Cable TV Disputes - Here We Go Again!

For those outside of the Cablevision area, you may not know but one of the local affiliates are at it again, attempting to extort millions of dollars from our local Cable company at the expense of the local viewers (see NY Times article). This time it is Fox Broadcasting who has taken their shows off the air as a bargaining chip, in an attempt to make Cablevision Subscribers pressure the company to give in to their demands for more money.

We have been down this road before and, as in the past, I side with Cablevision in this dispute. I agree that they shouldn't be forced to pay an exorbitant amount of money to rebroadcast the signal and that Fox is playing unfair by holding their programming hostage. Unfortunately, I feel that if the past is any guide, Cablevision will eventually give in and the real losers with once again be the subscribers who will have to pay more each month.

The past disputes included the Yankees forcing Cablevision to carry their YES network as a basic cable channel and forcing all customers to pay each month for the privilege, even if they are not a fan. Then there was the Scripps Network that held  HGTV and the Food Network Hostage and even more recently our local ABC affiliate with the same tactics. Each one ended with Cablevision giving in.

I hope this time they hold their ground. I hope they make Fox blink first as they see their ratings drop by the three million homes they blacked out. And I hope advertisers put pressure on Fox to settle the dispute. It may be hard for fans of Fox TV shows to hold on. Although, in today's modern world there are alternative ways to view your favorite shows. But, if cable companies continue to give in to all the increasing demands that programming companies make, cable television will become unaffordable. Maybe, that's what the local affiliates want, to put rabbit ears back on every TV so we will be reduced to a choice of the dozen or so channels within range of our homes.

But, that's not going to happen. What I would like to see happen as a result of these disputes, is that the Cable Industry begin to adopt a-la-carte programming. This would allow each channel to charge what they feel is right and for each viewer to decide where to spend there entertainment dollars. It would force the Programming Networks to provide quality entertainment and to really compete. So, if a family wishes to spend $5 a month on Fox, let it be their choice. If someone is a Met fan, they don't have to support the Yankees, and if their a fan of Boston, they are not forced to support either NY team. That is a fair and equitable. This would create a true competitive marketplace and would improve the quality of programming.

So, I hope that Cablevision stands their ground in this dispute and emerges victorious. It would make precedent and stop the programming networks from holding viewers hostage. But, if Cablevision really wants to stop these disputes, introduce a-la-carte programming and let viewers truly control their destiny. Because, if the cable industry does not change, then viewers will begin to cut the cord and watch more programs online instead of on cable. But. more about that in our next installment.