Attention Dish Subscribers FAQ
DISH FAQs
1. What is happening?
By law, KYMA and CBS 13 must negotiate carriage agreements with satellite companies like DISH. Usually, these deals are reached without any disruption to your service. In fact, our company has negotiated dozens of agreements with only the rarest of disruptions. Unfortunately, so far, DISH has refused to negotiate a fair deal that recognizes the value customers place on KYMA and CBS 13 programming and services. Because KYMA and CBS 13 has yet to reach a deal with DISH, you will lose live access to the shows, sports and local news on KYMA and CBS 13, which you rely on and are paying for. We are continuing to negotiate with DISH, but DISH has refused to agree to reasonable terms for the valuable programming we provide.
2. As a DISH customer, what can I do to continue to watch my favorite shows on KYMA and CBS 13?
The best thing viewers can do is Call DISH at 1-800-333-3474. Tell DISH that you pay them a lot of money to watch your favorite shows on KYMA and CBS 13, including local news and “The Voice”.
3. Why does KYMA and CBS 13 charge cable and satellite operators a fee to carry their programming?
Despite what you may have heard, this dispute is not about KYMA and CBS 13 seeking large fees. KYMA and CBS 13 are among the highest rated channels on DISH. Producing and broadcasting high rated, top-quality programming is very expensive. We invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in our local news, weather, and emergency programming. To keep doing that, we need a fair deal from DISH and all our distributors.
4. What is a “fair” deal for KYMA and CBS 13 programming and why is DISH refusing to pay it?
We have carriage agreements with every other major cable and satellite company that is carrying KYMA and CBS 13 and are seeking to be treated fairly by DISH. Based on publicly available information, DISH pays over $6 per subscriber per month for ESPN. In other words, $6 from your monthly bill goes straight to ESPN. Our ratings are much higher than ESPN’s! Yet, we would agree to far less than what DISH pays to ESPN. More importantly, ESPN has NO local programming, NO local employees, NO local investments, and a very small local audience – unlike KYMA and CBS 13.
5. Won't rates to subscribers go up if DISH has to pay KYMA and CBS 13?
Whether rates go up depends on decisions made by DISH. Like all cable and satellite companies, DISH is already charging you to receive KYMA and CBS 13 as part of your monthly bill. We do not control how much DISH pays to other channels or how it manages its business. DISH should stop over-paying for channels its customers watch less and prioritize channels like KYMA and CBS 13, that its subscribers turn to every day. We have and will continue to negotiate with DISH in good faith in an effort to successfully complete a deal with them.
6. Since DISH stopped carrying KYMA and CBS 13, will I get a refund on my bill?
It is up to DISH to resolve such questions with its customers. But, you could call DISH at 1-800-333-3474 about a refund and let them know you are no longer getting what you pay for -- your favorite programming from KYMA and CBS 13.
7. Is there anything the public can do to help make sure that KYMA and CBS 13 is back on DISH?
The best way for you to encourage a resolution is to register your support of how important it is for them to carry KYMA and CBS 13 by calling DISH at 800-333-3474. You pay DISH a lot of money. It will listen to your voices.
You can also view KYMA and CBS 13 Over the Air with an over the air antenna available at retail. Or you can contact any number of other providers that are committed to providing you with all the programming you watch every day:
DIRECTV: 1-888-777-2454 or www.directv.com
Charter/Spectrum Cable: 1-833-694-9256 or 1-855-243-8892 or http://www.spectrum.com
Regardless, we will continue to work hard to try and get a successful outcome to this negotiation so that you regain live access to any of your favorite programming, but the ball remains in DISH’s court to step-up like all of their competitors and peers have done.