Suddenlink Communications avoided a widespread broadcast blackout in several of its territories over the weekend, reaching-retransmission consent agreements with Hoak Media and Meredith Corp., while eking out short-term extensions for a handful of other stations in smaller markets.
Suddenlink landed agreements with Hoak Media for its KALB (NBC), KNOE (CBS) and KAQY (ABC) stations in Louisiana and Arkansas on Dec. 30. The same day, deals for Meredith Corp's KPHO (CBS) in Phoenix, KCTV (CBS) and KSMO (My Network TV) in Kansas City. Mo., and WSMV (NBC) in Nashville, Tenn., were reached. Terms of those deals were not disclosed.
In a statement, Suddenlink said that the new deals should not affect rates.
"Suddenlink takes seriously the trust our customers place in us and the responsibility we have to the communities we serve," the MSO said in a statement. "We also want to thank our customers for their patience and support during these negotiations and assure them that, as a result of the new agreement, there will be no changes to recently announced rate adjustments."
Negotiations for 10 stations owned by Newport Television are ongoing, the company said, after it received a short-term extension fo its retrans agreement.
Newport owns KASN (CW), Pine Bluff, Ark.; KGPE (CBS), Fresno, Calif.; KLRT (FOX), Little Rock, Ark.; KMTW (MyNetwork TV) Hutchinson, Kan.; KMYT (MyNetwork TV), Tulsa, Okla.; KOKI (Fox), Tulsa, Okla.; KSAS (FOX), Wichita, Kan.; WLMT (CW) Memphis, Tenn.; WOAI (NBC), San Antonio, Texas; and WPTY (ABC), Memphis, Tenn..
"We are hopeful that a long-term agreement can be finalized after the turn of the year, Suddenlink said in a statement.
