McCoy: ‘The fight goes on’ with AT&T, Dish Network
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Circle City Broadcasting will ask a federal appeals court to reinstate its racial discrimination lawsuits against AT&T and Dish Network.
DuJuan McCoy, Owner, President, and CEO of Circle City Broadcasting, vowed to appeal to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals after a federal judge in Indianapolis issued summary judgement in the two cases on March 31.
McCoy sued AT&T and Dish Network in 2020, accusing the companies of racial discrimination for refusing to negotiate retransmission contracts for WISH-TV and WNDY.
Circle City Broadcasting owns the two television stations.
“Although we are disappointed in the court’s ruling, I have always known as one of the few black media executives in America that the fight for equality in media is always going to be difficult,” McCoy said. “We firmly believe that Dish and AT&T are both discriminatory companies in contracting. Separately and individually, they discriminate!”
Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled in favor of AT&T and Dish Network, after previously finding in December 2021 that Circle City Broadcasting and McCoy had presented “enough factual information to present, at the very least, a circumstantial case for intentional discrimination.”
McCoy announced that legendary civil rights attorney Cyrus Mehri will lead the appeal with Indianapolis law firm Bose McKinney & Evans LLP.
McCoy also pledged to challenge any potential merger between the two satellite and cable tv providers.
“These companies have been rumored, per Chairman of Dish Network Charlie Ergen’s public comments on November 2, 2022, to combine as one and create a monopoly satellite company,” McCoy said in his statement. “If they discriminate individually, they will surely continue and increase their discriminatory practices as one company. We plan to appeal this decision as well as do everything in our power to prevent their rumored merger from happening. It would be a sad day in media if regulators allowed this rumored monopolistic transaction to consummate.”