Scripps refused ‘reasonable offers and is making demands that would significantly increase what you pay for TV service,’ Xfinity told customers.
A business falling out between Comcast/Xfinity and E.W. Scripps Company has resulted in some local channels, including WTXL, to no longer be available to Tallahassee cable TV viewers.
Xfinity alerted customers in a March 31 email that its contract with the broadcasting company expired and a new agreement couldn’t be reached. “This means that some of your local channels and On Demand content are currently unavailable,” the email said.
It went on to say “unexpected changes to your channel lineup can be frustrating” and Scripps refused “our reasonable offers and is making demands that would significantly increase what you pay for TV service.”
The email added, “Thanks for your patience as we work to keep your TV package affordable. If we reach a new agreement and the channels are restored to your lineup, we’ll email you again.”
A statement from Scripps said Comcast removed stations from 19 markets, “cutting off viewers from essential local news, weather and fan-favorite sports that Scripps stations provide Xfinity customers daily.”
“Scripps has been negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that reflects this value and is fair for both parties and viewers,” the statement reads “We hope Comcast recognizes the critical value we play for our communities and restores our stations’ signals so we can continue to serve their customers. Until then, Xfinity customers can still find our local news and sports programming for free over-the-air, on our station websites, streaming apps and on other locally available cable and satellite providers.”
This is the second time in the last month in which local news channels have been affected by agreements with larger broadcast companies. In March, Gray Media’s local stations, including WCTV, were dropped from the DISH TV lineup, which affected 226 channels in 113 markets, including Tallahassee.
“Gray Media chose to disconnect these stations, which provide critical local news, sports, and weather, after DISH refused to accept unreasonable rate increases that would have raised monthly bills for consumers,” according to a DISH Network statement.
Kevin Covell, senior vice president at DISH Video Services, said Gray Media was using viewers as bargaining chips: “We offered a fair agreement to keep these stations on the air, but Gray Media walked away,” Covell said in a statement. “Gray Media chose to black out their own viewers … to extract significantly higher fees.”
Gray Media disputed that account. A March 11 press release posted on WCTV’s website noted that “for the first time in its history, Gray Media’s television stations have been dropped by DISH Network, a serial instigator of disputes that have removed thousands of broadcast and cable channels from their paying customers over the years.”
“DISH’s action follows the parties spending several months negotiating and nearly reaching agreement on rates, tenure and all other customary terms in a standard new distribution agreement,” Gray Media’s statement read. “Unfortunately, DISH’s tactics here are all too familiar for the shrinking number of consumers who still subscribe to their service: from 14 million in 2014 to 5 million today.”
WCTV also urged customers to visit their website and app and contact DISH to voice their displeasure.
“DISH was unwilling to strike a fair deal to keep its viewers from being able to see WCTV, which means DISH customers are missing programming like NCIS, The Bold and the Beautiful and Eyewitness News,” the station said in a story online. “If you’re a DISH customer, you can help us get WCTV back on DISH contacting them at 833-8-KEEPUS.”
Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at [email protected] and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.
