Fox back on air for DISH subscribers

In time for the San Francisco 49ers NFL playoff game Saturday evening, DISH Network came to an agreement with Northwest Broadcasting, the parent company of KMVU Fox 26 Medford.

For eight weeks, the two companies were unable to reach an agreement about the amount DISH would pay Northwest for their Fox feeds in Medford, Ore. and also in Washington State and New York.

The channel was dark during this impasse as the companies barbed each other in battling press releases.

“We thank our customers for their patience during these negotiations,” said Andrew LeCuyer, vice president of programming at DISH.

“Northwest Broadcasting is pleased to have reached a deal with DISH,” said Brian Brady, president of Northwest Broadcasting.

The terms of the agreement between the two companies was not disclosed, according to a joint press release issued Saturday.

49er fans who are also DISH subscribers weren’t given advance notice of the agreement. Many of them flocked to Say Cheese Pizza in Mount Shasta, where they crowded in to watch the game on big screens.

Every table was taken Saturday evening and people pulled chairs to the televisions to watch the 49ers beat the Greenbay Packers 45-31.