations with the E. W. Scripps Company, creating new market duopolies in communities where both broadcasters already owned at least one local TV outlet. The FCC approved the transfer of TV station licenses in both cases.
