Nexstar Media, DISH Reach Multi-Year Distribution Agreement

Nexstar Media Group, Inc., has reached a comprehensive multi-year distribution agreement with DISH Network. The agreement restores Nexstar’s 164 local television stations across the country and Nexstar’s wholly-owned cable network, WGN America, to DISH Network’s programming line-up.

WGN America will also launch on DISH’s streaming service, Sling TV, in early 2021. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement means that more than 5 million DISH subscribers will again have access to the highly-rated network and local entertainment, sports, and news programming provided by Nexstar television stations and by WGN America, home of the country’s only live prime-time national newscast, NewsNation.

During the last three months, Nexstar successfully completed more than 250 distribution agreements with its satellite, cable, telco, and streaming partners. Combined with similar agreements reached with other providers in 2019, Nexstar now has long-term visibility regarding future retransmission and carriage fees covering 90% of the company’s footprint through 2022.

Nexstar’s local television stations and WGN America had been off DISH Network’s satellite system since Dec. 2. We regret the inconvenience experienced by our viewers and look forward to again providing them with leading network and local programming.

Nexstar Media Group is a diversified media company that leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms.

Its wholly owned operating subsidiary, Nexstar Inc., consists of three divisions: Broadcasting, Digital, and Networks. The Broadcasting Division operates, programs, or provides sales and other services to 197 television stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 115 markets or approximately 39% of all U.S. television households (reflecting the FCC’s UHF discount). The division’s portfolio includes primary affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV and The CW.

The Digital Division operates 122 local websites and 316 mobile apps offering hyper-local content and verticals for consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when and how they access content and creating new revenue opportunities for the company.