After an over three-week blackout, Dish Network and Nexstar Media Group have a reached a deal. The multi-year agreement will see all 164 Nexstar local affiliates in 120 markets return to Dish Network. The agreement will also see Sling TV add WGN America to one of their Extra add-ons in 2021.
“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement that benefits all parties, especially our customers,” said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV in a statement. “Thank you for your patience and understanding as we worked through the negotiations.”
Some of the major markets that were affected by the dispute were KXAN (NBC) in Austin, KLAS (CBS) in Las Vegas, Nashville (WKRN), Hartford (WTNH), Grand Rapids (WOTV), Harrisburg (WHTM), New Orleans (WGNO), and Richmond (WRIC).
In the last few weeks, Nexstar has been able to reach new agreements with fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV.
In September, fuboTV lost CBS-owned Nexstar affiliates, while in October, Hulu Live TV lost Nexstar ABC affiliates on their service.
At the center of many of the disputes has been Nexstar requiring carriage of WGN America, which they are trying to launch as a national news network. They have now reached deals with YouTube TV, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, and now Sling TV to carry the channel.
With the deal, the major carriage dispute outstanding is between Hulu + Live TV and Sinclair. Sinclair-owned CBS affiliates went dark on the service on December 16th.