CBS, Dish Reach Carriage Deal

CBS and Dish Network reached a multiyear pact for carriage of CBS-owned stations across the US as well as CBS’s cable networks.

The deal covers 27 CBS-owned stations as well as CBS Sports Network, Smithsonian Channel, TVGN and Showtime Networks, which includes Showtime TV Everywhere and video-on-demand rights as well as future over-the-top distribution of the premium cabler. The companies’ announcement did not address whether Dish has “over-the-top” rights to CBS programming. According to a source familiar with the deal, CBS will negotiate with Dish in good faith for Internet TV rights if and when the satellite carrier launches an OTT service. Dish has said it plans to launch an OTT service before the end of 2014, having secured deals with Disney/ESPN, Scripps Networks Interactive and A+E Networks.

Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed. The sticking points in the talks were as much about digital content rights issues as about retransmission dollars and cents.

All pending litigation between the two companies will be dismissed. That includes the broadcaster’s lawsuit over Dish’s PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop services, which allow subscribers with the Hopper DVR to automatically skip commercials in shows. As part of the pact, Dish’s AutoHop commercial-skipping functionality will not be available for CBS-owned stations and affiliates during Nielsen’s C7 window.