LIN TV, MetroCast Cablevision Stage Retransmission-Consent Battle in Conn.
40,000 Cable Subscribers in Eastern Connecticut May Lose WTNH New Haven, WCTX New Haven, WPRI Providence, R.I.
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/13/2007 7:16:00 AM
A clash over retransmission consent between LIN TV and cable company MetroCast Cablevision might see some 40,000 cable subscribers in eastern Connecticut lose broadcast signals as of Oct. 7.
The parties have failed to negotiate a fee for MetroCast airing the signals for LIN stations WTNH New Haven, WCTX New Haven and WPRI Providence, R.I.
“We apologize for any inconvenience to our viewers and hope that these viewers will continue to watch our award-winning local news and top-rated programming through alternate means,” LIN executive vice president of digital media Gregory M. Schmidt said in a statement.
“We have successfully reached agreements with other multichannel providers including cable operators, telephone companies and satellite providers, all of which have acknowledged the value of LIN TV’s stations, and hope we can reach an agreement with MetroCast soon,” he added.
MetroCast spun it differently: General manager John Dee said LIN “has rejected multiple offers by MetroCast over the last nine months to continue carrying the stations on the MetroCast cable system for consideration that MetroCast firmly believes is fair and equitable and that is entirely consistent with MetroCast’s offers accepted by other broadcasters in the marketplace.”
Dee said MetroCast would air New England Cable News in the missing channels' slots, along with other “alternative programming.”
LIN outlined its case on a dedicated Web site.
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