So Mr. Willkie tells us that he does not understand how a broadcasters can "schedule" a retransmission consent battle to coincide with highly desirable programming, like college bowl games, for example.
This story may give him a clue. In a nutshell, here's how it works. The existing retransmission consent agreement is about to expire, so the station and cable companies begin to negotiate. At first the station's demands are high but not obscene. The cable companies say no, but the timing is not "just right," so the station issues an extension of the expiring agreement. They continue to negotiate, now with the station increasing it's demands. The cable guys still say no, but NOW, the station has some leverage; the college bowl season is about to begin, and the station will be carrying most of the BCS championship games, including the national championship game. So they elect to pull their signals to put consumer pressure on the cable companies to capitulate.
And this iis EXACTLY what is happening RIGHT NOW in Spokane... Regards Craig http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6403295.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228 Breaking News Northwest Station Pulls Signal In Retransmission Battle By Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/1/2007In an escalating battle over retransmission consent, KAYU-TV, the Fox affiliate in Spokane, Wash., has yanked its signal from Time Warner Cable systems in three states.
The station's demand that Time Warner pay cash for the right to retransmit its signal-and its willingness to go dark until the cable operator relents-is the latest indication of broadcasters' increasing boldness over this perennial issue.
At midnight on Dec. 14, KAYU went dark in more than 25,000 subscriber homes in Pullman, Wash., Libby, Mont. and two cities in Idaho, Coeur d'Alene and Moscow. Time Warner, which took over the systems from Adelphia in August, is offering advertising time, but KAYU says that's not enough.
"Time Warner puts no value on over-the-air broadcasting," says Brian Brady, Chairman of the Fox affiliates and president of Northwest Broadcasting Corp., which owns KAYU among other stations in Oregon and New York. "They think because it's free, they should have the right to put that signal on their systems and charge the subscribers for it."
Neither side will say how much KAYU is seeking, but the station says it is asking for fees smaller than what cable companies pay many cable channels for the right to carry their programming.
Time Warner says it does not want to set a precedent by paying retransmission fees that would lead to higher bills for subscribers.
According to a Time Warner spokesperson, KAYU has rejected several offers the company made during negotiations, increased their cash demand by some 400% and refused to grant the company another extension.
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