Scripps Stations Go Dark To Dish Subs

The television stations in 42 markets owned by The E.W. Scripps Co. are no longer accessible for Dish Network subscribers as attempts to reach a new contract with the satellite service have been unsuccessful.

“Without an agreement in place, Dish subscribers are now missing out on our stations’ essential news, weather and entertainment programming,” said Brian Lawlor, president of Local Media for Scripps. “Dish’s refusal to negotiate to a fair agreement is preventing its customers from accessing pressing news during a global pandemic, a period of social unrest, an active political year and severe weather season for many parts of our country.

“Our impasse, after five months of discussions, is not about the rates Dish pays us but their inability to agree on other distribution terms. We hope Dish will recognize the importance of our programming to its customers and our viewers and help us to resolve this dispute.”

Scripps said that since launching its first TV station in Cleveland in 1947, it “has never gone dark with a pay TV distributor, and the company is ready and able to make an agreement with Dish.”