Satellite TV customers in SLO County can watch KSBY again. Here’s why

After six weeks, Dish Network customers on the Central Coast can once again watch KSBY-TV after the channel’s parent company and the satellite television firm settled a contract dispute.

The settlement means the local NBC affiliate is back on Dish after being removing in late July due to the retransmission spat between Dish and The E.W. Scripps Company, the parent firm of the San Luis Obispo-based KSBY.

“Scripps has reached an agreement with Dish, and all Scripps stations are back on the air for Dish subscribers,” KSBY said in a statement posted to its website. “We apologize for the disruption in service our viewers experienced, and thank them for their loyalty and patience through this period.”

The spat centered on carriage rates — the amount money Dish pays to include the local stations among its offerings.

Scripps said it sought a fair agreement with Dish while the satellite firm blamed the television company’s “greed” for the ongoing dispute.

This disagreement affected Dish customers in 42 markets with stations owned by Scripps Local Media Division.

This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 3:34 PM.