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According to statements released by the companies on Sunday, Dish Networks has settled its dispute with Cablevision and AMC Networks over a high-definition programming arrangement. The end of the lawsuit, which had dragged on for about four years, will see Dish resume broadcast of AMC’s channels.
The lawsuit had been filed by Voom HD which was a unit of Cablevision at the time of filing the lawsuit, alleging that Dish had violated a 15 – year contract to carry a suit of high-definition channels, which Dish stopped broadcasting in 2008. Currently, Voom is a unit of AMC Networks.
A statement issued by Cablevision confirmed that, under the settlement, Dish would pay $700 million to Cablevision and AMC, and about $80 million from the settlement would be used to purchase Cablevision’s wireless spectrum licenses in 45 cities in the United States.
Dish will also enter into a long-term distribution agreement with AMC Networks to carry AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE tv. Dish would also enter into arrangements with The Madison Square Garden Company to carry ‘Fuse’ on its satellite service.
According to a statement issued by Dish Networks, broadcasting of AMC channels would resume on Sunday, Oct 21, on the Dish Channel 131. The rest of the AMC channels would start being broadcasted on Dish from Nov. 1.
Dave Shull, senior vice president of programming at the Dish Networks said, “This multi-year deal delivers a fair value for both parties and includes digital expansion opportunities for AMC Network’s programming.”
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In July, Dish had stopped broadcasting AMC Network’s channels to Dish’s 14 million subscribers alleging that the ratings of AMC channels did not justify the licensing fee increases sought by AMC. However, AMC had always maintained that Dish had dropped AMC’s channels to obtain advantage in the Voom litigation, and that the two companies had never discussed any new carriage agreement.
