Time Warner Cable subscribers managed to avert a crisis early this morning, but it seems that Sunflower Broadband customers aren't so lucky. As it stands, KMBC-ABC and KCWE-CW -- both owned by Kansas City's Hearst-Argyle Television -- are being dropped from the provider. Both channels were being transmitted to customers in SD and HD, and until an agreement can be worked out, Sunflower has arranged to retransmit ABC Topeka affiliate KTKA in SD / HD so that customers can at least view ABC material. The good (or better, we should say) news? The carrier has vowed to "work around the clock with Hearst-Argyle to restore KMBC and KCWE under terms that are fair to its customers." And now, we wait.

We're not sure how this demand will be received, but the American Cable Association's argument is simple: if only Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subs are in danger of losing MTV Networks channels at the stroke of midnight, why are we all bothered with an annoying crawl message? Of course, that plea is couched by statements backing TWC and BHN's reluctance to agree to new higher programming fees, but those of us eagerly anticipating a Miley-Sized surprise during tonight's NYE celebration that have a different provider could do without the interruptions.

Bad news, Time Warner Cable subscribers. The cable carrier notorious for resisting HD expansion until a competitor rolls into town is getting ready to pull all 19 MTV Networks channels (MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central just to name a few, presumably including the HD versions). Viacom has just unleashed a scathing announcement that calls the carrier's refusal to pony up "outrageous," and publicly pleads for its bigwigs to reconsider and open up the checkbook. In essence, Viacom is asking for a fee increase of just under $0.25 per month, per subscriber -- which, admittedly, sounds rather high given the lack of MTV-related content that's a) watchable and b) in high-definition -- but TWC is straight-up refusing.

Now, we've no qualms with a provider balking at price increases, but while it's planning to let content vanish from lineups, it's also raising monthly rates by $3 in Raleigh, Orange County, Los Angeles and New York City. Ahem, TWC -- could you bother justifying these hikes by allowing us to keep our content? And don't even come at us with the "we just added more HD!" comment -- after all, you blast us everyday with ads proclaiming that your HD "is free." [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

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]

Same song, different chorus. LIN TV, which is notorious for asking ungodly amounts of cash from carriers in order to carry its stations, has been unable to reach an agreement with Time Warner Cable (who, to be fair, wants the channel for next-to-free) over Dayton, Ohio's WDTN. The local NBC affiliate will fall off the EPG on October 2nd unless a deal is hammered out beforehand, and according to a recent notice put up on the channel's website, the companies have been going at it for the past two months in an attempt to lock down a long-term carriage agreement that includes both analog and high-definition signals. Judging by history, we have all ideas an agreement will be stumbled upon at the eleventh hour, but don't be shocked to see your rates creep up ever-so-slightly in order to pay for it. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]

[Thanks, Dayton Guy]

Why does it seem that Charter, out of all the cable carriers in the world, finds itself intertwined with so much mischief? The latest forehead-pounding episode is actually a two-fer, with gripes arising from Reno, Nevada and a rural section of North Carolina. In the Silver State, Charter is apparently looking to pull four public access channels to retrieve bandwidth for the launch of 12 new digital channels. The company's George Jostlin proclaims that the "majority of consumers are calling it on a daily basis and asking for more HD / digital programming," but the City of Reno has announced its intentions to sue the provider if an agreement can't be reached on the matter by next Wednesday. Across the country in McDowell County, NC, Charter is catching flack for wanting to strip Marion of its information channel (and combine it with the county's government channel) in order to add three HD stations. We like the intentions here, but seriously, you folks should work on the execution.

[Thanks PopWeaverHDTV, image courtesy of TSLPL]

Read - Issues in Reno
Read - Stirring the pot in rural NC

We had a feeling folks on both sides of the WNWO / Buckeye CableSystem table would come to terms in order to keep the Olympics coverage flowin' despite their disagreements, but it seems the future beyond that is still murky. The local NBC affiliate in Toledo, Ohio will allow coverage to continue on the aforesaid carrier until August 24th, but there are still terms to hash out before a retransmission agreement for September and beyond is agreed upon. Nothing like broadcast drama, right?

[Thanks, Keith]

Another month, another bitter argument between a cable carrier and a local broadcaster. On the docket today is Toledo's own WNWO-TV, a local NBC affiliate that is (of course) asking for "fair compensation" for its signal. Pertinent to this conflict is the fact that NBC is the station in question -- you know, the main channel responsible for delivering live Olympics coverage in just over a week. As it stands, both parties feel confident that a deal will be reached, but if the sides cannot come to an agreement, local viewers will be forced to throw up an antenna or seek alternate sources in order to catch local NBC action. We'll be sure to keep an eye on things as the nail-biting discussions continue.

About this time last week, we had hopes that WIBW-TV and Cox Communications could come to terms and put this spat behind, but unfortunately, things didn't exactly work out. As of right now, Topeka, Kansas' CBS affiliate is being dumped from Cox's lineup, and while talks are reportedly continuing, TV viewers in the area now have to turn to alternative methods to catch CBS programming. On an update on the station's website, it actually recommends that consumers call up DISH Network and DirecTV to see what kind of deals they can nab should they be too far away to pull in the signal via OTA. Here's to hoping this situation sees an amicable resolution, and fast.

Update: The deadline has been extended until March 13th, so Cox users can still receive WIBW for a few more days at least.

[Thanks, James H.]

Well, it's Saturday folks, and for Cox customers in Topeka, Kansas, WIBW-TV is still going strong. According to an updated article on the station's website, Topeka's CBS affiliate is going to remain on Cox Communications' lineup for just a few more days (at least), as "substantial progress" has reportedly been made in determining how much Cox should pay WIBW. As of now, the deadline has been pushed to March 8th, but at this point, we've no reason to believe the bigwigs at Cox won't come to their senses and pony up.

[Thanks, Kevin O.]

As enthralled as we are to see new HD channels arrive in varying parts of the world, it's equally depressing to hear when any vanish. Nevertheless, we're looking at yet another classic battle between station and carrier in Topeka, Kansas, as the region's CBS affiliate (WIBW-TV) is threatening to remove its analog and digital HD signals from Cox unless it ponies up in a hurry. Needless to say, WIBW feels that it's not being compensated fairly from Cox for its retransmission of signals, and unless the two parties strike a deal before midnight on Friday, citizens in the area will have to bust out the antenna (or switch to satellite) to catch the looming March Madness. So, what exactly is WIBW asking for? A penny a day for each Cox subscriber.

Don't worry -- that feeling of déjà vu actually isn't just in your head. Going back as far as last June, you'll find disagreements between Comcast and Big Ten Network, and for whatever reason, those conflicts still exist today. Just days after we heard that BTN remained anxious to land a deal with Charter, a new report out of the Chicago Tribune asserts that wheels are still spinning between the network and Comcast. Reportedly, BTN President Mark Silverman was "optimistic" about inking an agreement last month, but here we are a month later without any sort of deal in place. Granted, Mr. Silverman still suggests that talks are continuing, but we're beginning to wonder how long it'll be before these friendly conversations lead to a bona fide business transaction.

Make no mistake, Big Ten Network has been quite successful in getting itself on a number of providers, but to this day, Charter subscribers in the eight-state Big Ten footprint are still missing out. According to a new report, the network is still anxious to get a deal done with Charter, as quite a chunk of Minnesota Gophers fans are currently cheering through Tubby Smith's inaugural season without the ability to view some 17 of the team's games. 'Course, we've no idea if Charter is even close to forking out the coinage required to land a carriage agreement, but at least one side isn't backing down, right?

NFL fans calling Lufkin, Nacogdoches or a surrounding locale home may be thrilled to know that SuddenLink and the Longview, Texas FOX affiliate (KFXK) have finally decided to put their differences aside and shake hands. Merely days before Super Bowl XLII kicks off from nearby Arizona, the station has apparently landed an agreement with SuddenLink (cash very likely involved, by the way) that will enable the cable company's subscribers to finally receive FOX in HD on channel 705. Better still, these very customers will also be able to tune into Fox Sports Network HD on channel 750 if they decide to plunk down $7.95 per month for the SuddenLink HD Plus package. According to Gene Regan, director of corporate communications at SuddenLink, the firm still plans on juicing up its lineup with additional high-def options in the near future, but unfortunately for Austin-area folks, there's still no end in sight to the drama keeping NBC HD off of your EPG.

For SuddenLink subscribers in the Austin, Texas area, we certainly hope you've got a spare antenna laying around. As of today, KXAN-TV (the Austin NBC affiliate) will no longer be carried on its cable system, and in case you haven't already guessed the reason, here's the long and short of it: cash. Apparently, LIN TV (KXAN's owner) and SuddenLink have not been able to agree on the station's fair market value, and rather than just taking what's offered, it has decided to simply pull away from the operator. It was noted that LIN TV had successfully reached agreements with other cable operators, telephone companies and satellite providers, and its president and GM suggested that SuddenLink subscribers view the channel in SD or HD via "alternative means, such as an antenna or by switching to a satellite service." Of course, it seems that negotiations will continue, but there's no way to know when (or if) the station will reappear on SuddenLink's lineup.