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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
News Time Warner asserts: 'WSOC-TV Threatens to Pull its Programming'
Posted By Carlton Hargro on Wed, Mar 25, 2009 at 3:35 PM
This just in from the folks at Time Warner Cable:
WSOC-TV Threatens to Pull its Programming OffTime Warner Cable Channel Lineup
Local ABC Affiliate Reaching Into Customers’ Wallets To Subsidize Its Bottom line
Charlotte, NC (March 25, 2009) –Local ABC affiliate WSOC-TV has threatened to remove its programming from Time Warner Cable customers unless their unprecedented demands are met. Cox Television, the parent company of WSOC-TV, is trying to use the Charlotte market as leverage to renegotiate unexpired retransmission consent agreements held in other Time Warner Cable markets.
“From our perspective, we’re really close to a deal on WSOC,” says Carol Hevey, executive vice president, Time Warner Cable Carolina Region. “The real issue is that they are demanding that customers pay millions more on unexpired contracts for other Cox stations in Texas, Florida and Ohio. That’s like asking you to pay extra rent now when your lease isn’t up until the end of the year, just because the landlord isn’t earning enough money from other tenants. It’s outrageous, and unfortunate that our customers could be the victims here.”
TWC continues to negotiate in good faith with WSOC-TV before its long-term carriage agreement expires April 1st. If an agreement is not reached by this date, WSOC-TV may choose to pull its programming off the Time Warner Cable channel line-up. By law, TWC cannot continue to carry WSOC-TV programming without the stations’ consent.
TWC has reached hundreds of mutually beneficial agreements with other broadcast stations over the years. While negotiations may become heated from time to time, it is uncommon for a dispute to become public “We’re disappointed that WSOC-TV decided to focus its efforts on spreading inaccurate information about our negotiations in the Charlotte community, rather than working with us to come up with a reasonable and fair agreement, says Hevey. “We sincerely hope WSOC-TV will come to their senses before our customers are negatively impacted.”
If TWC and WSOC-TV do not reach an agreement by April 1st and WSOC decides to pull its station from the channel line-up, customers will be able to access WSOC programming over the air with an antenna or online. Popular ABC programming such as Grey’s Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, Lost and The View can be viewed at www.abc.go.com. Daytime programming such as All My Children and General Hospital can be viewed on SOAPnet and www.abc.go.com.
Look for WSOC's response to this allegation later.
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