CBS, WGN Vanish from Local Dish Network Lineup

The Upper Peninsula’s CBS affiliate has been removed from the Dish Network satellite television lineup.

WJMN-TV is one of 164 local stations across the U.S. that were pulled when Dish couldn’t reach an agreement with Nexstar, the nation’s largest television broadcaster.

Superstation WGN is also blacked out. It is also owned by Nexstar. 

As is typical in disputes between content and satellite providers, the rhetoric is running hot.

Nexstar says Dish is demanding more than a billion dollars to rebroadcast  programming that most of its customers can get for free. Dish maintains that it made a last-minute offer to maintain programming delivery at current rates while negotiations continue, but that Nexstar never responded. Nexstar says the “shocking” increase is “the largest we’ve ever seen.” Dish accuses Nexstar of using its viewers as pawns.

Underneath the hyperbole, both sides say negotiations continue.

WJMN’s signal cannot be received over the air in the Copper Country.