Cable Technology Feature Article
March 08, 2010
Cablevision Customers Relieved to Have ABC Back
By Patrick Barnard, Senior Web Editor, TMCnet
Cablevision customers were no doubt pleasantly surprised when they turned on their televisions last night and discovered that, lo and behold, the Academy Awards ceremony was being broadcast live after all.
Cablevision customers were upset and disappointed when Walt Disney Co. pulled ABC from the Cablevision channel lineup at midnight Saturday. It was the first time in a decade that a major broadcast station went dark in a dispute with a cable company.
Fortunately a last-minute breakthrough in the negotiations allowed Cablevision to restore access to ABC for its customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut about 15 minutes after the broadcast began.
Neither side released details about the last-minute deal. They are reportedly continuing to work out a new agreement.
In an AP report, Rebecca Campbell, president and general manager of WABC-TV, was quoted as saying the companies had 'reached an agreement in principle.'
'Given this movement, we're pleased to announce that ABC7 will return to Cablevision households while we work to complete our negotiations,' Campbell said in a statement.
Cablevision customers were upset and disappointed when Walt Disney Co. pulled ABC from the Cablevision channel lineup at midnight Saturday. It was the first time in a decade that a major broadcast station went dark in a dispute with a cable company.
Fortunately a last-minute breakthrough in the negotiations allowed Cablevision to restore access to ABC for its customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut about 15 minutes after the broadcast began.
Neither side released details about the last-minute deal. They are reportedly continuing to work out a new agreement.
In an AP report, Rebecca Campbell, president and general manager of WABC-TV, was quoted as saying the companies had 'reached an agreement in principle.'
'Given this movement, we're pleased to announce that ABC7 will return to Cablevision households while we work to complete our negotiations,' Campbell said in a statement.
Patrick Barnard is a senior Web editor for TMCnet, covering call and contact center technologies. He also compiles and regularly contributes to TMCnet e-Newsletters in the areas of robotics, IT, M2M, OCS and customer interaction solutions. To read more of Patrick's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Patrick Barnard
