Cablevision Keeps MSNBC From Telcos
News Network Not Available on FiOS, U-verse In Metro New York
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 3/7/2008 6:21:00 AM
The competitive race among 2008’s Democratic presidential hopefuls propelled MSNBC to its best ratings ever.
But in much of the New York area, subscribers to phone-company television services can’t see the news channel. That’s because MSNBC’s carriage agreement with Cablevision Systems precludes its telco TV competitors from offering the news channel to their subscribers.
“NBC has been unable to grant distribution rights to Verizon FiOS in markets, where Cablevision is the incumbent provider,” Verizon Communications manager of media relations Heather Wilner said.
She could not provide a date when Cablevision’s contract will end, but added, “We hope to be able to offer MSNBC to our customers in the region as soon as possible.”
AT&T, meanwhile, said only that it doesn’t “have the authority to provide MSNBC in certain areas of Connecticut,” according to spokeswoman Jenny Parker. The telco offers U-verse TV in Stamford, Conn.--sans MSNBC--a town where Cablevision also provides service.
Cablevision is in the midst of broad carriage negotiations with NBC Universal, which would cover future terms for distributing MSNBC. But it’s not certain when the deal will be consummated, according to an executive familiar with the talks.
Asked to comment, Cablevision vice president of media relations Jim Maiella said: “We have a longstanding policy against discussing the terms of our agreements with programmers. We have carried MSNBC for many years, and we are certainly not the only video provider that carries the network in our market.”
Maiella was referring to DirecTV and Dish Network, which have rights to provide the news network nationwide, including in Cablevision’s territory.
Alyssa Donelan, vice president of media relations at NBC Universal’s cable group, declined to comment but noted that MSNBC is currently distributed to more than 92 million homes in the U.S.
The number of telco TV customers unable to watch MSNBC probably exceeds 100,000. Neither AT&T nor Verizon breaks out subscriber figures for individual markets. However, according to documents included as part of a false-advertising suit filed against Verizon last fall, Verizon told partners it had 100,322 FiOS TV customers in the New York metro area in June 2007.
Cablevision’s carriage deal has deprived telco TV subs of, among other programming, the Feb. 26 Democratic presidential candidates’ debate in Cleveland broadcast by MSNBC.
MSNBC’s telecast of the debate drew 7.8 million viewers (9-10:36 p.m. ET) — making it the most-watched broadcast in the 11-year history of the network, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBCU said the debate also drew more than 500,000 streaming viewers on MSNBC.com.
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This is at least the 2nd time Cablevision has been involved in a controversy involving programming distribution. Back in the late 1970''s/early 1980''s, Cablevision and UA-Columbia Cablevision (today part of Comcast following transactions with TCI & AT&T Broadband) were involved in different sporting productions that the other carrier was unable to offer. This was because two towns in Bergen County NJ (Paramus and Hillsdale) elected to have both of these companies serve their respective territories . The former started Sportschannel NY (Now FoxSports NY) while the latter was involved with MSG. This dispute was eventually resolved. Ironically years later, Cablevision gained control of its competition in each community as part of a stock transaction with TCI. Today, it has controlling interest in both MSG and the regional Fox Sports unit which also will be adapting the MSG moniker. The former UACC properties were promptly divested in order to avoid anti-trust proceedings. US CABLE of Paramus-Hillsdale subsequently took over these relinguished operations and competes with Verizon and Cablevision in providing "wired" services to homes and businesses in these New York City suburbs. But unlike Verizon, it DOES offer MSNBC not to mention the sports packages mentioned above. So perhaps (and hopefully), there will soon be an agreement where channel 84 on the FIOS lineup will no longer be blank in certain portions of the New York market
DAVID T BAGNER - 3/15/2008 1:55:00 AM EDT -
Oh great. MSNBC Keith Olbermann is the one voice of sanity to counteract the propaganda that Party Organ Fox spews. And in the nation's Number One media market where its such a clubby atmosphere amongst the commentariat. That means the rest of the nation will be subjected to more straight Bush administration spin via Fox influence if many of the chattering classes have FIOS or ATT.
Tony Seaton - 3/11/2008 2:45:00 PM EDT -
Amazing, this is a violation of net neutrality in spades. Depriving paying customer of services becuse of conflict of interest of the various providers involved. Time for the FCC to take action to protect the customers.zrw
Gene Thomas - 3/11/2008 2:21:00 PM EDT -
This is one way or another, classic LOSS of net neutraility. The providers of the cable service control to their benefit, the content of the cable systems pipe.
Customers are at the mercy of the cable system and their relationship with its content. Customers only can view what isnmost profitable for the cable companies.
Classic loss of net neutrality indeed.
Gene Thomas - 3/10/2008 10:09:00 AM EDT -
this is why fox news tops the ratings in the all-news horse race. no one can see msnbc LOL. since the lost of imus msnbc has no worthwhile programming.
steve g - 3/10/2008 9:35:00 AM EDT
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