Dish Network and Tribune have been at odds with each-other for more than a month.  While Dish says it's Tribune's fault, and Tribune says Dish is the problem, it's ultimately the customers who suffer.  We are the customers who expect our local channels to be bundled with our cable and satellite services. Some of us need our local channels because we are too far away to pickup the broadcast television signals. 

While Dish seems to be on the side of us, the customer, it's hard for us to know which side is honest.  Dish wishes to keep a promise by having us visit www.dishpromise.com and giving us solutions to keep watching our favorite programs.  Dish is directing us to visit 3rd parties to keep watching our shows such as the parent network to watch on demand.  This does not always work, because in rural areas, not everybody has broadband or we are limited by data caps.  Dish network has even given some subscribers free Over-The-Air (OTA) antennas.  We have tried the in-house OTA antenna, but we are too far away for this antenna to pick up our local stations.  But at least Dish is doing something for us the customers, unlike Tribune.

Tribune, on the other hand, seems to be a bit nasty about Dish Network contract dispute.  The website they are pointing us to is a website called "Dump Dish".  Tribune does not offer us customers any relief, or options, to view the programming on the stations that they own other than dumping Dish.  They seem to purposely get our anger up and attempt to leave dish and move over to other options.  This, I would think, ultimately hurt Tribune.  I was just one step away from cutting the cord and putting an OTA antenna on my house.  When another non-Tribune station threatened to take another local station away I was ready to cut the cord, but they reached an agreement with Dish and we never lost the station unlike Tribune.

Both sides seem to have told us that they offered each-other deals to keep the channels on the air while negotiations continue, but they both blame each-other for the deals falling apart.  Meanwhile, customers like us are left in the dark with these shady back room deals without getting the whole picture. For customers, like myself, we have done extensive research into what television provider we have chosen. Some of us have chosen Dish for the price, the equipment, or the customer service.  Whatever the reason may be, we are still with Dish Network, but the loss of the channel for so long is getting annoying and frustrating. 

I am calling on Dish Network and Tribune Media to get back to the table and hammer out a deal.  We want you to, at least, bring back the channels while you work out a deal. This is making you both look bad, and you are both losing money on this deal as customers leave, turning into online streaming.  People are now cutting the cords and are getting the shows they want for FREE by getting it OTA or by streaming causing you both to loose money.

I am calling on Congress to make sure that FREE OTA Stations stay on our cable networks during contract disputes. Rural America needs these stations for public safety.  Contract deals should not interrupt vital information that we need, and we currently can't get because we are too far away from a major city to pick up these stations OTA.

I am calling on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX to help Dish Network customers by pressuring Dish and Tribune to get back to the table.  Your shows are loosing viewership because we are not able to view your major networks because of this blackout.

I am calling on Business Owners that advertise with Tribune to pull your advertising dollars.  Your message is not reaching Dish Subscribers.  In my market, we have OTA, Cable, Dish and the other satellite provider to choose from.  You are loosing messaging to at least 1/4 of your potential advertising because it's not reaching Dish customers.  Is tribune giving you 1/4 discount?  If not, tell them you are leaving because of the Dish dispute.

Again, Dish and Tribune, get to the table and get our channels back and then hammer out a deal, quit making your mutual customers and viewers suffer.