Pappas Resolves DISH Dispute

The dispute between Pappas Telecasting Companies and EchoStar Communications which threatened to remove FOX affiliate KPTM and WB affiliate KXVO from DISH Network subscribers in Omaha and several other markets has been resolved.

Pappas warned viewers earlier this week that as of Friday, DISH customers in Omaha would no longer have access to programming on KPTM and KXVO because EchoStar failed to negotiate a renewal of DISH's local carriage agreement.

But today, Pappas announced it had reached a long-term agreement with DISH Network to continue the carriage of Pappas stations in Omaha and 10 other markets. The agreement, which is for a period of five years, means nearly two million DISH subscribers who currently receive the signals of Pappas stations via DISH's Direct Broadcast Satellite service will continue to receive the stations.

As part of the agreement, Pappas said The CW network affiliate KCWL/Lincoln, operated together with the Omaha World-Herald, and Pappas' Azteca America affiliate KAZR/Reno, will be added to DISH’s local channel package beginning Feb. 1.

Additionally, KUNO-TV, a sister station to KTNC/San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, will be added to DISH's Local Channel lineup in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose and the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto Designated Market Areas when separate programming is initiated on KUNO-TV.

"We appreciate the fact that DISH has recognized the value of our stations to their subscribers," said Harry J. Pappas, Chairman and CEO of Pappas Telecasting. "We have reached an agreement that contains all of the economic terms that we had been seeking. We are extremely happy for the sake of our viewers that this matter has been resolved amicably and in a timely fashion. The support of our viewers made the difference in the last twenty-four hours; we thank them one and all."