KAIT Removed From Dish Network Programming As A Result Of Dispute
Local Dish Network customers have lost channels belonging to Raycom Media as a result of a contract dispute. Both sides blame the other in this battle that has been going on for months, the only loser in the matter is the customer.
In 2009, Direct TV customers faced the same type of disagreement with several of it’s purchased sports channels, during this time Dish Network Sub-Contractors made a large sales push in northeast Arkansas making claims of more programming including local channels that were not offered by it’s competitor, Direct TV. At the time, local channels such as KAIT and WMC of Memphis were not offered by Direct TV, Dish Network representatives made sure to point this out during their sales pitches in the area.
At midnight on August 1st, WMC and KAIT were both removed according to Dish Network because “Raycom Media is demanding an unreasonable rate increase to carry this channelâ€. KAIT claims to have similar agreements in place with all other cable and satellite providers in the area except Dish Network.
If you are like so many others who switched to DISH Network because of the claim of the only provider to have local channels, ask them now what happened to that agreement? The simple understanding is this, You the consumer pay your satellite provider, networks charge a premium for their channel to be on the satellite providers guide, if a disagreement comes up then you the consumer lose your programing and your bill does not go down! Sound fair? We think not….
Regardless of the finger pointing game, Dish Network, KAIT and WMC claim they want to provide you the consumer with the best local service available, not reaching an agreement is not providing the best local service available.