Verizon / Cablevision MSG HD channel squabble goes to the FCC
By Richard Lawler 
posted Jul 9th 2009 3:02PM
posted Jul 9th 2009 3:02PM
NYC Metro FiOS subs will look on with interest as Verizon has petitioned the FCC to rule on whether or not Cablevision can continue to refuse offering its MSG channels in high definition to FiOS customers. Naturally Cablevision has responded calling the idea of a regulatory bailout for a phone company ten times its size "absurd," and claiming that it doesn't have to license its local HD programming to anyone. As Multichannel News explains, at issue is the "terrestrial loophole" which requires satellite delivered programming to be made available to competitors, but since the MSG channels aren't that rule does not apply. Still, it could be a while before we know if local Rangers, Knicks, Islanders, Devils and Sabers games are coming to FiOS as Verizon has asked for a decisions within five months, which, while not in time for the basketball season, should still be made well ahead of the Knicks ever being any good again.Read - Verizon Petitions FCC to Rule on Cablevision's Refusal to Make MSG Channels Available in HD
Read - Verizon Files Program Access Complaint Against Cablevision
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JK @ Jul 9th 2009 3:20PM
This should be a bell weather decision to see if the FCC is in the pocket of the cable industry or is about true competition in the marketplace.
Cablevision says they shouldn't have to provide their HD feed, but the truth is they own the teams and networks so that they don't have to provide the HD feed. Rather than compete on price, they want to compete with content exclusivity. BAD for consumers.
They advertise all over the NY market that the only way to see every NY sports team in HD is to have Cablevision because they refuse to make the HD feeds of the Knicks, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders available to FIOS subscribers. If the FCC sides with cablevision, what is to theoretically stop Verizon from purchasing a sports franchise solely to keep the HD feed from Cablevision subscribers? It would then be an impossibility to see every team in HD regardless of what company you have (I'm leaving Direct TV out of this for the sake of simplicity). Is this a consumer friendly policy?
Maybe I'm a little old school, but I think cable companies should not own the content they provide because of this tremendous conflict of interest.
I'm also having trouble wrapping my head around how the FCC held up the Sirius-XM merger for over a year because of theoretical anti-competitive issues, but they haven't yet addressed this.
Terry @ Jul 9th 2009 3:28PM
Down with cablevision!! Up with miniskirts!!! Also up with more HD channel availability. It's a shame (a damned illegal shame) that FIOS subscribers can't watch the Knicks (who, by the way are WAY closer than you haters at EngadgetHD make them out to be) gradually become contenders again!
JEF @ Aug 15th 2009 9:17AM
I think Cablevision actually wants to get forced to sell the feed to Verizon, but they are hoping that it is a broad order that bans all reverse net neutrality violations. They could then use the ruling to challenge the NFL Sunday Ticket's exclusivity to DirecTV.