Kerry Presses For Resolution Of ABC-Cablevision Dispute
Senate Commerce Communications Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., warned FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski Wednesday that a dispute involving Disney-owned ABC programs carried on Cablevision could result in 3.1 million households losing access to the network before Sunday night's telecast of the widely viewed Academy Awards show.
The contract dispute, which would affect viewers in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, is the latest in a series of battles over the retransmission of broadcast channels on cable.
Kerry, in a letter to Genachowski, acknowledged that "these are private negotiations," but asked the commission chairman "to urge the parties to stay at the negotiating table and continue transmitting ABC programming to Cablevision consumers."
"This game of chicken being played again and again between cable companies and broadcasters with consumers in the cross hairs must come to an end," Kerry wrote.
But in another letter Wednesday to Genachowski, House Energy and Commerce ranking member Joe Barton insisted the talks are "private discussions" that should be "free from government interference of cajoling," and that consumers have ample choices for content.
Cablevision is running ads in Washington asserting that Disney is demanding $1 billion for carrying its network. Broadcasters insist their programming draws more viewers to cable, resulting in more subscribers.
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