Media General completed its merger with New Young Broadcasting Holding on Nov. 12, a deal that increased the number of its owned and operated stations to 31, and could possibly be a catalyst in resolving a months-long carriage dispute with Dish Network.
Media General's 18 stations in 17 markets went dark to Dish subscribers on Oct. 1 after the two parties could not reach a retransmission consent agreement. Dish already had an existing retrans agreement with Young's 12 broadcast stations and had offered to carry the former Media General stations under the Young deal. Media General declined that offer.
Dish had tried to block the merger to force Media General's hand, but the Federal Communications Commission denied Dish's request and approved the deal on Nov. 8.
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