The Dish Network will discontinue offering WTOK-TV and Meridian’s CW8, the region’s ABC and CW affiliates, effected 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. 

The decision by Dish was announced Monday WTOK. The stations appeared on Dish channels 11 and 49.

“We are shocked and disappointed to learn that Dish Network has decided to impose yet another blackout on its customers by taking away our stations, which broadcast some of the most highly rated programming on any broadcast or cable channel in their market,” Tim Walker, the stations’ vice-president and general manager, said in a statement.

Dish’s decision will not affect customers of Directv, Comcast Xfinity, Mediacom, MaxxSouth Broadband and other local providers. 

Dish has declined to begin negotiating carriage terms with WTOK parent company Gray Television that are consistent with those that Dish has provided to other broadcasters and cable channels, according to a WTOK news release.

Recently, Gray offered Dish an extension that would have continued beyond Tuesday’s deadline, but Dish refused to accept it, according to the WTOK news release. Dish’s action is an attempt for leverage in private carriage negotiations, according to WTOK. The release states Gray Television owns the number one- or number two-ranked television station in more than 50 markets.

WTOK anticipates a prolonged blackout over several months. Gray has reached

Gray has reached long-term agreements with several hundred other major cable and satellite distributors, virtually all without any disruptions or public statements about negotiations, according to WTOK. In contrast, in just the last two years, Dish has dropped more than 200 local television stations, according to the news release.

“It is unfortunate that Dish does not see the same value in our programming as every other operator,” Walker said in the statement. “Regardless, we will continue to offer the same high quality programming as we always have, and we will continue to serve our community as we have done for decades.”