DirecTV, Sunbeam Locked In Retrans Standoff
WSVN GM: Station Owner Asking for Same Rates Other Pay-TV Providers Pay
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 1/18/2012 4:49:44 PM
DirecTV subscribers in Miami and Boston are in the fifth day of a blackout of three local TV stations from Florida-based Sunbeam Television as the two sides have failed to reach an agreement on retransmission-consent fees.
Sunbeam pulled Miami's WSVN, the local Fox affiliate, and Boston's WHDH (NBC) and WLVI (CW) stations from the satellite operator at midnight on Friday, Jan. 13.
WSVN general manager Robert Leider wrote in an email Wednesday, "We are still negotiating with DirecTV to get the current market rate." He claimed that Sunbeam is asking for retrans fees that are no more than what other pay-TV operators are paying.
According to DirecTV, Sunbeam is asking for a 300% increase in fees. DirecTV spokesman Tom Tyrer said Wednesday there was nothing new to report in the negotiations with Sunbeam.
Leider told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that WSVN is asking for an increase of "not even 5 cents" per subscriber. However, Tyrer said Sunbeam's claims that the increase is "pennies" is not per month -- but rather per day: "You can certainly see that it's an exponential increase rather than 'pennies.'"
In a message to customers on its website, DirecTV said that "we are standing firm on behalf of our customers against Sunbeam and WHDH LLC attempts to extort a more than 300% fee increase to carry WSVN in Miami, and WHDH and WLVI in Boston. Paying such outrageous fees will only cause your DirecTV bill to go even higher, and we are doing everything we can to prevent that."
So far, DirecTV's Miami customers -- including bar owners -- have missed out on Fox's NFC playoff games this past weekend and could get shut out of the NFC title game Sunday between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants. Meanwhile, the satellite TV's subscribers in Boston missed NBC's telecast Sunday of the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
In addition, Boston-area DirecTV subs could be facing a blackout of NBC's Super Bowl XLVI telecast on Feb. 5, in which the Patriots could be playing for their fourth championship title.
DirecTV has about 270,000 subscribers who are affected in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and more than 200,000 in the Boston area.
The satellite operator said in a statement previously that it will "bring the Sunbeam matter to the attention of both the Federal Communications Commission and Congressional representatives from Sunbeam districts."
In 2012, DirecTV is raising rates an average of 4%, effective Feb. 9, while it claims that its programming costs will climb about 10%.
-
I live in Worcester MA and antennas sound like a great idea but won't work because of distance from the tv stations and hills and mountains in the way....antennas don't work here or around much West of Boston.
L Bailey - 1/24/2012 12:08:31 AM EST -
Just get an antenna. Problem solved.
Plus, the picture quality will be better and you won't have to worry about rain fade.
rschneider - 1/19/2012 4:16:34 PM EST -
It must be Directv here. How can their rate be that much different over other providers? It makes ZERO sense. Keep in mind, the Super Bowl is on 7 this year...Bye Bye Directv...
Jason S - 1/19/2012 12:22:17 PM EST -
DIRECTV is doing what we can to negotiate in "Good Faith" with Sunbeam. They however are not playing ball with us instead their heads are so far up their asses! They want 300%! I'll give them 300 kicks to their nuts before I pay 300%. Bite Me Sunbeam!
It's only Miami and Boston so you can take your 300% and shove it up your ass. Miami and Boston have no bearing on our revenue stream so take your 300% and go pound sand in your ass!
Mike White - CEO DIRECTV - 1/19/2012 12:15:59 PM EST -
Obviously we don't all have the facts, and there are always three sides to every story. However, as a DirecTV customer I fault Sunbeam over DirecTV. DirecTV has similar negotiations with every local station owner in this country and this is the first I've heard of a standoff thats lasted this long. My guess is that Sunbeam is trying to on some level extort more money from DirecTV.
Also, remember this, Local channels are broadcast for free over the air, why should Directv have to pay anything significant to broadcast these channels? Any customer that wants to watch can buy an HD antenna for $25 and watch...
B Wander - 1/19/2012 8:28:32 AM EST
No related content found.
Featured Company
-
Digital Rapids
Digital Rapids is the leading provider of professional hardware and software tools, technology and expertise for bringing video to wider audiences and new viewing platforms. Continuing to set new standards in quality, productivity and versatility, our solutions span the critical ..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
