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Here we go again. Another local network television affiliate may be off the local cable tyrant, eh, giant, Time Warner Cable on Jan. 1.
Excuse me for not being scared even if the story made it to page 1 of today’s Buffalo News with the headline: Glee may go, local Fox affiliate warns.
The story was extremely thorough and well-reported. However, a little perspective about the changing media world might have helped reduce any local anxiety despite the “pessimistic” feelings of the general counsel of Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns Fox affiliate WUTV and MyTV affiliate WNYO.
If there was any benefit to the Channel 4 dispute with TWC a few years back, it was the free rabbit ears antennas that the cable giant gave to customers to get the local CBS affiliate while it was off cable for 26 days.
I still have mine attached to the back of my HD set.
In fact, a few weeks ago when the HD feed of the Bills game with Chicago wasn’t available, I switched off cable to the digital channel on free TV to see if there was a difference. The HD feed wasn’t on, but the picture with rabbit ears was clearer than the cable channel.
I bring this up to remind you that you could get “Glee” with a rabbit ears antenna if this story really becomes something to worry about on Jan. 1.
Actually, the bigger fear is a deal won’t be worked out with Sinclair in time for the start of “American Idol” and the NFC playoffs.
But once again, you can get those programs and games with rabbit ears. That’s why TWC doesn’t want to pay too much to receive shows that resourceful subscribers can get for free.
We’re talking about convenience really.
Besides getting “Glee” on rabbit ears, technologically-savvy viewers (and there are more of them each day) can watch the Fox show for free on websites.
You can understand why Sinclair wants to be compensated by TWC. After all, TWC carries popular Fox shows that drive subscribers to cable. But you can also sympathize with TWC’s view that it enables more viewers to watch the shows and therefore for Channel 29 to charge more for advertising.
A reporter writing the story can’t say this but I can. I’m actually sympathizing more with TWC, if only because I can see the Fox shows without cable and if it wins there is a better chance my cable bill won’t go up.
Undoubtedly, Channel 2 also is watching this battle since its 10 p.m. news airs on WNYO-TV. However, WNYO also would be available to viewers who have rabbit ear antennas connected to their sets.
Of course, this is a story with a “crying wolf” aspect since almost all the time deals between cable companies and TV owners are done at the 11th hour. The two sides both have good reason to make a deal again before “Idol” and the NFC playoffs begin.
Alan Pergament was the television critic for The Buffalo News for 28 years. He currently is an adjunct professor at Buffalo State College and Medaille College, teaching courses in communications. He also writes a monthly column on the media for Buffalo Spree magazine.
Just because your cable bill goes up, thats no reason to take TWC’s side. They have costs they have to deal with just like us, that doesn’t mean they can pass every single cost over to the consumer.
I run a business, and I cant push all my costs over to my customers, or they would just go elsewhere.
TWC doesn’t exactly have a monopoly, nonetheless, they want you to think that they are justified in passing every little cost over to the consumer.
Well said, Alan. I just wrote FOX 29 on their website to voice my opposition to their attempted money grab. If they need more money to cover their programming costs, they should sell more advertising. Of course, that takes work. It’s easier to hold up the cable company. Now, I’m no big fan of Time Warner. I don’t like how they took away some movie channels and sports channels that I used to get as part of my cable package but didn’t lower my monthly bill accordingly. So, a pox on TW as well. But I do know the subscriber will end up paying if TW is forced to hand over more money to Sinclair Broadcasting.