Dispute Takes United Stations off Dish Network

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A contract dispute between Dish Network and United Communications Corp. has led to a blackout of stations in Mankato, Minn., and Watertown, New York.

The stations affected are KEYC-TV, a CBS affiliate and KEYC-DT2, a Fox affiliate, in Mankato and WWNY-TV (CBS), and WNYF-TV (Fox) in Watertown.

Both sides said financial terms had been agreed upon.

"This service disruption comes despite ongoing negotiations between the two parties in an effort to reach a new carriage agreement, Dish Network said in a statement. "Although Dish offered to accept the broadcaster's rates for continued carriage, United has refused Dish the legal right to carry these channels at this time."

United said financial terms were reached in July but that Dish was demanding it accept contract language that would violate copyrights for the programming we carry from various sources, including CBS and Fox.

"Wednesday Dish rejected our offer to continue under the terms of the existing agreement so DISH subscribers would be able to watch their local news and other programs," United VP Ken Dowdell said in a statement.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.