Hearst Television, parent company of KOAT-TV, Albuquerque’s ABC affiliate, issued an open letter last week to DISH Network subscribers amidst a continuing standoff between the two companies.
As of today, KOAT has been unavailable to DISH subscribers for 16 days due to contract disputes between the entities.
A repeating video playing on DISH Channel 7 blames Hearst for the channel’s removal and says the company has been unwilling to negotiate.
“That is simply untrue,” the letter posted on koat.com states. “As we have said to DISH all along, we remain ready and willing to conclude a deal promptly. In contrast, DISH has said that they’re available day and night to reach an agreement, and yet they’ve refused to modify their completely off-market terms in any meaningful way.”
The video also states DISH has offered to accept the same deal Hearst struck with competitor DirecTV.
“Yet at the same time,” Hearst refutes, “DISH continues to offer us terms, including rates, that are so obviously below the marketplace that they could not be viewed as a genuine proposal by any objective participant.”
Hearst and KOAT continue to urge New Mexicans to contact DISH at 1-800-333-3474 to express their displeasure with the situation, as well as request compensation in the form of a bill credit or additional programming for the service they are currently not receiving.
