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Cable TV bills will go up if Fox, CBS get their way
October 28th, 2009, 7:57 am · 49 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Fox TV parent News Corp. and CBS Corp. are demanding that cable providers pay a monthly fee for the broadcast TV station.
News Corp. wants $1 per customer per month from Time Warner Cable Inc, reports the WSJ. Traditionally, cable TV providers haven’t paid paid cash fees from over-the-air broadcast networks.
If News Corp. gets its way, that’s a minimum of $12 added to a customers bill. The Wall Street Journal didn’t report how much CBS is seeking.
The broadcasters say they need more money as advertising slumps and cable companies, like Time Warner and Comcast, start their new adventures in offering the same TV shows online (see earlier story on “Time Warner plans to offer popular shows online — to paying customers).
Got a question for Time Warner Cable? Here’s your chance to get it answered. Click HERE
News Corp’s contract with Time Warner expires at the end of the year, which means if a new contract isn’t signed, Fox could be pulled from Time Warner. This is definitely not unheard of. Remember last Christmas? Viacom, which owns Comedy Central and Nickalodeon, demanded more money per user from Time Warner. The battle over what is known as carriage fees grew so critical that Viacom ran a scrolling message below most programs telling fans to call their cable provider and demand to keep the channel. The two resolved the fee issue just hours before the New Year (see ““).
Read the Wall Street Journal story: Broadcasters Seek Cable-TV Fees
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Here's a list of TV/mobile companies helping consumers one tweet at a time. 
After years of high costs and terrible service, I left Time Warner for DirecTV. I was able to get DirecTV into two homes for a total cost that was less per month than what I was paying TW, and after almost 5 years have had zero problems – best move I could have made!
There are better alternatives – search them out!
Never get the “all in one package”. You don’t want all your services with one company. If TimeWarner cable goes down, you could lose ALL your services. At least keep your phone service with someone else.
Time Warner is horrible! If you call to ask a question you will get India.
Stan says: October 28, 2009 at 10:16 am
>What Fox and CBS don’t comprehend that Cable TV as well as Dish & Direct TV are doing them a Service by providing in many cases a better signal to people in each broadcast area<
.
Exactly!
All of the renters in my apartment in north OC have to rely on cable for local TV because rabbit ears will not pick up a single channel off the new digital TV!
(the apartment owners wont allow Satellite and are not smart enough to put up a master antenna)
I wish Totally Worthless Crap would stop paying for all the Home Shopping, Cooking, Music and Hispanic channels that I never watch (maybe they can drop the price from the $65 I am forced to pay now!)
It’s against the law to not allow a Dish, isn’t it?
Apartment dwellers can put a satellite dish in their personal area (balcony), but not in common areas (the roof). Here’s what the FCC says: Click HERE.
Indeed it is. It’s called the OTARD rule — here is the link:
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html
A portion of the rule reads: “The rule applies to antenna users who live in a multiple dwelling unit building, such as a condominium or apartment building, if the antenna user has an exclusive use area in which to install the antenna. ‘Exclusive use’ means an area of the property that only you, and persons you permit, may enter and use to the exclusion of other residents. For example, your condominium or apartment may include a balcony, terrace, deck or patio that only you can use, and the rule applies to these areas.”
CableH8tor, I would suggest following up on this and showing this to your apt manager/landlord. If he/she still resists, the FCC has a toll-free number you can call and I’m sure they can assist you further.
Tamara,
What is the difference between this and “retransmission rights” which also involves payment of fees to local over-the air tv stations? As I understand it, retransmission rights are usually paid by cable and satellite companies once a year or sometimes for a longer contractual period.
Its too bad Verizon fios isn’t in our area – I’d go with that one.
Foxs doesn’t need another dime. As they can do is yell. Another over seas company trying to get into our pockets.