Charter Communications Sucks (in Dallas/Ft. Worth anyways)

[texasstooge]

Charter Communications may cease offering WFAA-TV

By DAVID SCHECHTER / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Starting New Year's Day, about 135,000 Charter Communications cable viewers, who reside primarily in Fort Worth and the Park Cities, may no longer be able to watch Channel 8.

Channel 8 and Charter Communications were unable to reach an agreement that would allow Charter to continue offering WFAA's local news and ABC programming.

It's a product too good to give away, said Mike Devlin, WFAA-TV general manager.

"These are highly sought after, very popular programs that have great value," Devlin said.

For the last two years, WFAA has negotiated for Charter Communications to pay for the right to provide the station's content. Currently, WFAA-TV receives no compensation from Charter and has asked for about one penny per day for each subscriber.
______________________________________________________________________

I already told my buddy in Chicago as soon as he and his family move into a new house in Fort Worth (served by Charter) not to subscribe to Charter since they're in a dispute with a local station. He told me that they're gonna get Verizon FiOS or AT&T U-Verse anyways.

[Al]

wow wtf is going on the broadcasting industry...this isn't only problem out there...

many huge cable companies are dropping news stations from their line ups like crazy...

KSAT-TV here recently had this problem with time warner, but the dispute was settled.

[texasstooge]

And if that's not enough, a fellow member of TWCC has posted this article:

According to this article, Charter might not be around much longer.

http://www.247wallst.com/2008/12/companies-that.html

For those who don't want to read the entire article...

9) Charter Communications (CHTR) has over $20 billion in debt. The cable business usually drives reasonable cash flow, but Charter has to upgrade its system to better compete with telecom companies. It does not have that money. Debt service is overwhelming operating income. Billionaire Paul Allen controls that company. The stock is down to $.15. Eighteen month ago, it was close to $5. Allen will get out while he can and sell to one of the other large cable companies. Charter recently said it is "exploring financial alternatives."

It seems Charter Communications is a 2-time loser this month.

I would love to see Comcast take over Charter if they go belly up.

[lfmusiclover]

Trust me, you don't want Comcast to take over Charter. They're just as terrible.

[Darr'chelle]

Charter operates about a quarter of known XLs...if Charter goes, expect the XLs to follow suit. (Adelphia went the same way.)

[WeatherSTARIII]

Man, that sucks expecialy with the DTV transition comming up.

[texasstooge]

Man, that sucks expecialy with the DTV transition comming up.

This just in (and it's gonna suck even more):

Charter In Retrans Standoff With Belo Stations

Stations in St. Louis, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Norfolk, Va., Threaten to Pull Signals Dec. 31

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News

Charter Communications customers may lose access to Belo Corp.'s stations in St. Louis, Dallas/Ft. Worth and Norfolk, Va., which are threatening to pull their signals after Dec. 31 in the latest year-end retransmission-consent disputes to come to light.

Belo's KMOV-TV, the CBS affiliate in St. Louis, WFAA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Dallas/Ft. Worth, and WVEC-TV (ABC) in Norfolk are notifying viewers their signals may go dark on Charter systems in those markets.

"For more than two years KMOV has been trying to reach an agreement with Charter Cable to have KMOV's signal available to Charter cable customers," Belo's St. Louis station said in a message posted to its Web site. "We have made offers, Charter has not responded. We want Channel 4 on Charter, but effective December 31st, Charter will no longer carry KMOV."

The station suggested viewers may switch to Dish Network, DirecTV or AT&T U-Verse TV to continue receiving CBS programming.

KMOV said in a newscast Friday that it was asking for 1 cent per Charter cable subscriber per day, which would total about $1.6 million a year, The St. Louis Dispatch reported. On its Web site, WFAA also claimed it is asking for "about a penny a day per subscriber."

[Darr'chelle]

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6625047.html?nid=4262

Holy Stokes!

[tpirfan28]

Holy Stokes!

Does not approve of that comment.

[Localonthe8s]

[Zach]

 

[lfmusiclover]

ROFL. 

[texasstooge]

Holy Stokes!

Does not approve of that comment.

 
__________________________________

I've heard that most of the Belo stations have (finally) reached an agreement...all except with WFAA-TV. If that dispute continues, the DFW Charter clusters are going down the dumpers.

[texasstooge]

Finally some good news on Charter for a change.
____________________________________________________________

Tentative agreement will keep WFAA on Charter cable

WFAA.com Staff

It looks like customers of Charter Communications will continue to receive WFAA-TV programs in 2009.

WFAA announced Monday it has reached a tentative agreement with Charter that will let the cable company retransmit Channel 8's analog and high definition digital signals after December 31.

"We look forward to continuing to provide WFAA's high-quality news and local programming uninterrupted to our viewers," said Mike Devlin, the station's President and General Manager, in a news release.

For the last two years, WFAA has negotiated with Charter Communications to pay for the right to provide the station's content to Charter's 135,000 North Texas subscribers, primarily in Fort Worth and the Park Cities.

[WeatherSTARIII]

Thats great news! They get to have WFAA again! But what about the other two stations? Still no luck?