Through Cox Media Group, Apollo said it offered Dish Network an extension to continue carrying the stations, but Dish Network had yet to agree to those terms. It cited comments from the federal judge in Dish Network's lawsuit that said Cox Media Group "cannot prevent Dish from retransmtting the stations — they go dark only if Dish chooses." Both sides acknowledged the need for local news content during the ongoing COVID-19 global health pandemic. But both sides also blamed the other for holding up a deal because of financial interests.