Lilly Broadcasting Blacks Out CBS and ABC Stations in Storm Ravaged Puerto Rico and USVI Hampering Recovery Efforts

Broadcaster Puts Profits Before Public Safety
Lilly ignores its public interest obligations and exploits humanitarian catastrophe to create ‘deal leverage’

Washington, D.C. – With humanitarian crises unfolding in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Lilly Broadcasting compounded the situation last night by removing its signals from DISH customers in the disaster zones.  The American Television Alliance today condemned Lilly Broadcasting for putting public safety at risk and profiteering from a natural disaster.  Lilly Broadcasting is solely responsible for this blackout and Lilly alone has the power to restore its signals to the people of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“Lilly Broadcasting is putting profits before public safety.  This television blackout demonstrates a blatant disregard for the obligations broadcasters have to the communities they serve,” said Trent Duffy, ATVA spokesman.  “The American Television Alliance condemns this outrageous consumer blackout that jeopardizes public safety and hampers storm recovery efforts.  We demand that Lilly Broadcasting immediately end its outrageous consumer blackout and cease this profiteering during a humanitarian crisis.”

Lilly is blacking out the following stations from DISH customers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands:

• WSEEP-TV (CBS, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands)
• WENY-VI (ABC, U.S. Virgin Islands)

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The American Television Alliance (ATVA) brings together an unprecedented coalition of consumer groups, cable, satellite, telephone companies, and independent programmers to raise awareness about the risk TV viewers face as broadcasters increasingly threaten service disruptions that would deny viewers access to the programs they and their families enjoy.

For more information about ATVA, visit our website. Follow us on Twitter @ATVAlliance.