|
Mediacom, Sinclair dispute should be resolved quickly
It’s hard for us to be sympathetic toward either side in the ongoing dispute between Mediacom Cable and Sinclair Broadcasting over Mediacom’s right to continue to carry WLOS-TV on its systems serving Jackson, Macon and Henderson counties.
If no deal is reached by the time the retransmission agreement expires at midnight Thursday, Nov. 30, the signal for this area’s ABC affiliate will be removed from the cable system.
Mediacom says Sinclair is asking far too much money and that the request is out of line with what Mediacom pays for other stations in this market as well as for stations in other areas Mediacom serves across the nation. The cable company says it has reached deals with numerous station ownership groups and that Sinclair is the lone holdout.
Sinclair counters that its request is fair and notes the company has reached agreements with numerous cable systems across the country.
As usual, the truth probably lies somewhere in between.
Complicating matters is the fact the negotiations involve 22 Sinclair stations in 14 states. We wish both sides would agree to negotiate separately on the issue of WLOS and take into account the uniqueness of this television market.
WLOS is the only station based in Western North Carolina and the one station in this market that concentrates on WNC news, weather and sports. For people in our area, it is much more than an entertainment outlet. It is a vital link to our communities in times of news and weather emergencies.
Local officials have expressed concern that the loss of WLOS could compromise public safety, and they are right. We commend Jackson County commissioners and Sylva board members for taking action requesting the issue be resolved. We hope Dillsboro, Forest Hills and Webster will follow suit.
While receiving WLOS via cable is important to people in all three WNC counties served by Mediacom, it is even more important for Jackson County. The WLOS translator that had served this area since 1964 went off the air last year when the station and owner of the property where the tower was located could not reach agreement on a lease extension. Due to our mountainous terrain, receiving WLOS directly from its Mount Pisgah transmitter site is impossible for most county residents.
We’re disappointed to hear a Sinclair official go on TV and downplay the impact on viewers by stating they can receive the signal over the air. That’s not true here, and the issue needs to be taken into account during negotiations.
It’s true that WLOS and other area stations are available via satellite TV systems, but that brings us to a troubling point. Sinclair is encouraging viewers to switch to DirecTV and offering a partial rebate to those doing so. Are Sinclair and DirecTV in collusion on this matter?
From a business standpoint, both sides need an agreement. The inability of Mediacom to receive strong enough signals to carry WMYA and WYCW mean two area stations aren’t available on local cable. The loss of a third would send more people away from cable and to satellite.
While Asheville area advertisers might not be so concerned about whether viewers in Jackson County can see their commercials, you can bet they won’t be happy if the populous Henderson County market is shut out. Ad rates will fall, and Sinclair revenues will suffer.
Many business deals aren’t reached until the 11th hour, and we hope that will be the case in this dispute.
If not, all we can say to Mediacom and Sinclair is “a pox on both your houses.”
|
