Eleven Local Markets See Dish Blackout in Retrans Talks Loggerheads

Eleven Cordillera Communications local channels in eight states were blacked out on Dish Network as part of stalemated retransmission negotiations, Dish said in a news release Thursday. Dish said Cordillera is seeking "above-market rate increases double the current Dish rate" and using the blackout of the NFL Wild Card playoff games scheduled Saturday and Sunday as leverage. “With Dish willing to grant an extension and a retroactive true-up on rates, Cordillera had nothing to lose and consumers had everything to gain by leaving the channels up,” said Warren Schlichting, Dish executive vice president-programming, in a statement. In its statement, Cordillera said Dish "has refused to reach a fair, market-based agreement ... even as we offer terms similar to those of existing agreements with every other cable and satellite provider."