Cox Responds To KETV RequestConcerning High Definition Programming

Cox Communications is confident a broadcast agreement can be worked out with KETV (Cox Channel 9) that will be in the best interests of all parties involved.

That's the response from the digital cable TV service provider following KETV's request that it receive "fair and reasonable terms from Cox" in exchange for allowing Cox to carry KETV-DT's programming and charge its subscribers for it.

"It's just a matter of working through the details and working things out," said Cox Communications Public Affairs Manager Summer Widhalm. "We want to make sure we end up providing the best product we can under the best circumstances we can."

Widhalm said the contract negotiations have not created any ill will between the two compnaies.

"We actually have a good local broadcast partnership with them," she said.

Cox is using a crawl on KETV-DT Channel 20 to notify viewers that the station might not be available to them after Oct. 1 if an agreement is not reached. The notification is a legal requirement, Widhalm said.

Cox also clarified that it does not charge for HD.

"How a person receives an HD signal is entirely dependant upon the technology he or she has," Widhalm said. "If a Cox subscriber has an H-ready television set with a ClearQAM tuner, they can receive broadcast HD signals without subscribing to digital cable or having a Cox digital receiver."