DISH Network customers in New Orleans could see Fox 8 vanish from their TV screens this week, with WVUE‑TV warning that the satellite provider may pull the channel at 6 p.m. on Tuesday if the two sides do not hammer out a new carriage deal in time. If the blackout hits, DISH subscribers in the market would lose Fox network programming along with Fox 8’s local newscasts. Station staff are urging viewers to track updates and press the satellite company for answers while negotiations drag on.
According to FOX 8, DISH has notified the station that it plans to remove WVUE‑TV Fox 8 from its lineup at 6 p.m. on Tuesday unless a renewal agreement is in place by then. The station cautions that DISH viewers would lose access to Fox’s network slate, including prime‑time shows, along with Fox 8’s local news coverage.
Notices like this are popping up on local TV sites across the country as contract deadlines loom, and broadcasters are telling their audiences to pick up the phone and call DISH at 800‑333‑3474 to register their complaints, as reported by WBTV. Industry coverage has also pointed out that DISH has been involved in several high‑profile carriage dustups in recent years, which helps explain why stations are so quick to post warning banners and customer alerts before talks go down to the wire, per Broadcasting & Cable.
How To Keep Watching If Fox 8 Disappears From DISH
As laid out by FOX 8, the station will still be available free over the air with a standard antenna, and its signal can be streamed through Fox 8 apps on Android, Roku, Fire and Apple TV devices. Newscasts will also continue to appear on fox8live.com and in the station’s apps. Viewers who currently rely on DISH can look at other pay‑TV or streaming providers that carry local network affiliates while the dispute plays out, or hook up an antenna as a temporary workaround to avoid losing their local news and Fox shows.
