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Multichannel News is reporting that Dish Network has dropped four HD channels from Walt Disney Co. — Disney Channel HD, Disney XD HD, ABC Family HD and ESPNews HD — with the satellite operator claiming the programmer is asking for “significant” carriage fees. ”Dish Network offers all customers ‘HD Free for Life,’ which is possible because we are committed to negotiating fair contracts that allow us to keep our prices low,” the satellite operator said in a statement. “That is why we could not agree to the significant fees requested by Disney and ESPN Networks.” Dish said it is continuing to negotiate with Disney and ESPN Networks and that it hopes “to reach a fair resolution.”
Disney responded in a statement, “Our position [is] that Dish Network is not entitled to carry ABC Family HD, Disney Channel HD, Disney XD HD and ESPNews HD without paying compensation. We hope that Dish will work with us to reach an agreement so that we can make these HD networks available to their customers.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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why would anybody take the douche network over directv anyway?
directv is the best thing for tv since the damn thing was invented!
DirecTV is significantly more expensive than Dish Network and DirecTV’s customer service is horrible, unless you are ordering more programming. I have been a customer of both. The programming of both sucks. DirecTV dropped many channels while I was a customer and now Dish Network is doing similar. I wish they were required to offer “A la carte” channels without a package. I would only want about 10 of the hundreds of worthless channels offered by both networks. That would also help to weed out the channels that nobody watches anyway.
I agree, there has not been any good TV service since C and KU band went away, except for mpeg4. I also have had both dish and direct, neither has any customer service, no service at all if it rains, snows or the wind blows, and both customer service said there is nothing to be done. I was told by both that I had to get on my roof, 35 feet up, and check the dish and cables, I asked if they covered me under their insurance and both hung up on me. Both were taken to court, contracts ended with refund and when the court heard the roof telephone call that I had recorded , that ended dish and direct tv case. Save your money, with antenna broadcast TV if free, all 20 channels and in HD.
thank you disney
Take THAT, Disney!
dish sucks
I’d say this makes the Dish half empty rather than half full.
WOW, now I am mad because I cannot watch movies on ABC in HD anymore. How sad.
First this is ABC Family, not ABC. They had a slide up on those HD channels last week, saying to tune to the SD channels, They didn’t say why, but at least they directed people to the right place to see them.
That said, I called them today to find out why I had lost those HD channels. (I hadn’t noticed ESPN News) It would be nice if they let their own customer service people know what was going on. I told the “customer service” rep that I was missing three HD channels. She had me check all of my HD receivers, and then unplug one and restart it. It took me telling her that these were all Disney channels, and maybe they are no longer available for her to “do some research on this,” and she put me on hold.
When she came back to the phone, she tried to get me to switch programming packages. I told her that I do get the SD channels, so that can’t be the problem. She then put me on hold again.
This time she had finally figured out the issue. I don’t need these channels in HD, so it’s no skin off my nose. But they took what should have been a 2 minute phone call and turned it into a 20 minute ordeal.
This goes for all companies. Please train and educate your customer service reps. They are your direct link to your customers. When they look like they don’t know what they’re doing, so do you!
I didn’t see the messages saying to tune to the SD channel to watch Disney. But it wouldn’t have mattered. When Dish turned off the Disney HD, they also turned off the Disney SD (on my receiver). My son’s favorite programs are on Disney, that’s about all we ever watch (during the day) on Dish Network. I called Dish Network to ask why SD Disney was turned off. I was told that I could have Disney in SD if I changed my programming package to a much more expensive programming package. The infuriating thing is, we have over a hundred channels in both HD and SD, but the ONE channel we want to watch, is not available in either HD or SD, even though we are paying for it in HD. Dish Network has lost a customer for life.
This blows! I was sooo looking forward to watching Pretty Little Liars with the wifey tonite! If Dish keeps this up, I am switching to DirecTV!
To complain call 303-723-1000 and ask for the programming department.
Must be contract renewal season again for DISH. So look forward to posturing, full-page ads by both parties, and an eventual agreement that simply passes the increases along to consumers, many of whom never watch these channels.
Once again, another argument for a consumer-friendly change to the regulations to allow completely a la carte pricing so you only pay for what channels you want to watch.
Great!!! Maybe I’ll sign up. These Disney channels are never watched by me or my family. It’s time for a la carte service. Those subscribers that want them should pay for them.
On the contrary, those are the only channels we really we watch besides locals. I guess its time to cancel.
I always watch the disney channels! I want them back!!
What do they mean “HD free for life?” We pay for the channels we get in our package plus a 10 dollar fee per receiver for the HD channels available. Maybe “HD fee or life.” Will miss Espn HD and abc Family HD.
What do you mean $10 per receiver for HD, it WAS per account and now its FREE go online and commit to 2 years or pay a one time $100 and the $10 per month for HD will be gone forever
I know the feeling! We have been one of their dedicated customers for life and we are the ones paying so newbies can have free HD for life. Even if we go online and renew our contract for 2 more years we will still be paying more for our programming than if were a new customer. If a lower price is offered to anyone it should be the people that have been supporting them from the beginning! What one pays we all should pay. As far as not needing Disney HD it is a must in our house. That is all my daughter watches and it has taught her so many things! We are paying for the top 250 and Disney HD should be included!
I think Dish Network is in breach of contract with ME. I know the dispute with Disney affects HD. But I lost Disney and some other channels in *** SD *** also. For the programming package I pay for, I get a certain number of channels *including Disney 172/173* in both HD and SD. When the HD channels were turned off, now my guide shows the SD channel in green. If I try to select it, I get the message that this “subscription” channel is available for immediate blah blah blah…
But I’m already paying for it, and Dish Network disabled it. When I contacted them several times on this issue, I was told that I’d have to sign a new 2-year agreement to get the channel already included in my current package!!! Not only is that not acceptable, it’s not even POSSIBLE, as I’m moving in a few months…and I’m not sure I’ll even have Dish Network available where I’m moving.
Dish Network, you SUCK! I’m cancelling service if Disney isn’t on again soon (my toddler is pissed). I’d prefer HD, but get it back on NOW, whether SD or HD, whatever…
I’m already paying for Disney, so don’t tell me that I have to sign a new 2-year agreement to get it!
Same for us, no SD channels either…this is not good at all!!!
This is exactly what happened to us. We have twin toddlers and we aren’t getting the Disney SD (along with the HD) that we were getting before and that we are paying for. We have spent hours on the phone with DISH network and every CSR says that we have to extend our contract by 2 years and pay more to get the Disney SD that has been part of our programming package. My twin toddlers are quite pissed and ask for their fav shows everyday. We are just waiting for the contract to end so we can cancel and move to another network.
We are one very dissappointed and frustrated family!
We had/have the exact same issues as you…so I called Dish. I was told the same thing. Supposedly, because we have an “HD” package, we can’t even get the SD verisions of these channels?? However, of course we could switch packages and get them. I asked DISH if they could allow us to access the SD channels until the HD are accessible…nope! I also asked them if they were planning on reimbursing their customers for this inconvenience. I got a “not at this time”. So ticked at them right now. The four channels (2 Disney channels, ABC Family and ESPN News) that were removed are seriously the 4 that our family watch daily. We MADE SURE that they were part of the package we decided on. I am tempted to go to the Attorney General at this point. I am so tired of dealing with these same issues with different cable/satellite companies (Charter Communications being the previous provider). It’s really sickening that they can do whatever they want and we, the consumer, just need to deal with it or pay more (and extend our contract).
ESPNEWS HD has so much more info on the channel then the non HD channel (Many score and info on the right side of page). Of all the channels to lose in HD, this one is the one I rather not lose.
I am 11 and this ordeal is outragous. I watch Disney almost everyday and it is unfair against disney!
dude “unfair against disney” disney is the one complainingt that you shouldn’t be allowed to have unless you pay more get ur facts straight before u play the blaming game
Wow, I just did the $10 off for the HD for life crap and find out that I now have 4 less HD channels… Awesome, Way to go DISH…
Canceling the satellites and downloading my favorite shows from iTunes is sounding more and more advantageous… DISH is slowly shutting itself out of business…
What crap. The “digital” non-HD versions of those channels really blow on Dish Network. As someone with kids and who watches ESPNews, Dish better get on the ball or they will start seeing a mass exodus.
I am going to switch to direct tv.
They aren’t dropping those HD channels to keep prices low. Dish Network got hit by Disney for about $65M for illegally retransmitting the HD signals.
p.s. DirecTV is awesome!
Why would both companys release statements about agreeing on terms to carry the channels in HD
To all other go ahead and swith to DirectTV for their higher prices inferior hardware and horrible service
Is there a reason that this couldn’t have been communicated with paying subscribers? They can send anything thru our dish being connected to the phone line. Just seems that a positive customer service step in the light of pulling programming would be to communicate with people who pay the bills. Just a thought rather than it just disappearing with no explanation.
Exactly!! We received no notice at all…even though you KNOW they have email addresses.
Dave C’s comment is exactly what I went through. Also, when I spoke with Dish Network they had no sympathy and offered nothing for my inconvenience even after being on the phone for an hour and a half regarding this issue. They just offered me to upgrade my package for more money and sign a 2 year contract to get Disney in standard def. I cant even cancel and get me out of my contract that is up in October with no penalty. They suck!
dish is being very stubborn and it will cost them I will switch to dtv once my contract is up in a couple of months. I suspect that other people will too and it will cost dish more than 65 million and alot more in a long run. They need to compensate all of their customers.
Dropping services agreed upon without providing a lower price or additional comparable channels is a breach of contract and voids any penalties you would otherwise owe to change providers within your contract period. Please contact Dish and let them know will change your provider unless fairly compensated. I already have.
I am calling Dish Network right now to file a formal complaint. Then I’m calling AT&T to cancel my Dish Network service and will order Time Warner Cable or DirectTV tonight depending on who has the best deal.
Laura the 7-year Old: “Why doesn’t it fill the screen anymore?”
Me: Because Disney and the satellite people are greedy.
Laura the 7-year Old: “Can you fix it?”
Me: Nope. There’s nothing I can do.
Laura the 7-Year Old: Well that stinks.
Me: Yeah, it does. Want to play Connect Four instead?
Laura the 7-Year Old: YEAH!
Me: Maybe we should just not watch so much TV anymore.
Laura the 7-Year Old: Yeah, you’re right.
[Cancelling Dish tomorrow]
Just made four phone calls to DISH to figure out what is going on. Finally, I got a straight answer. They are currently negotiating with Disney to bring back Disney, ABC Family, and Disney XD to all of their programing packages in Standard Def. High Def is no longer available. Negotiations went through and ESPNEWS is available again on all of their programing packages in Standard Def. Now we wait to see if negotiations will go through for the other channels. DISH says that they do no want to have to charge us more for the channels, hence the negotiations and temporary cancellation of programming. It turns out that DISH is actually on our side, and does not want us to have to purchase a different package just to get the channels we all had two weeks ago. Bummer if you wanted HD, but my toddler will be happy on Saturday mornings with Disney even though it is Standard.
you guys are ignorant. Dish Network is the only carrier that stands up for low prices. I will gladly wait for HD versions of these channels while they keep my package low priced. they are the cheapest television out there.
I agree with you,dish is much better than direct.tv. there trying to save you money by this .go find a better price,you won’t.go find a better dvr you won’t. I have 2 dvr’s that run 5 tv’s and all 5 have dvr service. I don’t need a dvr in each room to have dvr service.I just called direct tv on how much my package would cost with them.60.00 a month more.I would have to be a jerk to change.