Contract puts KOAT back on DISH

Hearst Television, which owns KOAT-TV, and DISH Network have reached a multiyear agreement that has restored Hearst programming to satellite company customers.

The signal for KOAT-TV and for the rest of Hearst’s 30 TV stations were restored Wednesday.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We are grateful to once again have Hearst Television stations providing DISH customers the quality local and national programming which we invest so heavily to offer our local communities,” said Hearst President Jordan Wertlieb said in a news release. “We are thankful to DISH subscribers and to our supportive advertisers for their extraordinary patience during this prolonged process.”

DISH customers lost access to Hearst programming when an impasse was reached last month over renewal of the “carriage agreement.” That agreement allowed DISH to carry Hearst’s channels across 30 states.

DISH contended Hearst was seeking above-market-rate increases that were nearly double the current level.

Hearst, however, said the satellite company was insisting on contract terms that were less favorable than the previous agreement.