Disney blacks out ABC channel for Cablevision subscribers

Disney blacks out ABC channel for Cablevision subscribers
Disney has blacked out the broadcast channel ABC for Cablevision's 3 million subscribers, the day of the highly-anticipated Academy Awards.

Cablevision says it's willing to restart negotiations with Disney, along with a third-party arbitrator, to end the spat over transmission fees.



The cable company has a decent monopoly over the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and parts of NJ and Connecticut.

"Given the extraordinary public interest in this matter, Senator (John) Kerry and other public officials have suggested that arbitration is appropriate in this highly unusual situation,"
added Charles Schueler, Cablevision's executive vice president of communications. "Cablevision will agree to binding arbitration and calls upon Disney CEO Bob Iger to immediately return ABC to New YOrk area viewers and join us in binding arbitration to resolve this matter fairly."

ABC says they have put forward a counter-offer this afternoon.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 7 Mar 2010 16:09
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  • 2 comments
  • BrookeSt

    At first, I was upset with ABC. Then Cablevision. I finally realized that they are both spoiled brats. Worst part is I foresee these programming wars happening more often. with the worst twist being that it is over what I ULTIMATELY HAVE TO PAY!

    I think we will continue to run into these issues until we have a la carte programming. i found this writeup tucked deep in a TIme blog. this petition might work better than a bunch of bureaucrats trying to solve it.

    http://money.blogs.time.com/2010/03/04/t...one-mans-dream/

    7.3.2010 16:45 #1

  • DXR88

    this is why lobbyists wanted DTV transition pushed so bad, Now big corporations like disney can say give us more money or will cut you off remotely.

    its sad its nasty and it will only hurt subscribers in the end.

    8.3.2010 15:04 #2

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