• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
MENUMENU
  • About
  • Send News Tips

Media Moves

Covering Latinos in the Media Industry

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
  • Send News Tips
  • People
  • TV & Radio
  • Programming
  • Print
  • Digital
  • Job Board
  • Archives

DISH sues over NBCU/ Telemundo blackout threat

March 16, 2016 by Veronica Villafañe

DISH-NBCU-TelemundoA Telemundo/NBC Universo blackout on DISH potentially scheduled to start this weekend may not happen, after all. That’s because DISH filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against NBC Universal yesterday.

NBC Universal, in negotiations over retransmission fees for weeks, on Monday launched a public campaign against DISH, urging viewers to call the satcaster to demand to keep the company’s networks on the air. In addition to multiple video commercials, NBC Universal set up a website calling subscribers to “STOP THE DROP!”

According to the DISH lawsuit, contractual agreements prohibit NBCU “from engaging in certain public communications and/or messaging that relate to the expiration of these agreements.”

DISH argues NBCU’s commercials and website messages “cause actual harm to DISH. Among other things, DISH’s subscribers flood DISH’s customer services lines with questions about the NBCU messages, some subscribers cancel their DISH subscriptions, and DISH’s goodwill as a reliable service provider is eroded.”

DISH has stated it will file for binding arbitration to block NBCUniversal from following through with its threat to pull the feeds of all of its networks and broadcast stations.

“Under the conditions imposed by the FCC and Department of Justice in approving the Comcast-NBCUniversal merger, NBC is forbidden from blacking out its networks if a pay-TV provider chooses, in its sole discretion, to exercise its right for binding arbitration. Regulators implemented these conditions to prevent Comcast and NBC from harming consumers and competition.

“In the event of arbitration, affected programming would remain available during that process, and for the foreseeable future.”

In response, NBCU has issued this statement: “Should Dish proceed with arbitration we will of course participate in the process, and look forward to receiving the fair market value for our portfolio of networks.”

Univision has been in a retransmission battle of its own with AT&T Uverse. On March 4, the network went dark on U-verse for 5 days.

The blackout was lifted in a temporary deal to air the Democratic debate. Since then, both companies have extended access to Univision’s signal until March 17 at 1 am while negotiations are ongoing.

Related

Filed Under: Programming, TV & Radio Tagged With: DISH, NBC Universal, Telemundo

Primary Sidebar

Veronica Villafañe, Editor & Publisher

Emmy award-winning journalist and former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). Currently a reporter for Voice of America, she has worked as an on-air reporter, anchor, writer and producer for Spanish and English-language TV, print and online media, including Univision, Telemundo, Fox 11 News in L.A. and the San Jose Mercury News.

Hispanic media and entertainment contributor to Forbes.

Full bio here

Related

Leonardo Feldman

Leonardo Feldman does cross-over to English as Newsmax correspondent

April 9, 2021

Sandra ONeill - Dunia Elvir - Alejandra Ortiz

Telemundo 52 changes its weekday news anchor lineup

April 8, 2021

Yaimee Bell

Telemundo Las Vegas hires Yaimeé Bell

April 6, 2021

Tampa Hoy WFLA

WFLA launches Spanish-language newscast Noticias Tampa Hoy

April 5, 2021

Edgardo Sanabria

Edgardo Sanabria named assistant news director at KTDO

April 2, 2021

Secondary Sidebar

Media Moves is a mission-driven digital publication aimed at raising the visibility of Latinos in the media. Since its inception in 2007, the site has covered thousands of stories. To keep moving forward, we need your help. That’s why we launched a crowdfunding campaign.

Learn more about why Media Moves needs your support here.

You can contribute to the campaign clicking the button below.

SUPPORT MEDIA MOVES

Related

Get the week’s stories in your inbox. The Media Moves Wrap newsletter is sent Friday mornings.
SUBSCRIBE

Related

FOLLOW US

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Copyright © 2021 Media Moves · All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy