Posted on 03/07/2010 10:54:47 AM PST by Libloather
3.1M without cable for Oscar night
Updated: Sunday, 07 Mar 2010, 1:01 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) - Millions of cable subscribers faced the prospect of Oscar night without the Academy Awards broadcast Sunday after ABC's parent company switched off its signal to Cablevision customers and the two companies blasted each other for failing to reach a deal in a dispute over fees.
In dueling statements dispatched early Sunday, the two companies traded blame for the stalemate ahead of one of the most-watched nights of television.
"Cablevision has once again betrayed its subscribers," said Charissa Gilmore, a spokeswoman for the Walt Disney Co. and ABC Television Group, in a statement.
"Cablevision pocketed almost $8 billion last year, and now customers aren't getting what they pay for again."
Cablevision Systems Corp. said the stall in negotiations should be blamed on Disney CEO Bob Iger.
"It is now painfully clear to millions of New York area households that Disney CEO Bob Iger will hold his own ABC viewers hostage in order to extract $40 million in new fees from Cablevision," said Charles Schueler, a Cablevision executive vice president, in a statement.
The signal can still be pulled from the air for free with an antenna and a new TV or digital converter box.
The dispute is another example of how networks are struggling to find profits as advertising revenue dwindles and programming costs grow.
Networks are transmitted freely over the airwaves, but the expensive event programming has led the companies behind them to increasingly demand fees from cable TV and satellite operators for retransmitting those signals.
Cablevision has argued that Disney is seeking an additional $40 million a year in new fees, even though the company pays more than $200 million a year to Disney.
(Excerpt) Read more at wishtv.com ...
1) It could cut the national ratings for the Oscars by as much as 0.5 points because of its effects on the viewership in the #1 media market in the USA.
2) It could cost ABC/WABC as much as US$10 million in advertising revenue.
I am so out of the loop that I don’t even know who Judy Dench is. LOL!
I went to one movie at the local theater this year, The Blind Side. I did enjoy it, but as usual the book was better. There was a lot about the development about the left tackle and how it has become such a high valued position in the NFL.
I have purposely avoided all the Oscar talk except I did read how disgusted so many vets were with the innacuracies of The Hurt Locker.
O MY GAWD! THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW! We MUST provide these people the OSCARS AT ONCE!
Somebody ping the Ministry of Bread and Circuses Alert!
I grew up in NJ and had the BEST TV! Channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. On good days channel 6 would come in from Philly. Back in those days, I think the Jackie Gleason Show was live.
oh the horror...
Did you watch Junior Frolics?
Captain Scarlet was my fav.
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