Dish Network this week removed WTVQ (Channel 36), the ABC affiliate serving Lexington, Ky. from its lineup this week.
Station owner E W Scripps, responded to the removal by calling it a “clear violation of the agreement Scripps currently has in place with Dish following Scripps' acquisition of WTVQ earlier this year.”
Losing WTVQ at this moment means Lexington-area Dish subscribers would not be able to view ABC network programming including NCAA and SEC college football, WNBA playoffs and the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons, including local coverage of Nashville Predators hockey, as well as ABC series including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Rookie,” “Scrubs,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “20/20.”
The reason for the removal is unclear and Dish has yet to issue a statement. Meanwhile, Scripps suggested the usual alternative methods to access WTVQ, via antenna, as well as informing viewers that they can get local news, weather updates and sports coverage on WTVQ’s sister station, WLEX, which Dish still carries.
WTVQ is also available on vMVPDs such as Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV, as well as DirecTV.
This most recent kerfuffle is the latest in a series of ongoing conflict between Scripps and MVPDs; in August the station group was sued by Charter over carriage of its Las Vegas station KMCC.
