Dish avoids Comcast RSN blackout, but another CBS extension is still pending

Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) continues to grind its way through a complex, three-pronged web of program-licensing negotiations, carving out a short-term extension on Tuesday that keeps four Comcast-owned regional sports networks on the satellite service's program guide.

Dish is still in talks with Comcast's (NASDAQ: CMCSA) NBC Sports Group on a long-term agreement for CSN Chicago, CSN Mid-Atlantic, CSN Bay Area and CSN California. With the operator's current carriage agreement for those channels expiring at midnight on Dec. 2, the extension avoids a blackout.

Dish claims that NBC is seeking a 20 percent increase in licensing fees, a rate the programmer says represents market value.

Separately, another short-term agreement that has kept CBS-owned stations, as well as CBS Sports Network and Showtime, on Dish for the past six days is set to expire on Tuesday.

Dish also announced an extension two weeks ago with Turner Networks that ended a blackout of CNN. That extension, however, is several months long, giving the satellite operator some breathing room so it can focus on its CSN and CBS talks.

For more:
- read this Chicago Tribune story
- read this Seattle Post Intelligencer story

Related links:
CBS and Dish still talking, sign another extension agreement
CBS gives 'short term extension' to Dish; satellite operator now in showdown with Comcast Sports, too
Dish sees third carriage tiff heat up as four more Comcast RSNs threaten to go dark
Dish, Turner forge extension; restores CNN, averts TNT, TBS blackouts
CBS gives 'short term extension' to Dish; satellite operator now in showdown with Comcast Sports, too