Fox News fans storm 800 line and website with Dish deal set to expire Saturday

Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Dish Network-subscribing Fox News fans might have to get the latest on the Benghazi "cover up" and road to impeachment from another news outlet.

As FierceCable reported Monday, 21st Century Fox launched a KeepFoxNews.com campaign over the weekend, notifying Dish (NASDAQ: DISH) subscribers that Fox News and Fox Business News could be pulled off their program guides amid a carriage dispute "very soon."

However, Mediabistro was among the outlets Monday that found out just how soon--Dish's current carriage deal for the leading cable news channel expires Saturday. For their part, Fox News isn't necessarily denying that the expiration represents a deadline.

"We are simply notifying our viewers about the possibility of not being able to access Fox News on their current satellite TV provider," Tim Carry, executive VP of distribution for Fox News, told the news outlet.

All metrics indicate that Fox has received the response it was looking for, with 20,000 viewers calling an 800 number set up by the network and 75,000 visiting the KeepFoxNews.com website. The campaign has also featured ads running on Fox-owned stations during NFL games.

For its part, Dish has been involved in numerous retrans and carriage renewal negotiations of late. Blackouts have mostly been avoided via temporary extensions. 

For more:
- read this TV Predictions story
- read this Mediabistro story

Related links:
Fox News finds new way to scare its viewers, warns of Dish blackout
More midnight oil burning for Dish: Nexstar sets 12 a.m. deal deadline
CBS keeps channels on Dish as negotiations continue
CBS to Dish: No more extensions, you have until Thursday
Dish avoids Comcast RSN blackout, but another CBS extension is still pending
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