Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — KUTV was back on DISH Network on Wednesday after going dark the day before, but KSL-TV's signal on DirecTV remains blacked out.
Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns KUTV, announced it has reached an agreement in principle with DISH Network to the carry the company's broadcast television stations.
Inquiries to KUTV were referred to its owner, Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group, which did not respond for comment.
DISH, the second-largest U.S. satellite TV company, said in a statement that 129 Sinclair stations in 36 states and the District of Columbia were pulled from its service Tuesday. DISH called it "the largest local channel blackout in the history of television."
DISH and Sinclair had agreed on fees to carry its TV stations but the broadcaster was holding out to try to negotiate a carriage agreement for a cable channel it does not yet own, DISH said in a statement.
"Sinclair rejected our extension offer and has chosen to use innocent consumers as pawns to gain leverage for the economic benefit of Sinclair, while causing substantial harm and disruption to the lives of consumers," said Warren Schlichting, Dish's senior vice president of programming.
DISH filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission on Aug. 15 urging it to intervene to protect consumers from Sinclair's actions.
Meantime, talks between KSL-TV and DirecTV are continuing.
While I don't speak for DirecTV, I think it's fair to say that both sides would like this to come to a resolution soon and both would like to see KSL back on DirecTV. We are certainly working to that end.
–KSL General Manager Tanya Vea
"While I don't speak for DirecTV, I think it's fair to say that both sides would like this to come to a resolution soon and both would like to see KSL back on DirecTV. We are certainly working to that end," said KSL General Manager Tanya Vea.
After months of negotiations and several contract extensions, the two companies haven't reached an agreement to keep the station as part of the satellite giant's programming.
AT&T bought DirecTV last month, making it the largest pay TV provider in the U.S. and the world.
Although both KSL and KUTV were blacked out, the disputes with DirecTV and DISH Network, respectively, are different.
Cable and satellite companies charge their customers for the right to include local stations as part of their programming packages.
KSL contends DirectTV is refusing to pay current market value rates, which are significantly lower than rates they already pay to other channels with smaller audiences. DirecTV argues that Bonneville International wants Salt Lake subscribers to pay almost three times as much just to keep the same KSL shows they've always had.
