Giants Game Blacked Out, Fox and Cablevision Dispute Continues

Negotiators for Cablevision and Fox parent News Corp. entered another round of talks today to resolve a dispute over rates that has blacked out Fox's channels, but subscribers who wanted to watch an afternoon New York Giants football game were forced to make alternate arrangements.

Fox spokesman Scott Grogin said the two sides were meeting but reported no progress so far today. Fox and Cablevision also met yesterday but failed to resolve the dispute.

Cablevision is the service provider for 3 million customers in the New York area.

The stalemate that led to Fox pulling its channels and online content Saturday was the latest in a series of programming fee disputes that also have led to blackouts of other programs - such as the Oscars - in parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The negotiations resumed hours before the start of the National League Championship Series playoff game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. Game 2 of the series was scheduled to air Sunday.

Cablevision says that News Corp. is asking for an additional $80 million a year for access to 12 Fox channels, including those in dispute. That would more than double the yearly rate to $150 million, says the company, which is demanding that Fox enter into binding arbitration.

Fox, meanwhile, blames Cablevision Systems Corp. "In an effort to avoid this very situation, we started this process in May and made numerous reasonable proposals, Mike Hopkins, president of Fox Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing, said in an earlier release.

Grogin has said that Fox will continue negotiating "as long as there is a serious effort on the part of Cablevision."

After negotiations ended later Saturday, Cablevision issued a statement accusing News Corp. of using the sporting events "to hold viewers hostage," calling it shameful.

Source: NY Post

Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.