Just in time for the big New England Patriot's game, Hartford's WFSB, along with other Meredith Corporation stations have been dropped from Altice USA Optimum cable.
Just in time for the big New England Patriot's game, Hartford's WFSB, along with other Meredith Corporation stations have been dropped from Altice USA Optimum cable.
“WFSB has been trying for months to get Optimum from Altice to negotiate seriously” said WFSB-TV Vice President / General Manager Klarn DePalma “But after its transaction with Altice, Optimum is now part of one of the world's largest cable giants. Reaching a deal and ending this blackout is our top priority. We know the vital local news, emergency information, and top-rated sports and entertainment programming we provide are important to Optimum from Altice customers, and we hope Optimum from Altice will make it a priority to reach a deal too.
If you are an Optimum from Altice customer, you can help by calling Optimum from Altice at 1-203-870-2583. Tell Optimum from Altice you want WFSB-TV back on your cable lineup. All of our great local news and the CBS lineup is still available from DISH, DIRECTV, and others. WFSB is always available over the air.”
WFSB and its owner, Meredith, stand ready, willing and able to reach a fair deal with Optimum from Altice. Meredith has successfully completed hundreds of carriage agreements without being dropped by cable operators.
“We have already offered to pay Meredith Corporation, the media conglomerate that owns WFSB Channel 3 CBS, a significant increase in retransmission fees for the channel. Unfortunately, Meredith Corp. has pulled WFSB from our Optimum lineups in Connecticut in an attempt to force us and our customers to pay millions more in fees, even as the number of Optimum customers who watch WFSB has consistently declined over the past three years.
Skyrocketing programming costs, particularly those charged by broadcasters, are the greatest contributor to rising cable bills, and we are working hard to keep those costs as low as possible for our customers. We call on Meredith Corp. to immediately return WFSB to our Optimum lineup, stop putting customers in the middle, and work with us on an agreement that is fair to our Connecticut customers.”
Customers in Litchfield and New Haven Counties interested in watching CBS programming, including football, can contact Optimum to receive 1 free week of the CBS All Access internet service; more details are available on www.optimum.net/onyourside. In addition, CBS content is available for free over the air via digital antennas.
