In July, Dallas-based AT&T reached a last-minute deal with Rainbow Media to continue carrying AMC and other Rainbow channels.

"The problem is, it's not going to stop after this year," said Kurt Scherf, principal analyst in Dallas with research firm Parks Associates. "It's Cablevision and Dish this year, and it's just going to be a revolving cycle and get more and more contentious."

These disputes aren't always resolved before the viewer gets hurt.

Scherf at Parks Associates thinks that while online video viewing is growing, the real alternative for many cord cutters will be a good pair of rabbit ears.

He said he wouldn't be surprised to see TV makers like Sony and Samsung start packing in antennas with their latest flat-screen sets, as an insurance policy for buyers wary of seeing their favorite channels go dark every time their cable company gets into a tussle with a broadcaster.

"It would be a smart play, to say, 'Here are your local channels in crystal-clear high def,' " Scherf said.

From the article, "Fox, Dish settle dispute, but Channel 8 may feel pinch next" by Victor Godinez

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