Where’s ‘The Walking Dead’? Citing price increase, GCI will drop AMC, Univision in 2016
General Communication, Inc. (GCI) is giving programmers like AMC Networks and Univision the boot due to higher programming costs, according to a press release issued Monday.
Citing “an almost 200 percent cost increase,” GCI will not renew it’s contract with AMC Networks, which means ‘Walking Dead’ fans won’t find their favorite show on GCI’s regular lineup come Jan. 1, 2016. It also means customers will no longer receive IFC, IFC Films and WE TV — all owned by AMC Networks. Customers will still be able to watch BBC America.
WATN/WLMT (and other Nexstar stations?) might be gone from CableOne next week. I just saw a scroll about it on 24. This affects systems in Dyersburg TN and Batesville MS.
Cox, the main cable system in Baton Rouge, dropped WVLA, the NBC station, in a retransmission dispute on 1/1. People there with Cox can't see Vikings/Packers tonight.
AMC Networks Agrees To New Carriage Deal With Small Cable Systems Co-Op
So much for the National Cable Television Cooperative’s dire warning that many of the 4 million subscribers at the 740 small and medium cable companies it represents might lose AMC Networks. They’ve agreed on a new multi-year deal after extending negotiations beyond the year-end expiration of a previous contract signed in 2010.
Per usual, the announcement is light on specifics about deal terms.
AMC was looking for a price increase of at least 150%, positioning itself as much more valuable than it was in 2010 following a string of hits including Mad Men, The Walking Dead, and Better Call Saul. It also wanted NCTC members to carry all its channels which include AMC Network, SundanceTV, IFC, WEtv, BBC America, and BBC World News.
Like most new cable programming agreements, the new one is believed to offer distributors streaming and VOD rights to AMC Networks shows. AMC also got something it wanted: a long term. The agreement is said to run at least five years as opposed to the common length of about three years.
Cordillera Warns of Possible Dish Disruption
Cordillera Communications is warning viewers who watch its stations through Dish Network of a potential carriage disruption. Cordillera has been in negotiations with Dish Network for months over the fee the satellite company must pay Cordillera to retransmit its signals.
With the current agreement set to expire at noon CT on Jan. 7, subscribers to Dish Network may lose access to the following local stations:
KTVQ-CBS for Billings, Montana
KXLF/KBZK-CBS for Butte-Bozeman, Montana (plus CW-affiliated subchannel)
KOAA-NBC for Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Colorado
KRIS-NBC for Corpus Christi, Texas (plus CW-affiliated subchannel and independent station KDF)
KRTV-CBS for Great Falls, Montana
KBGF-NBC for Great Falls, Montana
KXLH-CBS for Helena, Montana
KTVH-NBC for Helena, Montana (plus CW-affiliated subchannel)
KATC-ABC for Lafayette, Louisiana
WLEX-NBC for Lexington, Kentucky
KPAX/KAJ-CBS for Missoula/Kalispell, Montana (plus CW-affiliated subchannel)
KSBY-NBC for Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo, California
KVOA-NBC for Tucson, Arizona
The Blackout Crisis has hit my neck of the woods!
Northland Communications (formerly Northland Cable) in my hometown of Greenwood, SC has dropped Viacom channels (including Nickelodeon, Spike, MTV, etc) because of an impasse last week over fees. And they dropped WEtv too last week. This is very shocking, I've found out from my pal Christopher Wideman earlier tonight.
We need reforms badly!
Though not everyone can easily get a dependable signal, even with an anrenna. I haven't tried an outdoor one yet.Why is it, in all of these contract/TV station disputes, do they never mention that their station is available for free over-the-air?
Why is it, in all of these contract/TV station disputes, do they never mention that their station is available for free over-the-air?
Cordillera Stations Restored On Dish Network
Cordillera Communications announced Sunday afternoon that its stations have been returned to Dish Network following a three-day blackout. The contract impasse followed months of negotiations over carriage terms, including the fees the satellite company must pay Cordillera to retransmit its signals.
“We are pleased to have reached a multi-year agreement with Dish for carriage of our stations,” said Terrance Hurley, president of Cordillera Communications. “We want to thank our loyal viewers for their patience as we worked hard to negotiate with Dish to restore essential local coverage. At its core, disputes such as this are about protecting the future of local broadcasting in the communities we serve, a cause to which Cordillera remains fundamentally committed.”
Baton Rouge NBC affiliate returning to Cox Cable as rate standoff ends
Cox Communications has reached an agreement to resume broadcasting the NBC affiliate in Baton Rouge and a sister station, ending a standoff over rates that deprived Cox viewers of an NFL playoff game, the Golden Globe Awards and other programs since New Year’s Day.
Cox said White Knight’s WVLA-NBC, serving Baton Rouge, Franklin/Patterson, and KZUP, serving Baton Rouge, Gramercy/Lutcher, would return to its cable network quickly.
The two had been in a standoff over rates Cox pays to White Knight to retransmit its programming.
Though not everyone can easily get a dependable signal, even with an anrenna. I haven't tried an outdoor one yet.
Something to consider, I guess. I haven't opened my cable bill but for less than 20 channels it's getting ridiculous, and with the tuning adapter and CABLECard for TiVo and the digital adapter for the other TiVo, I don't know how long I can continue to do this. Still don't know where I'd put one with the trees.
Just noticed a long-range 8 bay that is in two sections. Each section can be aimed separately which might solve your problem.
http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Outdoor-Bowtie-Television-Antenna/dp/B00DHHMOUW/ref=sr_1_44?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452808225&sr=1-44&keywords=outdoor+antenna
My new Comcast bill is $31.66. All I have is limited basic. The worst part? The freaking broadcast retransmission fee is $5!! That is total bull----!
I barely get ABC where I live. That's despite the fact my indoor antenna has the two telescoping rods intended for VHF (ABC channel 8 uses channel 10 for digital).
Time to bring those "converters" back to their West Hartford, CT office. Besides, using them is like watching cable from 20-some years ago (all analog and the TV has to be on channel 3 or 4).