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I almost get as annoyed as Larry David or Louis C.K. (see right) when I read self-serving comments about how television works without any analysis or perspective.
My annoyance doesn’t quite reach the level reached by Mayor Byron Brown when New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a minor shot at Buffalo that made many former downstaters like myself laugh rather than get “pissed off.”
But my annoyance level was pretty high when I read some self-serving comments in the Buffalo News by people in the industry about the squabbles over retransmission fees that owners of stations like Channel 4 are asking cable and satellite providers to pay to carry them.
The story –which followed a deal the DISH network made to carry WIVB-TV after it was off the satellite provider for about a week — said the FCC is looking at the rules. One expert even suggested that the FCC would consider allowing cable or satellite providers to bring in network affiliates from Rochester or elsewhere if it couldn’t get a deal with the Buffalo affiliate.
Even if that were to happen – and I’m extremely dubious that the FCC is going to do anything but pretend it is going to do anything – Western New Yorkers wouldn’t exactly be thrilled to be watching Rochester local news instead of Buffalo local news.
On the other hand, some businesses would be happy if distant signals could be brought in during the disputes. The networks probably would be happy to get their prime time shows on here and cable and satellite providers would be happy that the local affiliate’s negotiation power would be submarined.
Still, I’d guess the chances of it happening are equal to the chances that Mayor Bloomberg buys a second home in Buffalo.
I don’t know what DISH had to pay Channel 4 to carry its signal but as I’ve said before I wouldn’t pay too much because almost all cable and satellite subscribers who don’t live in remote or rural areas and have a recent TV set can get those channels for free just by connecting a rabbit ears antenna to the back of their sets.
You could even make a case that network affiliates should pay cable and satellite companies to carry them because they expand the reach of their audience and allow them to charge more for advertising.
The FCC probably would best serve the public by demanding local stations explain more frequently how easy it is to get them without cable or satellite. That certainly beats allowing them to charge for their signals and then have the cable or satellite provider send the cost to subscribers.
With that background, let’s look at some of the self-serving comments made in the article, followed by analysis from yours truly.
Courtney Guertin, corporate communications manager for Rhode Island-based LIN Media (which owns) Channel 4: “We were asking for a fraction of what is being paid cable networks who don’t have the same high viewing, the community service and the local connection.”
Analysis: Hmm. Who would you do that? It sounds so kind. After all, why would you ask for a fraction of what lesser viewed channels get for carriage?
Could it possibly be because as I’ve written about there is one big difference between the cable networks and Channel 4?
That the cable networks can’t be picked up by a rabbit ears antenna for free. The only way to get them is to pay to get them. You don’t have to pay to get Channel 4. You just need to know how to get them for free.
Dennis Wharton of the National Association of Broadcasters, a Washington-based advocacy group: “(Broadcasters) should be getting air compensation. It’s very expensive to have the Super Bowl, the Final Four, ‘Modern Family,’ ’60 Minutes,’ ‘American Idol.’”
Analysis: Yeah, but the network affiliates don’t pay for most of the above programming, their networks do. And most people can get all those programs without cable or satellite through rabbit ears.
Mike Heimowitz, spokesman for the American Television Alliance, a Washington-based organization representing pay-tv (cable TV) providers and public interest “Why are they being used as a pawn in a business negotiation? (Broadcasters are) getting away with it because of dated rules (created in 1992) that are lopsided in their favor.”
Analysis: Actually they also are getting away with it because so many Americans haven’t been educated about how easy it is to get local TV stations for free.
pergament@msn.com
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.
I still say that we need to squash rebroadcast fees for cable companies. They make no sense.