WASHINGTON — Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen, in testimony Wednesday before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, requested an overhaul of rules that allow free-to-air broadcasters to pull their signal from pay-TV distributors if they are unable to reach agreements on price.
Although such rules do not cover networks that are offered only on pay-TV services, his comments come just days before the July 1 expiration of an agreement Dish has with AMC Networks, which puts out shows such as “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.”
AMC was warned that Dish’s 14 million subscribers will lose access to its channels as of July 1 if the two sides don’t come to a deal. Dish says AMC is asking for too much money and that its shows don’t garner large audiences.
Ergen also defended his company’s ad-skipping DVR, the Hopper, claiming it keeps children from watching ads about junk food and alcohol. The Associated Press
