Dish vs. Tegna: What Happened to CBS In Spokane?
TV Answer Man, I thought the fight between Dish and the Tegna stations was over. When they started fighting, we lost KREM and its sister station, KSKN, the CW. Fast forward to today and the CW is back but no CBS KREM. Does anyone know why it did not come back to Dish even though they have an agreement? — Dawn, town withheld.
Dawn, Dish’s four-month long carriage dispute with 64 Tegna-owned local stations ended last Friday night when the two companies signed a new multi-year deal. The stations that were blacked out included the Tegna-owned CBS affiliate in Spokane, KREM-TV, as well as the market’s CW affiliate, KSKN-TV.
After the deal was signed on Friday, all 64 Tegna stations (including the CW station in Spokane) were returned to Dish’s lineup.
Except one. KREM-TV.
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Why?
We asked Dish and here was the satcaster’s response:
“While we cannot disclose the terms of the agreement, Spokane has two CBS affiliates. Customers in this area have always had access to all the national CBS programming and local programming through KLEW. All other previously impacted Tegna stations were restored on February 4.”
What Dish is saying is that the signals for both KREM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Spokane, and KLEW-TV, a CBS affiliate based in nearby Lewiston, Idaho, were previously available in the satcaster’s lineup. But with the new Tegna deal, Dish is now only carrying KLEW-TV, a Sinclair-owned CBS station, in the market. Dish subscribers in the Spokane area no longer have the option to watch two CBS affiliates.
By eliminating one of the two CBS affiliates, Dish can save money in carriage fees.
I can understand that loyal viewers of KREM’s local news may be upset. But they can still find CBS’s national programming, and news about southeastern Washington and north central Idaho, on KLEW-TV.
Dawn, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!
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@tvanswerman
I have the ability to watch both klew and krem. For local news I like krem. It is a shame you put finance before customers. I am tempted to drop dish and go to direct TV. I know this is a tegna decision but shame on you.
Terrible decision by Tegna & Dish. I will NOT return as a CBS viewer if I have to do so via KLEW out of Lewiston. My contract with Dish will end this spring or summer. As much as I hate DirecTV I will be forced to return to them.
agreed
Pretty rotten deal you made there Dish. I live 26 miles from Canadian border north of Spokane and you are forcing me to watch Klew Lewiston on the extreme southern Washington border instead of Krem2, and they are both CBS but are not the same. Example local news, sports, weather, need I go on. Don’t watch CBS no more because of that factor alone.
I want KREM Back. I will not renew with Dish.
I totally agree with you!! Dish, as usual, is being totally greedy!! We are STILL PAYING FOR KREM but they refuse to give customers a $5.00 credit each month when not able to view KREM. I WILL NEVER RENEW MY CONTRACT WITH DISH AGAIN, NOR WILL I EVER HAVE DISH AGAIN! ONCE MY CONTRACT HAS EXPIRED, I’M GONE!!! I URGE EVERYONE WHO READS THIS, TO DO THE SAME!!!! THEY ARE A BIG MONEY COMPANY & SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS.
IF POSSIBLE, L E A V E D I S H N O W!!!!!!!!!!
THEY CERTAINLY DON’T VALUE THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!!!!!!
Once contract up I’m going to direct tv taking away krem was just stupid
dish has lost and will lose more customers. childish of them.”im going to take my ball and go home.”