Northwest Broadcasting Stations Dark For DirecTV Subscribers
Retrans at heart of stations-satellite TV clash
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/1/2011 11:28:07 AM
[UPDATED] Northwest Broadcasting stations WICZ-WBPN Binghamton (N.Y.) , KMVU Medford (Ore.), KFFX Yakima and KAYU Spokane went dark for DirecTV subscribers as the new year rolled in, as a result of a retransmission consent clash.
The satellite provider says it asked Northwest to keep the channels up while negotiations continued or bring the issue to arbitration to avoid programming disruptions, but says "Northwest refused and demanded the channels be taken down."
"For local broadcast station owners to brazenly hold viewers hostage in an attempt to extort fees that are astronomically higher than what we pay other local broadcasters is flat out wrong," said DirecTV Chairman/CEO/President Mike White. "We hope that Northwest will ultimately come to the table in good faith to discuss reasonable terms and fees and they will quickly restore programming to our customers."
Northwest President/CEO Brian Brady was in his office over the weekend, explaining the situation to irate viewers on the phone. He charges DirecTV with trying to squeeze a small, privately owned company.
"Unfortunately DIRECTV left us no choice but to pull our stations," said Brady.
KAYU and Time Warner Cable had a long standoff in 2007 over retrans, with KAYU going dark for TWC subscribers for several months.Brady is also chairman of the Fox affiliates board. He said Northwest had negotiated with DirecTV in good faith for three months.
"Northwest values its viewers and the last thing we want is to have them be in the middle of this contract negotiation," said Brady. "In order for us to continue in the broadcast business we cannot allow Direct TV and companies like them to take advantage of their size and political muscle to bully us into subsidizing their businesses."
Hearst TV and DirecTV reached a retrans pact just before the year concluded.
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Northwest Brodcasting must be a office of republicans they don't comprise with any one hope you go broke.But better yet I wish you would get your head out of your a---.
Monte - 1/6/2013 12:45:12 PM EST -
No worries here, we have a digital converter with rabbit ears and we can now get the play-off games for free! After the playoffs, they can get lost. Don't need Fox anyway!!!!!
Free Fox! - 1/5/2013 9:11:56 PM EST -
I hope you greedy basturds puke all over your couch while you are watching the bowl and NFL play off games that we have waited all season to see and we are NOT.
Jerry Jarnagin - 1/4/2013 9:30:47 PM EST -
Dear Mr Grinch,
So your plan is to ruin NFL football playoffs?
You pay to broadcast your signal, but expect others to pay to rebroadcast...or are you paying them to increase your market share?
Who is the genius that is doing the math on this one? I imagine that the NFL programing cost a pretty penny and now you are being penny wise and pound foolish. Your biggest programing money maker pulled from the market after you already paid for it...someone needs to get fired.
Bill - 1/3/2013 1:21:15 PM EST -
The 1st time I changed from Time Warner and was furious with them, then onto Comcast, in another state, Now back in Idaho to Dish. Now it seems all these cable and dish networks all have ONE thing in common.
It is FOX TV. When will enough be enough? Fox is a terrific network, but clearly a very greedy one. Just stop this already. We the people have what has made Fox successful. I was wrong to switch now that I realize it was and is FOX who will not negotiate in good faith. Don't you care about your viewers at all? I have watched and loved every season of American Idol, but I am being forced by you to change my viewing habits.
Adios Fox.
Tinah - 12/30/2012 2:31:45 PM EST
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