DISH said Fisher's lawsuit is without merit.

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Fisher Suit Without Merit
While the retransmission consent dispute between DISH Network and Fisher Communications continues to linger, the broadcaster shook up the skirmish with a lawsuit targeting the satellite TV company.

As reported Friday, Fisher filed a $1 million breach of contract lawsuit over DISH's alleged failure to comply with the terms of the prior carriage agreement. The lawsuit is in federal district court in Oregon.



Said DISH in a statement, "They are asking for payment on a station that elected must carry and by statute DISH Network does not owe any money for that station. We are bewildered by their allegation that any money could be owed on a must carry station."

Also, DISH said Fisher has asked for more than an 80 percent increase "from our customers, who should not be required to bail out Fisher management for underperforming stations."

The carriage deal between the two sides expired last Wednesday, forcing DISH to take the Fisher stations off of its local TV lineups. Stations covered in the skirmish are in Bakersfield, Calif.; Boise, Idaho; Eugene, Ore.; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Wash.; and Yakima, Wash.