Dish Network announced Thursday evening it has has reached a multi-year agreement with CBS to resume carrying the network’s owned and operated local stations, including KCBS-TV Channel 2, along with three cable networks, ending a three-day blackout.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The networks were being restored to Dish customers Thursday night, according to Warren Schlichting, Dish’s executive vice president of marketing, programming and media sales.
The blackout began Tuesday when CBS and Dish were unable to reach terms on a new agreement that would allow Dish to continue carrying the CBS stations in 18 markets along with CBS Sports Network, Pop and Smithsonian Channel.
Dish had offered free digital antennas and installation to its subscribers in the affected markets so they could continue to watch CBS programming and gave them the option to drop local channels from their programming package, saving $10 on their monthly bill. The antenna offer was based on the reception available at the subscriber’s home.
The blackout kept nearly 3 million Dish subscribers in the affected markets from watching CBS’ coverage of Thursday’s Chargers-Dallas Cowboys NFL game and other programming and threatened Friday and Saturday’s college football coverage and Sunday’s NFL broadcasts.
“We are grateful to our customers for their patience this holiday week as months of work has resulted in a deal that delivers CBS for years to come,” Schlichting said.
There was no response to an email sent to CBS Thursday night seeking comment.
–City News Service