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The Programming Disputes Thread

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/scripps-networks-won-t-renew-netflix-deal/160965

Scripps to not renew a deal with Netflix over its on demand distribution.

peaking on Scripps Networks’ earnings call with analysts Monday, COO Burton Jablin said that the company had looked closely at its SVOD strategy and determined that making its shows available for streaming on Netflix was not the best way to monetize its content.
Related: Scripps Networks 3Q Earnings Higher
Broadcast and cable networks have seen Netflix and other video streamers start to steal viewers, which reduces ratings. But doing business with SVOD companies like Netflix provides short-term revenues that can be an important component of earnings.
During the call, analysts asked if the new streaming strategy would be working closer with traditional distributors or possibly launching its own streaming services.
Scripps CEO Ken Lowe said that the company has decided it prefers a dual revenue stream model that includes both advertising and distribution revenue.
He added that the company had gained a lot of knowledge about monetizing its content by doing business with Netflix.
The company has expanded its digital sales team to take advantage of online streaming opportunities, Lowe added. “We don’t want to cut ourselves off from any opportunities,” he said.
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PlayStation Vue Dropping Viacom Channels

PlayStation Vue, Sony’s OTT-TV service, said it is dropping all Viacom-owned channels starting November 11, and is about to add several other services.

All Viacom-owned networks currently offered on PS Vue, including Comedy Central, Spike and MTV, will be dropped starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on November 11, Dwayne Benefield, VP and head of PS Vue, announced Tuesday in this blog post.

“As part of our ongoing evaluation of the PlayStation Vue offering, we have determined that removing the bundle of channels from Viacom is the best way for us to continue to offer the most compelling value to our fans,” he wrote.

Viacom channels have been part of the PS Vue lineup since the service launched in March 2015.

Viacom said it declined to comment at this time.

Benefield said PS Vue will be adding some new channels starting Wednesday (November 9), including BBC America and NBA TV, with plans to launch Viceland and more local broadcast stations from CBS and Fox “soon.” PS Vue recently added HBO and Cinemax.
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http://www.multichannel.com/news/content/playstation-vue-dropping-viacom-channels/408963
 
It's just a negotiating ploy between Viacom and Sony...Viacom is pretty much in dire straits right now, and they can't afford another yet another TV provider dropping them. If they're gone by Friday, they'll be back soon enough...or else, those how are missing their SpongeBob and South Park can go to Sling.
 
ShawnHill1 said:
It's just a negotiating ploy between Viacom and Sony...Viacom is pretty much in dire straits right now, and they can't afford another yet another TV provider dropping them. If they're gone by Friday, they'll be back soon enough...or else, those how are missing their SpongeBob and South Park can go to Sling.
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is this the first time a streaming only service is facing a dispute like Cable & Satellite had been dealing with for years
 
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/ne...-complaint-against-directv-distributor/161273

The FCC has rejected a pair of broadcasters' complaints against a company delivering TV stations to college students but says it could refocus their complaint at DirecTV if they still have a bone to pick.
The owners of WSEE and WICU, Erie, Pa., had complained that Campus Televideo (CTV) has been retransmitting their signals to Edinboro University without either retransmission consent or a right of subdistribution.
The FCC's Media Bureau dismissed the complaint on the grounds that Campus Televideo was acting as an agent of DirecTV—AT&T told the FCC that CTA "is an authorized sales agent for DIRECTV’s programming services, and that DIRECTV directly provides the programming services including the Stations to Edinboro University," according to the bureau.
The FCC pointed out that DirecTV has to pay SJL license fees related to commercial customers per their retrans deal.
The stations said that some of the stations being made available to students violated network nonduplication rules, but CTV countered that that was between DirecTV and the stations, not the university or CTV. The FCC agreed.
"CTV is merely acting as an authorized sales agent for DIRECTV’s programming services," said the bureau. "Accordingly, there is no merit to the Complaint alleging that CTV is retransmitting and granting subdistribution rights for the Stations without consent."
As to any alleged violation of retransmission consent rules or network nonduplication rules, the bureau said, "any complaint should be directed against DIRECTV and not its sales agent CTV."
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Here's a complaint over Directv's transmission process.
 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...version-of-directv-said-to-launch-without-cbs

Update for Directv now customers


Next week, AT&T Inc. is leaping into online streaming with DirecTV Now, but it’s taking the plunge without CBS Corp., the most popular TV network and the lone holdout for the service among the top media companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Aimed at would-be cable customers, DirecTV Now is a package of more than 100 live channels delivered over the internet for $35 a month. AT&T, which has delayed the project for more than a year as it hammered out deals for streaming rights, will offer channels from NBCUniversal, Fox, Disney, Turner and others. But the company is unlikely to reach a financial agreement with CBS before its planned introduction, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.

Barring an agreement at the 11th hour, subscribers won’t see CBS shows like “The Big Bang Theory,” “NCIS,” “60 Minutes,” and some NFL games. That kind of programming has attracted an average of more than 10 million viewers a night in prime time so far this season.

The stalemate between AT&T and CBS pits two of the biggest figures in the TV industry against each other, and the outcome may determine whether distributors or programming providers now are gaining power in the swiftly changing industry. If DirecTV Now proves successful at gaining subscribers without CBS, the network’s negotiating leverage may wane. If the service flops, CBS’s influence grows.

“There are certain channels you need. Not having them may have some impact if it doesn’t stack up to cable,” said John Hodulik, an analyst at UBS Group AG. “On the other hand, it’s a big worry for CBS, because if this takes off, that’s a lost subscriber, which undercuts their pricing power.” Representatives for AT&T and CBS declined to comment. In addition to its flagship broadcast network, CBS owns cable networks Showtime, CBS Sports, Pop and the Smithsonian Channel, and it co-owns broadcast channel the CW with Time Warner Inc.

Upper Hand

Content providers like CBS have long had the upper hand in the 500-plus channel, conventional TV era because distributors were loath to go without such widely watched shows. But rising programming costs and competitive threats from streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have forced companies like AT&T and Dish Network Corp. to fight back and break up the big bundles with lower-cost alternatives.

AT&T said in October it had already sewn up deals with Walt Disney Co., Time Warner’s HBO and Turner, Discovery Communications Inc., Comcast Corp.’s NBCUniversal, Scripps Network Interactive Inc., AMC Networks Inc., Viacom Inc., A&E Networks and Starz for DirecTV Now. The company nailed down another big name on Monday, announcing it had reached an agreement with 21st Century Fox Inc.

The Fox deal includes networks such as Fox News and FX, plus regional sports channels, and has a framework for the Fox broadcast network to be included in DirecTV Now, the companies said this week. While AT&T has deals with Disney and Comcast, it’s unclear whether the broadcast networks owned by those companies, ABC and NBC, are included in DirecTV Now.

CBS has been one of the most aggressive networks in extracting fees from pay-TV providers. And to wield even more power, it is the only broadcast network to make its shows available in a $5.99-a-month, stand-alone streaming service called All Access, for customers that don’t subscribe to cable.



CBS does have a deal with Google’s YouTube, whose planned live-TV streaming service would be one of the first to include the network. YouTube is paying more than the broadcaster typically gets from cable companies, according to a person familiar with the matter. CBS isn’t a part of Dish’s Sling TV, and has yet to reach a deal with Hulu LLC for its forthcoming live TV service. Sony Corp.’s PlayStation Vue does include CBS in some markets.
“The fact is all successful bundles, regardless of size or platform, have to have CBS,” Chief Executive Officer Les Moonves said on the company’s most recent earnings call.

To attract more viewers to its All Access service, CBS is mixing live TV with other shows available on demand. All Access will also host original series, such as a new “Star Trek,” as CBS seeks to keep viewers from straying to Netflix or Amazon.

Feeling the Pinch

AT&T, the largest U.S. TV provider with 25.3 million subscribers, is also feeling the pinch from online competition. In the past year, since acquiring satellite provider DirecTV, AT&T lost 122,000 TV customers.

DirecTV Now will be the latest test of whether viewers are really clamoring for online TV bundles. Rival Dish’s Sling TV, which starts at $20 for about 28 channels, has attracted only 1 million customers since its start in February last year, according to Parks Associates. Sony’s Playstation Vue, which starts at $39.99 for 65 channels, didn’t make it into Park’s top 10 biggest online services.

To compete in an era of skinnier bundles and lower overhead costs, AT&T is moving its entire TV service to an over-the-internet platform over the next three to five years. DirecTV Now’s app-based streaming requires no installation, no set-top box and relatively no customer support.

The bulk of the expenses will be programming costs. With more than 100 channels, AT&T will pay about $30 a month in content fees, UBS’s Hodulik estimates. That means the initial service won’t be a big source of profit, but the possible addition of premium tiers will probably help improve profit margins.

AT&T will also use DirecTV Now to attract mobile customers. AT&T plans to offer wireless customers free streaming of DirecTV Now, meaning users watching shows on phones and tablets won’t get hit with a big data charges. The service won’t have a DVR feature but replays of live shows will be available for 72 hours, according to UBS.

Depending on what’s in the package, DirecTV Now will have about 2.3 million subscribers by 2020, Hodulik said.

“This should be big right out of the gate,” Hodulik said. “I expect AT&T to put some real marketing muscle behind this. And if it’s successful, it could turn up the heat on CBS
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on the CBS/DirecTV Now dispute, i think it's CBS being greedy and desperate to get eyeballs on their "CBS All Access" service. CBS does not want to share anything with any cable or satellite company or rival streaming services cause CBS views them as competition to CBS All Access.
 
FCC Judge Rules For GSN in Cablevision Complaint

An FCC administrative law judge has ruled that Cablevision, now owned by Altice, discriminated against GSN (Game Show Network) on the basis of non-affiliation by "unlawfully" moving it to a sports tier while Cablevision's WE tv remained on expanded basic.

Oral argument in the case was held over a year ago.

The judge recommended that the FCC require Cablevision to carry GSN on expanded basic and impose the maximum fine of $400,000, though the judge points out Cablevision can easily afford that.
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http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/washington/fcc-judge-rules-gsn-cablevision-complaint/161369
 
Will_H_69_9 said:
on the CBS/DirecTV Now dispute, i think it's CBS being greedy and desperate to get eyeballs on their "CBS All Access" service. CBS does not want to share anything with any cable or satellite company or rival streaming services cause CBS views them as competition to CBS All Access.
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Interestingly AT&T has Viacom signing contracts for Directv Now and not CBS. But there's been rumors of a merger for some time though. What will happen to the contract if CBS gets Viacom again? Does Viacom get removed from the AT&T contract if CBS decides not to be with Directv Now?



http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/111716/heres-whats-holding-viacomcbs-merger-cbs-viab.aspx
 
RadioPatrol said:
Interestingly AT&T has Viacom signing contracts for Directv Now and not CBS. But there's been rumors of a merger for some time though. What will happen to the contract if CBS gets Viacom again? Does Viacom get removed from the AT&T contract if CBS decides not to be with Directv Now?



http://www.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/111716/heres-whats-holding-viacomcbs-merger-cbs-viab.aspx
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well, if the CBS/Viacom re-merger happens and CBS pulls all Viacom channels on DirecTV Now and move them to CBS All Access, then they open themselves up for a huge breach of contract lawsuit with AT&T. and if they do the same to the other providers, then same result will happen there with the others too.
 
http://current.org/2016/11/fcc-commissioner-calls-for-dish-to-carry-virgin-islands-pbs-station/

FCC getting involved in Dish network's carriage issues. in this case its a Virgin Island PBS affiliate.

An FCC commissioner is recommending that satellite viewers in the Virgin Islands receive their local PBS member station instead of content from stations in Puerto Rico.

WTJX, based in St. Thomas, has been broadcasting for 40 years but is not available to “a growing number of residents” who use Dish as their provider, said Commissioner Mignon Clyburn in a statement Monday. Dish instead offers the PBS national feed and content from several public television stations in Puerto Rico.

“Geographically, Puerto Rico is just over 100 miles from the Virgin Islands,” Clyburn said. “But make no mistake they are very different communities, not to mention that they have a different dominant language.”

Clyburn compared the situation to “living in New York City and discovering that your pay-TV provider does not carry the local PBS affiliate and instead provides you with a Philadelphia-based station.”

Clyburn recently met with Tanya-Marie Singh, c.e.o. of the Virgin Islands Public Broadcasting System, during a visit to assess telecommunications technology in the islands. Singh said the situation is especially problematic during election cycles. “We hear a lot from viewers then,” she said in an interview. “We have a robust slate of programming during elections. We partner with the League of Women Voters to interview each candidate for local office.” The station also presents debates and election-night coverage.

Must-carry regulations do not apply because the Virgin Islands is not a Nielsen Designated Market Area, Clyburn said. She cannot compel carriage in her position, Clyburn added, but said, “I do believe it is the right thing to do … and I call on the powers that be to make it happen, now.”

“America’s Public Television Stations appreciate Commissioner Clyburn’s work to ensure that the residents of the U.S. Virgin Islands — including satellite subscribers — have access to WTJX’s local public television programming,” said Lonna Thompson, APTS e.v.p., c.o.o. and general counsel in a statement to Current. “We look forward to working with all interested parties to remedy this situation.”
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