Earlier today, Sinclair released a statement, saying that DISH Network will likely drop 112 Sinclair-owned channels as the two companies have been unable to agree to carriage terms with an August 16 deadline coming up.
DISH has now released its own statement in response, pointing the blame at the media company and claiming that Sinclair is demanding “an unreasonable fee increase, using millions of Americans as pawns in its negotiations.”
“Sinclair is demanding DISH pay nearly a billion dollars in fees for their television channels — a massive increase from what we pay for these same channels today despite declining viewership,” said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV. “Sinclair is making these outrageous demands, turning its back on its public interest obligation and putting customers in the middle of its negotiations.”
“There is still time to reach an agreement with Sinclair that is fair for all parties involved, especially our customers,” added Neylon. “We will continue to fight on behalf of DISH customers to keep TV bills as low as possible. Despite the fact that Sinclair has walked away from the table multiple times, we stand ready to negotiate in good faith.”
DISH customers can visit DISHPromise.com for more information.