"It's not true."That's the word from KETV General Manager Joel Vilmenay Friday when asked about a rumor circulating on the Internet that the ABC affiliate would pull its analog signal from Cox Communications' system prior to Saturday's coverage of the Nebraska-Iowa State football game.
KETV's parent company, Hearst-Argyle has pulled the high definition digital signals for several of its stations from Cox Communications' local cable systems as a result of unsuccessful retransmission negotiations.
In addition to Omaha, the other Hearst-Argyle stations involved are KOCO-TV, the ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City; WDSU, the NBC affiliate in New Orleans; KMBC, the ABC affiliate in Kansas City, Mo.; KHBS/KHOB, the ABC affiliates in Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Ark.; WESH, the NBC affiliate in Orlando; and WKCF, the CW affiliate in Orlando.
"Our basic position is that our signal is free to the viewer and not free for Cox to profit from," Vilmenay said.
KETV Inundated With Viewer Inquiries
Negotiations between Hearst-Argyle and Cox are taking place in New York, Vilmenay said, but he does have periodic contact with Cox Communications personnel in Omaha."I'm hopeful that we'll get a deal done soon," Vilmenay said.
KETV has received hundreds of calls and e-mails, Vilmenay said, since Cox Channel 809 went dark Sunday, Oct. 1. Cox Communications says it has spent more than $500 million on infrastructure to bring high definition programming to viewers in Omaha. KETV is not disclosing an exact amount, but says it has also spent "millions of dollars" to upgrade to high definition broadcasting in Omaha.
The dispute has led both parties to set up "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs) on their websites to clarify their positions. (Click here for KETV and here for Cox.) KETV.com is also providing viewers with instructions on how to watch KETV in high definition without Cox.
KETV has been periodically running informational "crawls" on its analog channel (Cox Channel 9) and will continue to do so, Vilmenay said.
So will the station crawl information during Saturday's Nebraska football game, when viewership levels will be at their highest?
"We haven't decided yet," Vilmenay said.
Cox: HD Programming is Free
On its website and through correspondence, KETV is encouraging viewers to call Cox and either demand a refund on their montnhly cable bill (with respoect to their monthly cable bill) or tell Cox to compensate KETV so the HD signal returns to Cox's system.Cox's website advertises HD programming for free, saying all that is needed is a subscription to Cox digital cable, an HD-ready TV and a new HD set top box.
"The question I have (for Cox) is if they have invested all that money (on high definition broadcasting capability), why are they saying that it is free when it is not?," Vilmenay said. "They market on their website that all you need is a subscription to Cox and a digital set box. But you have to purchase those services to enjoy what is 'free.'"
12 comments:
If KETV has spent money to upgrade thier signal why aren't there any local news or locally produced shows in HD?
Is there any more of an idiot than KETV General Manager Joel Vilmenay? What a joke. I guarantee my busines will NEVER advertise with KETV.
thanks all - - mTm
The Real idiot is Hearst Argyle the Owners of KETV and the other stations who want paid for a free signal.
What KETV isn't saying is that upgrading to HD is something everybody is required to do in the near future and the truth is they are just trying to cover costs by going after Cox for $.
I will say it again, Cox charges for the box, not the HD service. If you have a HD-ready TV, you need to pay nothing. End of story.
has anyone asked why the other stations (WOWT,KMTV,KPTM)don't have a dispute?
Everyone will be required to go to digital Not HD in the future.
KETV coulnd't be more greedy. Seriously, what a bunch of morans.
It would be interesting to know Andrew Wees' personal and professional interest in this issue, given that "he" has commented multiple times. Please enlighten us, Andrew.
Prior to being taken over by Journal Broadcast Group, KMTV DID pulled their digital channel. It was only after Journal's takeover that KMTV DT returned to Cox Digital cable.
I just think that if KETV or any local station doesn't charge customers for thier HD signal they should not charge cable or satelite since Cox just feeds the signal they get from KETV to the customers without inserting ads.
Omaha144
another reason I am follwing this is I have the HD/DVR through, but don't have an HDTV and I am still forced to pay the full price to rent the HD/DVR since Motorola doesn't make a non HD/DVR.
To say that you don't pay for KETV's HD signal is ridiculous. I only pay for the box? If you go to Subway and they told you the bread was free and you only pay for the meat, cheese and lettuce, would you go around bragging about the free stuff you get?
Cox can claim they aren't charging you, but if you "lease" their DVR, you're paying for the HD signal (and oddly enough you cannot record an over the air signal on your DVR. Hmmmmm)
Post a Comment