DTV coupon requests surging in LIN TV blackout markets
Here's an interesting one. While we'd say it's perfectly normal to see upticks in voucher requests from areas affected by early analog shutoff drills, this here is just bizarre. According to a release put out by the American Cable Association, an irregular surge in coupon requests has occurred in three markets where Time Warner Cable dropped LIN TV's stations after the two couldn't come to a retransmission agreement. On top of that, FCC chairman Kevin Martin has reportedly asserted that the voucher program is running out of cash, but given that this isn't the FCC's program, we'd take that as speculation more than anything. Either way, because of this blackout, it seems consumers are asking for items (and thus, cash) they probably don't even need. Look LIN TV, we know you loathe TWC, but please -- put your stations back online. Do it for the taxpayer. Do it for love.
Filed under: Industry, Regulatory, OTA
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Byrdman @ Oct 15th 2008 2:59PM
this whole situation is absolutely ridiculous. LIN TV wants more money for their channels, however TWC feels that they shouldn't have to pay extra (meaning charging subscribers more) for channels that you can receive free with an antenna. Here in Buffalo, people couldn't watch the Bills game because of this. Luckily this past week they had a bye, but if this isn't resolved by kickoff this Sunday, there will probably be Bills fans rioting in the streets.
This business practice that LIN TV is using is absurd and disgusting, and they need to resolve this NOW.
And just a side note, TWC has handled this situation extremely well, even going as far as handing out free antennas to subscribers here. All while rolling out several new HD channels to their rapidly growing lineup.
jvirg1 @ Oct 15th 2008 4:01PM
I must disagree and side with LIN TV. Although I live in Virginia, I was born and raised in Western NY and due to family health problems have been up there a lot lately. This past weekend my brother-in-law was claiming LIN TV was being greedy in requesting money for something people can get for free. I said well you pay for ESPN and his response was I can't get ESPN for free so I have to pay for it. I said you are not seriously suggesting that it is ok for people to have to pay for ESPN because they did not spend the millions to make it available over an antenna, but that it would be wrong to have to pay for CBS because they did spend the millions? I mean come on, TWC charges customers’ money to show this channel. It hardly seems right that they charge money to broadcast something they get for free. I have DIRECTV and trust me we pay for our locals as we should. Anyway I am sure it will be resolved soon, and as I am from Olean which is too far to get with rabbit ears, I know 2 people switching to DirecTV.
Byrdman @ Oct 15th 2008 10:52PM
The issue is not that we dont want to pay to have the LIN TV channels on TWC, but we dont want to have to pay MORE for them. We pay TWC to have a direct connection to the programming, where as with an antenna you chance it depending on the weather and other variables. I have no problem paying for the channel just as I have done up until now. I just dont want to have to may more for something that I can get for free with a piece of tinfoil and a clothes hanger
jvirg1 @ Oct 16th 2008 8:34AM
You are currently paying TWC to get the channel and they are NOT paying LINN. So you do understand you are not paying the right people? Anyway, this really amounts to a matter of pennies a month. Not dollars, not dimes, but pennies. Anyhow good luck with it. I have to go back up there tomorrow. At least I can watch my CSI tonight. I can go to a friend’s house with DirecTV to watch the Bills on Sunday.
Nick @ Oct 26th 2008 6:57PM
They're both greedy, money-hungry corporations, and either way, you, the customer are going to get screwed. If LIN charges TWC 1 million a month, and TWC has 1 million subscribers, TWC will charge you an extra 2 bucks a month to receive those channels.
It's a well agreed upon fact that cable companies are evil. Satellite companies are less evil because there's at least one direct competitor in their market. I say it's time to subsidize fiber so that there are at least 2 direct competitors in the wire game.