KTVN Channel 2 - Reno Tahoe News Weather, Video - Attention Dish Subscribers

In order to allow DISH and KTVN to negotiate the terms of a new retransmission agreement without unnecessary service disruptions, before the end of the last agreement, KTVN granted DISH a unilateral extension of the agreement which has been in effect for several years.   [A copy of this extension is attached, without alteration other than to remove personal identifying information and the commencement date of the last agreement.] 

No conditions were imposed by KTVN in connection with this offer, despite what DISH is now telling its subscribers.  Our offer remains in effect.  DISH can immediately resume carriage of KTVN during the month of November in the same manner as before.  DISH has made its own decision to remove our signal from their system.

We continue to hope that we will reach an agreement with DISH which recognizes the fair value of our programming, and have done all we can to continue our discussions with DISH without disrupting your reception of our signal on the DISH   system.   KTVN also continues to be available over-the-air, on DIRECTV, and on cable systems serving our region. 

ATTENTION DISH SUBSCRIBERS

KTVN and DISH NETWORK are negotiating to provide for continued carriage of KTVN on DISH.  Unfortunately, we have not yet reached an agreement, and DISH has removed KTVN from its lineup.  KTVN has extended an unconditional extension to DISH to allow your service to continue through the end of November while we continue to negotiate, and that offer remains open.  DISH has unilaterally rejected the extension.  It is DISH's choice that you no longer have KTVN in your program lineup. 

We currently do not know when, or if, KTVN will be restored as part of the DISH program service.  In the short term, DISH is free to accept our unconditional extension, and KTVN could be back on the system at once.  In the long term, resumption of carriage of KTVN on DISH will require that new contract terms be agreed upon by DISH and KTVN.  We are continuing to negotiate and would like to reach a new agreement to carry us forward for the next few years.

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

DISH Network is refusing to negotiate a new agreement which recognizes the fair value of KTVN's programming to DISH and its subscribers.  We are literally talking about pennies a day for each subscriber.  Currently, DISH wants to pay less than two cents a day for our local and CBS programming… and all the while, most subscribers are paying more than $30 a month for their DISH service.  We think you'll agree that KTVN's local news and information programming and our CBS programming is worth at least 2 or 3 cents a day.   

You can still receive KTVN while DISH refuses to carry us.  KTVN will remain on the air and on all other cable and satellite services.  You can contact an alternate service provider or attach a VHF/UHF antenna to your digital sets or converter box for your analog sets to continue to receive your favorite news, sports, weather, and entertainment programming from KTVN and CBS.  More information is posted below.

ACTION STEP

Call DISH NETWORK at 1-800-333-3474 TO VOICE YOUR CONCERN.

TELL THEM TO HONOR OUR EXTENSION AND THAT YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WATCHING KTVN AND CBS ON DISH. 

ALTERNATIVE RECEPTION METHODS

            1. FREE OVER-THE-AIR RECEPTION: Most local locations can receive KTVN's free over-the-air signal. You will need a VHF/UHF antenna hooked up to your digital television set. If you have an older, analog television set, you will need to hook a VHF/UHF antenna to a digital-to-analog converter box and then connect the converter box to your analog television set.  You will need to rescan the channel settings to receive all of the available channels in your area.

             2. SATELLITE RECEPTION: KTVN's signal is available on DIRECTV.  New customers may call them directly at 1-888-777-2454.

             3. CABLE TELEVISION: KTVN's signal is available on the following cable systems:

• Charter Cable
• AT&T U-Verse
• Mammoth Lakes Cablevision
• Satview Broadband
• Sudden Link
• Calneva Broadband
• Windjammer Communications
• C. C Communications
• Comstock Community Television
• GBIS Communications
• Almega Cable
• Eagle West L.L.C.

HISTORY OF BROADCASTER/CABLE/SATELLITE NEGOTIATIONS

Before 1992, cable companies picked up the signals of local television stations without the stations' consent and retransmitted them to their paying subscribers for profit. By adopting the 1992 Cable Act, Congress created a process which allows broadcasters to negotiate for fair compensation in return for cable operators' distribution of a station's local as well as network broadcast signals – the retransmission consent process. Congress stressed that it did not want to dictate the outcome of marketplace negotiations between broadcasters and cable operators; the process simply provides stations with the opportunity to negotiate with the pay service providers.  This same process was subsequently extended to satellite distribution of local television signals.

In recent years, the FCC has reviewed the retransmission consent process and recommended to Congress that no changes should be made to this system. The FCC found that retransmission consent has benefited broadcasters, cable, satellite operators, and, most importantly, viewers.

Over the years, many thousands of retransmission consent agreements have been successfully negotiated between local television stations and cable and satellite companies, nearly all without any disruption in service. Simply put, the process is working as Congress intended.

To be able to continue to provide the entertainment programming you like and the news, weather and information programming you need, it is imperative that  we receive a fair payment for our programming from cable and satellite providers.  In recent years, there have been some highly publicized disputes and service disruptions in some areas. We assure you that we are committed to working with the pay service providers so you can continue to receive KTVN's programming.