Negotiations with cable providers and stations is normally a game that just plays out in stages. The station says if it can’t work out an agreement with XYZ Cable Company their broadcasts will end.
Miraculously, the parties reach an agreement right before the deadline and it is business as usual.
Only this time, officials from KMBC-TV, sister station KCWE-TV and the parent Hearst Corporation were unable to reach an agreement with Time Warner and those and related stations went off the air at 11:59 Monday night (7/9).
Instead of viewers waking up to KC’s top-rated morning news show on KMBC, they were treated to offerings from the Hallmark Channel and Great American Country on KCWE. The channels impacted are: 12 (KMBC), 1012 (KMBC HD), 7 (KCWE), 1007 (KCWE HD), 975 (THIS TV Kansas City), 985 (METV Kansas City).
This time it seems as if neither party flinched. KMBC says it granted an extension to Time Warner through the 4th of July, but the details still could not be worked out.
Kansas City Star veteran journalist Steve Everly reported that Time Warner says Hearts “demanded a 300 percent increase in fees to carry its stations.”
“Hearst Television (which owns KMBC) chose to black out their signals from our customers rather than continue negotiations, despite their CEO saying just two weeks ago that broadcaster blackouts are unfair to consumers,” Dave Borchardt, a spokesman for Time Warner, told Everly.
KMBC has countered by listing the phone numbers of competing cable companies where viewers can call for service and dump Time Warner.
This impasse could also sting KMBC in the pocketbook because it is in the midst of the all-important July TV sweeps period and will also have to make good to its advertisers. It is also not a good time to be off the air and viewers switching channels to other stations for their news.
Here is the official notice on the KMBC site:
Notice to Time Warner Cable subscribers: Negotiations for the renewal of the agreement that authorized Time Warner to provide its subscribers with our local news, ABC network, CW network and other programming broadcast by KMBC-TV and KCWE-TV are at an impasse.
The authorization for carriage of our signal expires tonight at midnight. We previously granted Time Warner an extension of that authorization through tonight to avoid inconveniencing Time Warner subscribers and disrupting viewing plans, especially over the July 4th holiday week, and in the hope that we would reach agreement during the extension period. We remain ready and available to continue negotiations. We cannot predict whether negotiations will resume, or, if they resume, whether they will conclude successfully. We will provide updates as available on the status of negotiations.
We remind Time Warner subscribers that KMBC-TV’s and KCWE-TV’s programming remains available to viewers for free over the air, by other cable operators, and on DIRECTV and DISH Network.
Here is a news release issued by KMBC at 6 p.m. (7/10): TWKMBCPR
One more situation in which businesses don’t give a darn about customers. I’m not sure who is most at fault here, but the bottom line is the customer loses. I live in a condo building where Time Warner is my only TV and internet option. If I had a choice I would switch cable companies or switch to a dish.
One thing consumers need to understand: the cost to retransmit “free” over-the-air signals is on the rise. The networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) look at these fees as a very lucrative revenue source, helping offset declines in ad revenue. In virtually all cases, the decision to pull a broadcast signal is the decision of the broadcaster. Time Warner is trying to keep the rates cable subs must pay for retrans as low as possible. KMBC/Hearst is likely seeking too large an increase and they pulled the signal to push consumers to complain to Time Warner. The calls should go to KMBC–put their signal back and negotiate a fair rate. And, no, I do not work for Time Warner.
Thanks for the info Dan, that was a fun email to write!
I don’t have cable tv and this sort of nonsense is one of the reasons why.
I do not work for TWC. Dan has described the situation correctly above. KMBC/Hearst is to blame. Unfortunately it will ultimately hurt themselves as ABC and CW programming are available to those interested through other means like the Internet and Hulu. It will also be their local news broadcasts that will be affected as well as their advertising rates. Complaints should go to KMBC/Hearst.
Rick, I couldn’t agree more. THE AIRWAVES BELONG TO THE PUBLIC, and broadcasters and cable providers were granted their licenses with the understanding they will serve the public interest. But for decades now, there’s been virtually no regulation in ownership, programming, and pricing of media. Now, the emboldened media giants are acting like Third World dictators. Feel like gouging the public today? Gouge away! In a snit that your profits still aren’t obscene enough? Pull a major network off the air! And meanwhile, keep airing that explicit violence and sexual content during family viewing hours….
The FCC needs to hear demands from the public that it do its job and regulate this crucially important industry — and these industry behemoths need to be cc’d on every communique. Not surprisingly, they keep their contact info very mysterious.
Just more evidence to indicate that the trend toward consolidation in the media world is generally a negative one. Some of the local TV stations take their news cues from The Star and wouldn’t know what an original story looked like even if it walked up to them and kicked them in the knee, and the entertainment value of their prime time programming continues to deteriorate. My advice to anyone and everyone who is addicted to TV via cable or satellite – go find a good book to read. Your time will be much better spent.
Topeka’s ABC/CW on KS side and Mo side St. Joesph’s ABC/CW maybe.
If Time Warner is trying to keep our rates “low” than I guess because we have lost KMBC our rates will drop.
Oh well. I will watch a different news/weather channel and won’t be switching back if KMBC comes back to cable. I did like to record The Chew to watch in the evening, but will get along without it.
..won’t happen on TWCKC.
Only local stations in the “ADI” or Area of Dominant Influence are “must carrys” for the cable (and dish) companies.That’s why the local stations worry about the weather in Stanberry and in Sedalia..as the map is drawn. the Kansas City ADI includes the “44 counties”, thus, outside stations can’t be imported.
We’ll have a quiz on this…
this is only going to get worse……….
300 per cent!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jive Ass television!
I like watching KMBC for my news in the morning and would like to have it back.And watching news in the evening to. The like the KMBC for the news crew. Please put back the KMBC-TV and KCWE-TV’s on the channels where they were.
GAC and the Hallmark Channel – you’ve got to be kidding me. This must be some sick joke from TWC.
MISSED CHANGE
Ha-ha, I didn’t even notice that KMBC had changed to the Hallmark channel until today!
After watching the other three local network news – I realize how good KMBC really is. Time Warner has never cared about keeping our rates down before….why are they starting now? I just realized talking to others about their Direct TV or AT&T uVerse how much MORE I am paying for Time Warner! Have been a customer since they came into the area – guess it is time for a change.
Like you said they dont care about us the customer .. TWC service is awful their customer service is worse.. I am getting U-verse on Friday this week., GOOD BYE TWC.