What's up with CBS shows on DISH?

If you have DISH Network satellite TV service and were hoping to watch C.S.I on Thursday night, you are out of luck.

And Sunday's Denver Broncos vs. Buffalo Bills game? Better make arrangements with a buddy who gets programming from KBCI Channel 2 either through Cable One, DIRECTV, or an old-school antenna set.

The contract between Fisher Communications, owner of KBCI, and Dish Network expired this week, and the companies haven't yet been able to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Forbes Magazine reported online Thursday Seattle-based Fisher said it sued DISH Network Corp. in federal district court in Oregon Thursday for $1 million for failure to pay for broadcasts from stations that Fisher acquired in the last few years.

That means anyone who has DISH Network in the Boise area is currently not getting CBS programming and won't until the companies can make a deal. The same is true for DISH Network customers in six other markets in Washington, Oregon and California.

DISH officials blame Fisher Communications for the problem, saying the company is trying to raise programming rates by more than 80 percent, according to a press release.

KBCI officials posted a statement on its Web site Thursday which says, "DISH charges you a fee to receive KBCI. We believe DISH should be willing to pay a small portion of the fees you pay to DISH for the program content we provide to you."

Eric Sahl, senior vice president of programming for DISH Network, said "Fisher Communications' demands have forced us to remove this channel from our local programming lineup, forcing this disruption to our customers."

"We continue to fight for our subscribers by remaining the leader in value and in order to do this, we need fair contracts and competitive pricing for our customers," Sahl said. "This is why we refuse Fisher Communications' request for increased pricing and unreasonable terms."

Neither side has disclosed specific prices of the fees or how far apart the two companies are, although officials say they continue to negotiate.

Patrick Orr: 373-6619