Cablevision Wants FCC To Intervene With News Corp.

As Cablevision customers contemplate what bars to head to or which antenna to buy to watch the World Series tonight, Cablevision president and CEO (and Knicks owner) James Dolan sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski yesterday, saying that he could be in D.C. this morning for an FCC-run meeting with News Corp., because only with the FCC's involvement could good faith talks occur. However, News Corp., which served Cablevision a cease & desist letter (because the cable company's reps were allegedly telling customers how to illegally access Fox programming online) said that Dolan's letter was a "stunt."

The two companies have been at odds since October 16, when News Corp. pulled its Fox programming—shows like Glee and House, sporting events like the ALDS and NFL games, channels like WNYW 5, WWOR 9 and Fox News—from Cablevision. Cablevision claims that News Corp. is demanding $150 million in transmission fees, up from $70 million, while News Corp. says that Cablevision isn't even trying to negotiate—all this leaving over 3 million people in the NY, NJ and PA area in the dark. According to Media Decoder, a FCC official "indicated that the commission is likely to take a couple of days to review the responses from the two parties to the formal filings each submitted on their efforts to solve the dispute," which means there will probably not be any Fall Classic tonight for Cablevision customers.

Verizon tells Bloomberg News their FIOS subscriptions are up since the conflict.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 27, 2010 10:29 AM

Comments [rss]

spiritross

Knicks Fans Want the NBA to Intervene with James Dolan's Ownership of the Knicks.

Brooklynbobby

Why is it that only Cablevision has these blackouts? In January it was the Food Network and HGTV. Then, later in the month, it was ABC. Now it's FOX. Is this going to happen every time a network renews their contract?

rammyh

It's not just Cablevision - Time Warner had some sort of dispute last year I think. And Fox's contract with Dish Network is upcoming - so there's no guarantee this crap won't happen if you switch cable suppliers.

Yes HD antennas work (sometimes) - but it's an extra expense and a hassle. I have an antenna hooked up for my upstairs tv and ABC barely comes in ever and although the picture for other channels is mostly fine, there are still blips and slowdowns on the best of them.

Most lcds/plasmas and later generation tvs don't even have a built in amplifier for air reception - solely because the paradigm for television watching in the entirety of the country is that viewers would get their feed through a cable/satellite provider (including the stuff that's supposed to be broadcast over the air).

The big boys can squabble over pay-TV and cable programming, but the over the air network content should never end in a specific market because of a corporate feud.

If the network is up and running, then either the whole country gets to watch or they shut down the whole thing.

eflash

buy a cheap antenna and your HD signal will look better, and be more reliable, than Cablevision's.

Jimbo853okg

Never Send A Boy King To Do A Media Mogul's Job.

It's hard to believe it's come to this. The net effect for Cablevision is going to be disasterous. That pathetic letter only proves that Jim Dolan, charter member of the Lucky Sperm Club, is no match for Murdoch. How does Cablevision's board convince Charlie Dolan to bring in outside help and give his son the heave-ho?