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TimeWarner Cable vs. CBS pissing match

Q2UnME

Q2UnME

Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Hey all! In the Buffalo NY area, there's a pissing match going on between TimeWarner Cable and our CBS station. Their contract expired Friday morning. CBS wants to charge TimeWarner a penny a day per subscriber to carry local programs (news, sports, etc..) as well as the CBS lineup. Well, since an agreement wasn't reached, CBS was removed from the cable signal. If you have dish, Verizon FIOS or "rabbit ears" you can still watch the channel, but not on cable. I'm a bit pissed because I've got this big, beautiful flat screen HDTV hooked up to "rabbit-ears" just so I can watch the Bill's game today.

The reason I started this thread was that I understand this pissing match is going on in 15 or so other markets (cities) across the US. Are you effected? What are you thoughts on CBS basically wanting to charge for what they broadcast over the airwaves for free? Are you having difficulty watching you favorite shows or sports (football)?

Q2
 
Q2UnME said:
What are you thoughts on CBS basically wanting to charge for what they broadcast over the airwaves for free?
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IMHO, they're full of shit. They tried this with our cable provider a few years ago. They lost, of course. Most of the networks get that kind of ego and try to bleed the consumer dry. THEY.WILL.FAIL.
 
A similar situation occurred last year with Mediacom Cable (eastern Iowa) and Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns KGAN, the Cedar Rapids CBS affiliate. Eventually, Sinclair backed down and a settlement was reached -- just before the first football game of the Iowa Hawkeyes' season (KGAN carries the Hawkeyes in eastern Iowa markets).
 
To be fair to CBS, CBS isn't causing the problem here, so you shouldn't be mad at them. Its LIN TV which owns the station causing the problem in all of their markets(CBS affiliate or otherwise). 2, I think its BS since its available OTA for free anyway. Generally, not a fan of the cable companies, but I agree in this instance.

As for your anger over bunny ears on you HDTV, well, I agree its annoying, but, assuming you get a good signal, you will get better PQ than with cable(maybe the same, but definitely not worse)
 
Austin in in the same situation, except here it's NBC not CBS. I can only watch on the hand held portable TV or by physically pulling the cable. Unfortunately I don't have any external rabbit ears on hand at the moment so the signal is horrible. If this isn't resolved shortly I expect Time Warner will add the NBC station from the next town over.
 
UssGlenn said:
... If this isn't resolved shortly I expect Time Warner will add the NBC station from the next town over.
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If my understanding of network affiliate contracts is correct, the local affiliate that's refusing to let Time Warner carry their signal has the exclusive right to the NBC's program stream in the area where they are the only NBC affiliate available with an antenna. In most cases there's only one network affiliate available for a local cable system, and if that affiliate doesn't allow the cable company to carry their signal you're not going to see that network on cable until that affiliate and the cable company work out an agreement.
 
Same deal in Indianapolis. No Colts game for Brighthouse (Time Warner) customers today.

The really weird part is, the cable company "replaced" CBS with Starz Kids and has been showing things like the Power Rangers Movie all weekend. It's almost like they are treating it like a big joke.

I think that both parties are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. The network affiliate is losing viewership and hence their marketshare and commercial rates go down. And, there are people who will drop cable and go Dish, so they lose money too.
 
I would side with the affiliate if these conditions exist.

If you are in market where your cable, or dish provider charges you for local stations.

For example in my market part of the baseline cable fee is for the NBC, ABS, CBS, Fox, CW, PBS, My TV network, Univision that are local. For the dish service I have looked into their is a 5 dollar charge for the local stations.

If that situation is in effect in these areas, its only fair. After all they shouldn't be able to charge for what they are receiving for free.

Now if that isn't the case, then they are way out of line.
 
^Well, we've never been charged a fee for any of the major networks or local stations by our cable provider. LIN Broadcasting wants the added revenue. I think they screwed the pooch with their marketing model or something. I mean, really, cable is just the way that you get your signal and content into the viewers homes. Don't these folks make their money from all the endless commercials that they pepper our programs with? Why the need for the double dip? Greed or just piss poor management? I hope LIN tanks and CBS steps in or something. I wonder how this little pissing match is effecting CBS or NBC's ratings? I know for myself, other than yesterdays football game, I've not watched ANY CBS or local programming on the two effected channels since Thursday night. Sooner or later, the advertisers are going to start pulling their adds and going to other, non-effected stations. I mean really, how can you loose over half of your viewers and not have the paying advertisers screaming about it?

Q2UnME
 
NYC lost the ABC station a few years ago for the same reason. We were without it about a week if I remember correctly. They eventually made a deal.
 
(Surprisingly) I actually agree with the local channels on this one. I saw an excellent analogy in an article somewhere, you can get water from the drinking fountain for free but you have to pay for bottled water.

Honestly I don't think a penny a day per subscriber is too much to pay to a local channel, especially when cable channels most likely get more then that per subscriber.
 
^Normally I'd agree with you, but not this time. We have to suffer through almost 20 minutes of commercials for a one hour TV program. Those commercials generate revenue for the network and local station. So basically, we already paying for the right to watch the programs because of the commercials. I think it's more like "double-dipping". I'd be more than happy to pay for their signal if, in return, they'd be willing to shave off 5 minutes of commercials per hour.

Q2
 
Q2UnME said:
^Normally I'd agree with you, but not this time. We have to suffer through almost 20 minutes of commercials for a one hour TV program. Those commercials generate revenue for the network and local station. So basically, we already paying for the right to watch the programs because of the commercials. I think it's more like "double-dipping". I'd be more than happy to pay for their signal if, in return, they'd be willing to shave off 5 minutes of commercials per hour.

Q2
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This is why I never watch TV live (thanks to my DVR): Commercials can easily be skipped.
 
Q2UnME said:
^Normally I'd agree with you, but not this time. We have to suffer through almost 20 minutes of commercials for a one hour TV program. Those commercials generate revenue for the network and local station. So basically, we already paying for the right to watch the programs because of the commercials. I think it's more like "double-dipping". I'd be more than happy to pay for their signal if, in return, they'd be willing to shave off 5 minutes of commercials per hour.

Q2
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I just want to start by saying I am in the Buffalo area, so I'm also affected.

I feel very strongly that Time Warner is in the complete wrong. As a previous poster mentioned, Time Warner is ALREADY charging us (the customers) for the broadcast channels. My grandmother gets their "Basic" package, which is just the broadcast stations and local access, and is charged 20 dollars a month for that. They are taking something FOR FREE from LIN TV, and then reselling it, for profit, to us. I personally agree with LIN TV that it's only fair TWC give them a tiny slice of that. Every other cable, fiber-op, and satellite TV provider agrees with LIN TV and has agreed to pay them.

That's where I stand, at least. I called TWC's complaint line this morning and let them know I have Verizon FiOS installation techs scheduled for 10/17 and they have until that date to remedy things or they are losing me as a customer.
 
Q2UnME said:
^Normally I'd agree with you, but not this time. We have to suffer through almost 20 minutes of commercials for a one hour TV program. Those commercials generate revenue for the network and local station. So basically, we already paying for the right to watch the programs because of the commercials. I think it's more like "double-dipping". I'd be more than happy to pay for their signal if, in return, they'd be willing to shave off 5 minutes of commercials per hour.

Q2
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Yeah but all basic cable channels have the same amount of commercials as network TV and yet you pay for them. How is that not "double-dipping"?

The only channels that don't have commercials are the premium ones that cost extra on top of the basic cable rates.
 
Viewer numbers on many cable channels are so low they probably couldn't afford operate on ad revenue alone. As it is, some have to retreat into the infomercial zone in the early morning period.

It still costs that cable company a pretty significant amount to install, maintain and operate all the cable, amplifiers and other equipment that gets those local signals to the back of your TV. Think of it as time payments on a very expensive professional antenna installation. You wouldn't expect some local electronics dealer to send a technician out to your home to install an antenna for you without some form of payment (even if you didn't buy the TV from them) would you?

As far as local stations on your cable service is concerned, you're paying for:

Not having what some people consider to be an unattractive antenna on your roof.

Not needing to climb onto your roof or a ladder to install the antenna if the appearance doesn't bother you.

Getting better reception (or any reception at all after the digital transition) then would be possible with the indoor antenna you would be using because you live in an apartment (including condominiums) where your "exclusive use" area doesn't include a suitable location for an outdoor antenna.
 
RobertVA said:
Viewer numbers on many cable channels are so low they probably couldn't afford operate on ad revenue alone. As it is, some have to retreat into the infomercial zone in the early morning period.
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How much of the ad revenue do local stations get for national ads? None would be my guess, but I could be wrong. I know most shows seem to have a few local commercials per show, is that the only thing they make revenue on?
Many local stations around here also have to resort to showing infomercials during the early morning hours (and sometimes late at night or during the day on weekends).
 
Well, we're comming up on almost two weeks without CBS being on our TimeWarner line-up. Has anyone heard any news or update on the situation between LIN Broadcasting and TimeWarner? I know tonight in my household it's going to be bouncing back and forth between cable and antenna because we usually watch Two and A Half Men and CSI: Miami. Since the antenna isn't hooked up to the DVR, I'll have to DVR Heroes and Boston Legal and watch the CBS stuff "live".

If anyone has news or an update on the situation in the 15 or so markets LIN Broadcasting services, please let us know. Thanks!

Q2UnME
 
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