DISH Says Nexstar Forces Blackout Of About 5.4 Mln DISH Customers

(RTTNews) - DISH Network Corp. (DISH) said Wednesday that Nexstar Media Group forced the largest broadcast affiliate station blackout in TV history. Nexstar has rejected DISH's calls for a contract extension and taken away local programming from nearly 5.4 million DISH subscribers.

".... We don't understand why Nexstar insists on prioritizing greed above American viewers, many of whom rely on local programming for their news and entertainment, especially during this global pandemic," said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV.

DISH alleged that Nexstar is demanding over $1 billion in fees for stations that are available for free over the air.

According to DISH, Nexstar Media Group's action affects viewers of various ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC stations in 120 markets across 42 states and the District of Columbia, as well as viewers of WGN America in all markets.