WANF and WPCH return to satcaster after blackout
by Brian Allen
After nearly two months, Gray Media and Dish have reached a new carriage deal that returns two local stations to Atlanta Dish subscribers.
Locally, that means independent station WANF (“Atlanta News First”) and CW affiliate WPCH (“Peachtree TV”) are back on the satcaster for Atlanta subscribers.
“Gray Media has reached an agreement to restore all Gray-owned local television stations to the DISH lineup, including Atlanta News First and PeachtreeTV, effective immediately,” said a statement from the station’s parent company, Gray Media. “DISH customers can once again watch local news, weather, and sports from Atlanta News First and their favorite shows on PeachtreeTV.”
“We’re pleased to have reached a long-term agreement that benefits all parties and most importantly, our customers,” said Kevin Covell, SVP, DISH Video Services, in a statement. “Thank you to our customers for your patience and understanding as we worked through the negotiations.”
The new deal also covers 111 other stations owned by Atlanta-based Gray Media across the country.
No details about the new deal were made public.
Viewers in Atlanta and elsewhere have been frustrated by blackouts of network TV stations and their programming on cable and satellite providers due to station groups wanting higher carriage fees from those companies.
