AMC to live-stream 'Breaking Bad' premiere for Dish customers
The TV network, which was dropped from Dish's lineup last month, will make Sunday's season five opener available for free to Dish subscribers.
AMC has some good news for Dish subscribers who are fans of "Breaking Bad."
The TV network, which was dropped by the satellite TV provider last month, announced today it will live-stream Sunday's much-anticipated premiere of season five of the drug-dealing drama to Dish customers for free.
"Every cable, phone and satellite company other than Dish carries AMC and its popular programming, including 'Breaking Bad,' 'The Walking Dead' and 'Mad Men,' in their basic package," AMC said in a statement. "AMC wants its loyal Dish viewers to experience the excitement of the 'Breaking Bad' premiere at the same time as their friends and neighbors, and we want to give Dish customers an extra week to switch providers so they can enjoy the rest of the season."
Dish customers can begin signing up for access to the live stream tomorrow at noon PT at www.amctv.com/breakingbad4dish.
Dish dropped AMC's channels -- including AMC, IFC, and WE tv -- from its lineup on June 30, claiming the network's programming, which also includes "Mad Med," didn't justify the increased fees the TV network was demanding.
However, AMC countered that fees were never an issue and that the channels were dropped "in retaliation for an unrelated lawsuit." The companies remain locked in bitter litigation over Dish's 2008 decision to drop the lightly viewed Voom Networks, an independent subsidiary of AMC.
The announcement came a day after DirecTV and Viacom failed to reach a new deal on programming fees, resulting in a blackout of many popular cable networks, including MTV, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon.