3 Million NY Cablevision Viewers Lose ABC

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | March 7, 2010 at 08:32 am

205 views | 2 Recommendations | 0 comments

Quote

"When pulling a signal becomes the nuclear option in negotiation, it inflicts collateral damage on consumers who pay their bills and have done nothing wrong," Kerry wrote. Last week, he urged the FCC to help the companies reach an agreement. "Someone needs to be speaking up for them in this dispute and those like them."

Senator John Kerry to Washington Post March 7, 2010

At the stroke of midnight Sunday, 3 million Cablevision viewers in the New York area had their ABC channel go dark on them due to an impasse by the cable operator and broadcaster over a feud about transmission fees.

Unless an agreement is reached Sunday between Cablevision and Walt Disney, the parent company of ABC, viewers will miss The Oscars and some of television's most popular shows such as Lost and Good Morning America.

An FCC spokesperson has not responded for comment.

Press releases sent out on Sunday morning had the companies blaming each other for the negotiation impasse. Cablevision subscribers voiced anger on Twitter saying they shouldn't be deprived of ABC shows, which include Sandra Bullock and George Clooney at the Oscars on Sunday, due to a business conflict.

Negotiations will continue throughout the day.

At dispute, according to Cablevision executive vice president Schueler, is $40 million in retransmission consent fees ABC demanded of Cablevision.

The negotiation breakdown was the latest in a series of similar standoffs between broadcasters and paid television providers such as Time Warner Cable's dispute with New Corp.'s Fox last year. The Federal Communications Commission has largely stayed on the sidelines of such negotiations. But some lawmakers and consumer groups have urged greater involvement by the agency to prevent viewers from missing out.
"If negotiations break down to the point of intractability, the FCC should step in and faciliate fair arbitration," said Ben Scott, policy director of public interest group Free Press.

[. . . ]

The negotiation breakdown was the latest in a series of similar standoffs between broadcasters and paid television providers such as Time Warner Cable's dispute with New Corp.'s Fox last year. The Federal Communications Commission has largely stayed on the sidelines of such negotiations. But some lawmakers and consumer groups have urged greater involvement by the agency to prevent viewers from missing out.