Viacom, Echostar settle dispute

Viacom, Echostar settle dispute

Viacom

NEW YORK: While the situation between Ten Sports and the Indian cable ops is reading like a cliffhanger in the US Viacom and Echostar have settled their differences.

As per the deal Echostar's Dish Network will resume carriage of Viacom's CBS stations, BET, and the MTV Network channels.

As had been reported a couple of days ago by Indiantelevision.com Viacom's channels and the CBS stations went off Echostar's Dish Network since 9 March. While each party blamed the other they have now decided to settle their differences through a long term agreement.

Echostar chairman and CEO Charles Ergen was quoted in a company release saying, "This agreement with Viacom allows Dish Network to remain the lowest-cost, all digital TV provider in the country. We understand that this has been a difficult few days for our customers, and we thank them for all the encouragement they have given us throughout. We also look forward to a long relationship with Viacom in which we can provide their quality channels to our viewers."

In addition to the existing channel line up Dish will also launch Nicktoons on its Americas Top 180 package in a few months time.