LIN TV, Suddenlink Ink Retransmission-Consent Deal

KXAN Austin, Texas; KBIM Albuquerque, N.M. Return to Cable Operator Suddenlink Communications

By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/25/2008 12:06:00 PM

LIN TV worked out a retransmission-consent agreement with cable operator Suddenlink Communications.

The two companies had battled over carriage of LIN’s KXAN Austin, Texas, and KBIM Albuquerque, N.M., late last year, leaving viewers in those markets without the LIN signal. But with the pact in place, 30,000 Suddenlink subscribers can now view the stations’ programming.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. LIN called it a “fair market agreement.”

“We appreciate the loyalty of our viewers while we went through this intensive negotiation process, but the result is one that will, in the long run, greatly benefit local viewers and, we believe, will strengthen both Suddenlink’s local cable systems and LIN’s local broadcast stations,” LIN TV executive vice president of digital media Gregory M. Schmidt said. “We are delighted to put this episode behind us and look forward to working with Suddenlink in the years to come.”