Tuesday, September 3, 2013

CBS, Time Warner Cable Settle

I'm glad CBS and Time Warner Cable have settled their differences.

Although I'm not in New York, LA, Dallas, Boston, or Chicago, the dispute did impact me. I couldn't watch any CBS programming online. CBS took the unprecedented step of blocking all its programming online to TWC customers everywhere.

That really ticked me off, especially since I've already been denied access to NBC and TMJ4 programming via cable since July 25th.

From USA Today:

CBS Corp. confirmed Monday that it has reached a new broadcasting rights agreement with Time Warner Cable, ending a month-long blackout of the network's shows at several key markets in the country.

CBS' programming resumed at 6:00 p.m., ET Monday in the affected markets. The companies didn't disclose specific terms of their new retransmission contract, which spells out the amount of money that TWC pays CBS for the rights to carry the CBS-owned TV stations.
TMJ4's problems with TWC began before the CBS blackout and there appears to be no end in sight. I'm sick of taking extra steps to watch NBC over-the-air. I'm certainly less likely to channel surf to TMJ4.

Since TWC stopped carrying TMJ4, I've stopped watching its news. My viewing habits have changed because of the standoff. I wonder if other TWC customers have made similar adjustments.

Maybe now that the CBS/TWC issues are settled some attention can be paid to the southeastern Wisconsin blackout and the matter can be resolved.

If that happens, will I go back to my old viewing patterns?

Maybe. But the longer this goes on, the less likely that will be.



No comments: