Morgan Murphy Blasts Dish At FCC

[Commentary] Morgan Murphy Media has told the Federal Communications Commission that while multichannel video programming distributors claim broadcasters’ don’t negotiate in good faith during retransmission consent disputes, some are guilty of the same practices. Specifically, Morgan Murphy Media (which owns stations in Madison (WI), La Crosse-Eau Claire (WI), Spokane (WA), and Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick (WA)), says Dish Network filed a complaint at the FCC against the Sinclair Broadcast Group on Aug. 15 claiming that Sinclair had not negotiated in good faith.

But, says the broadcaster in a letter filed with the FCC, “This tale might be more convincing if, at the very same time, Dish were not engaged in precisely the same tactic. Morgan Murphy's contract with Dish was set to expire on July 16, 2015. Morgan Murphy sent an offer of terms to Dish on May 12, 2015. Despite repeated inquiries, Dish did not make a proposal in response until June 25, 2015, almost six weeks later. The parties then negotiated both rates and agreement terms. Just before the contract expired, Dish agreed to an extension until Aug. 7, 2015. The parties continued to negotiate and they agreed on a second extension to expire Aug. 13, 2015." Morgan Murphy went on to say that “the only MVPD with which it has ever failed to reach an agreement is Dish, which reportedly is responsible for the largest number of service interruptions of all MVPDs. The commission should pay little head to complaints from Dish and other MVPDs who are the proverbial ‘pot calling the kettle black.’ ”