We're one of the millions of DISH network customers that have lost all the Viacom channels, MTV, VH1, BET, Comedy Channel, Nickelodeon, and CBS, due to their contract dispute with Viacom. We signed up with DISH in time to watch coverage of the transition in Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule, which would have been prior to June in 1997. So, as customers we have some history with the company.
They haven't been perfect. Customer service has suffered at times when they've experienced fast growth. There has also been one system component that has a design issue when it comes to reliability in northern climates in my opinion. Yet overall we've been satisfied. DISH delivers the most product for your buck. In fact, we've both owned DISH stock at various times, though I don't think either of us does now.
In this dispute, my money is on DISH network CEO Charlie Ergen.
Sure, Viacom has the media advantage and is getting their spin out there.
Charlie has something more important. He's playing the guy standing up to the bully and he has our trust. Just like George Bush, you could imagine having coffee with Charlie in your kitchen.
Last night we tuned into what used to be CBS. It's been replaced by "Charlie Chat", which is a regular feature on the network where customers can call in and ask the CEO a question. OK. That might be good public relations, and you might think they have a reall good call screener, making sure the CEO doesn't end up embarrassed on the air.
Except Charlie doesn't just take the easy questions. He takes the calls that tell him they will be canceling their DISH account. He takes the calls that complain the $1-$2 deduction subscribers will see on their bills isn't fair compensation. He doesn't promise this is going to be resolved quickly to try to appease ticked off customers. He's advising his customers to get involved. Although he obviously disagrees with Viacom and makes that clear, he is fair in his criticism of their position.
So, I'm not surprised to have found while googling for this story, CBS Exec Sees Resolution of Echostar Spat:
A CBS television executive on Wednesday said he sees a timely resolution to a contract spat that has left 1.6 million EchoStar Communications Corp. (DISH.O: Quote, Profile, Research) satellite viewers without the network's broadcasts.
...
"We're making progress and I think we'll have a resolution in a very timely fashion," Franks told the U.S. House Commerce subcommittee on telecommunications.
...
"If Viacom is willing to agree that our increase is 6 cents ... we'll sign up right now for as many years as Viacom is willing to offer," said David Moskowitz, general counsel for EchoStar.
Viacom told reporters yesterday it has offered EchoStar a deal that amounted to an increase of 6 cents a month per subscriber.
Go Charlie, Go!
If they don't get it turned on by tomorrow night, can somebody let me know what happens on Survivor? (Naturally they picked the one time in the last 5 years or more that there's a CBS series I've followed.)
Update Mar. 12: DISH and Viacom settled and I had CBS back by late night Wed., (which means Survivor should be recorded on my PVR) Terms have not been disclosed.
Hmmm - we just have the very most basic cable. That's because we live in an area where it's available and we hardly ever watch tv. If we lived away from town, we'd probably have a dish of some sort and feel guilty for not watching.
It sounds like the company CEO really has his act together - I hope it all works out. I think though that someone else will have to tell you about survivor since I've never watched it. *G*
Posted by: Teresa | March 11, 2004 at 12:24 AM