KAYU, DISH dispute continues

COEUR d'ALENE - A contract dispute between Northwest Broadcasting and DISH is continuing to keep the station off the air for DISH customers in the Coeur d'Alene and Spokane areas - as NFL playoffs are about to begin.

A press release from DISH on Wednesday said Northwest Broadcasting, Inc., owner of KAYU, continues to block its Fox affiliates from DISH customers in four markets and has rejected DISH's offer to pay the same rates as its primary competition.

"In addition, Northwest is demanding an unprecedented and unusual 'retroactive payment' from DISH stretching back multiple years," the release said.

"We have offered to pay what our competitors pay for the exact same content; Northwest has rejected that fair and reasonable offer," said Andrew LeCuyer, DISH vice president of programming. "Northwest's demand for retroactive payments is simply bad business. It's like going into the grocery store and having the cashier demand you pay more money for the groceries you paid for last week."

In a press release on its website, Northwest Broadcasting, the parent company of KAYU FOX 28, said it and DISH discontinued their business relationship Nov. 26.

"Right up to the point of a breakdown in negotiations, our company expected it would reach a mutually satisfactory agreement for continued carriage of our stations," according to the statement.

The negotiations had been going on for several months, with no disruption in service to DISH customers, the release said.

"It takes two parties to have a disagreement, and you are likely to hear from DISH this is about some astronomical increase in rates. However, the terms requested by Northwest are almost identical to those agreed to by other providers," according to the press release.

The Northwest Broadcasting dispute with DIRECTV earlier this year involved some of the same issues. At the end of 10 weeks of service disruption, the two parties found common ground and DIRECTV restored KAYU FOX 28 to its lineup.

"It is difficult for our small company to stand up to a $14 billion company like DISH, but if we do not, we will not be able to survive in this economic environment," according to the release.

Northwest Broadcasting said DISH customers may need to install an antenna, and is offering installation tips on its website.

DISH, meantime, said it has offered to air the upcoming Seahawks playoff game to customers blocked by Northwest. It said the broadcaster has not accepted that offer.

"This is another clear sign that viewers are not a priority for Northwest," said LeCuyer. "The Seahawks' game is important to many of their viewers, but they are not willing to allow us to show it while we continue to try to reach a fair deal for our customers."