I've lost my local channels. Now what?
Why did I lose a local channel?
Each station in the country is owned by someone. Many stations are part of station groups. For example, KTVK in Phoenix is owned by Belo, KSAZ directly by the Fox network, KNXV by Scripps, and so on. Some station groups have turned around from using something called "must-carry", which forces cable and satellite providers in that market to carry said stations, to using retransmission consent. Station groups are increasingly asking for (lots of) money per subscriber, and Charlie Ergen's well-known hardline stance has led to Dish dealing with many retransmission consent disputes and/or lawsuits.
I get the SD feed but not the HD feed. Is this retransmission consent too?
Yes. In these cases, the station group wants more money for the HD feed, and again Dish will not pony up. This could also be a result of outdated contracts which do not include provisions for carriage of stations' HD signals.
I want to take action. What can I do?
In this section, I will post the corporate mailing addresses and CEO names of station group companies involved in retransmission consent disputes, along with the station(s) involved in these disputes.
Barrington Broadcasting Group (KTVO only) 2500 W Higgins Rd #155, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169; 847 884 1178
Weigel Broadcasting (WDJT, WBND, HD only) 26 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60661; 312 705 2600 (WBND is part of a sale to Schurz Communications)
Drewry Communications (KXXV/KRHD, KFDA, KWES/KWAB, HD only; KSWO exempt, contracts need to be updated) (KSWO-TV) P.O. Box 708, Lawton, OK 73502