KCCI, DISH negotiation dispute leaves subscribers without CBS programming

KCCI is no longer available on DISH after its parent company failed to reach an agreement with the satellite provider to carry the CBS affiliate in Des Moines.

Isn't KCCI available for free? Why does it need to negotiate with DISH?

Hearst Television, KCCI's parent company, was negotiating a renewal of what's known as a transmission consent agreement. According to the station, satellite distributors are prohibited by law from carrying broadcaster's signals without their consent.

Therefore, Hearst and DISH needed to come to an agreement for KCCI and its other stations across the country to be offered on the satellite network. Disputes usually center around the amount of money providers must pay the broadcasters.

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Will KCCI still be available for DISH customers?

Due to an unsuccessful negotiation, KCCI will be removed from DISH network.

KCCI had previously warned customers, saying, "While we hope to conclude our negotiations before September 6th, so as not to deprive any of our respective viewers and customers of our programming, we want to advise our viewers and customers that the possibility of non-renewal of our current agreement exists."

In a news release Friday, the station said the agreement was originally set to expire on July 31, but was extended multiple times. The final extension ended at 1 p.m. central on Friday.

KCCI General Manager Brian Sather said DISH offered "below market rates," which the TV station did not consider fair or reasonable.

Dish accused Hearst of seeking tens of millions of dollars in rate increases as it makes more programming available elsewhere.

"Hearst continues to raise its prices despite its declining viewership and lower-quality content," said Gary Schanman, executive vice president and group president, video services, DISH Network.

Have KCCI and Hearst had a 'blackout' before?

This isn't the first time KCCI and DISH have failed to reach an agreement before a contract expires. KCCI-TV was taken off DISH completely in March 2017.

KCCI and DISH failed to conclude negotiations before the deadline with KCCI claiming that DISH had insisted on including material terms that were "less favorable," than their agreement at the time. The dispute lasted almost eight weeks.

Again in 2020, DirecTV customers in Central Iowa were not able to access KCCI on channel 8. While negotiations were ongoing KCCI said in a news release that DirecTV was "trying to low-ball Hearst."

Are other stations facing blackouts?

Hearst Television owns stations in 26 markets across the United States that would also be pulled off Dish if a resolution isn't reached. That includes KCCI and KETV, the ABC affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska.

Other stations in the Des Moines area have faced blackouts in recent years.

WHO, Des Moines' NBC affiliate, was removed from all DirecTV services in July because the two media companies were unable to reach a new distribution agreement.

As a result, 10 million Americans lost access to local news, traffic, weather, sports and entertainment, according to a news release from Nexstar Media group, which owns WHO.

In January 2021, more than a dozen TEGNA-owned local stations, including Des Moines ABC affiliate WOI, went dark on Mediacom’s cable TV systems, after both companies failed to reach a new agreement for distribution of the channels. That dispute stretched more than 400 days and cost viewers the opportunity to see the 2021 Cy-Hawk football game.

Can you still access KCCI and CBS programming other ways?

You can still access KCCI on digital platforms like Hulu with Live TV, fuboTV and YouTube TV. CBS content is also available through the Paramount+ app. Viewers can also pick up KCCI on channel 8 with an old-fashioned TV antenna.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: KCCI blacked out as Hearst and DISH Network contract expires