Time Warner Cable, LIN TV bicker over retransmission fees
While we singled out TWC's spat with Dayton's own WDTN, the issue spreads much, much further. As of now, 15 LIN TV-owned stations are at risk of falling off of Time Warner Cable if the two can't reach an agreement before October 2nd. Since July of this year, LIN TV has attempted to extract a presumably large amount of cash from the carrier in order to seal the deal on a long-term agreement for both analog and high-def signals. As of now, local stations in Austin, Buffalo, Columbus, Dayton, Ft. Wayne, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Mobile, Springfield (MA), Terre Haute and Toledo are at risk, but we have a pretty good feeling that the two will eventually work it out. 'Course, TWC won't enjoy paying through the nose in order to do so, but hey, that's life. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family][Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SLW @ Oct 1st 2008 7:28PM
In a time of a failing economy, I think that LIN TV is just being greedy. 122+% increase in retransmission fees, when I can get my local TV station free with an antenna? THE CEO of LIN TV makes an estimated income of 8M +. Lets continue to step on the working class Americans, make the people whom make this country run pay more for everything.
"Most cable operators, like their statellite and telecommunications competitors, now understand and acknowledge that fair and equitable compensation is essential to ensure the viability of local television," said Vincent Sadusky, president and CEO of LIN. Take a pay cut if you think local television can't survive.
Letting TWC retransmit LIN TV's signal does not cost them anything, as a matter of fact, LIN TV can get more revenue if LIN TV's stations are on TWC, because LIN TV's signal is getting to more people.
If I end up paying more, can I get a reduction of Commercials during the programming?