FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2014
TVfreedom.org Issues Statement On The DirecTV/Raycom Media Retransmission Consent Agreement
Washington, D.C. – Robert C. Kenny, spokesman for TVfreedom.org, a coalition of local broadcasters, consumer and business groups, and community advocates, issued the following statement in response to DirecTV’s claim that Raycom Media was responsible for a local TV blackout that was settled this week:
“DirecTV’s baseless, self-serving statement blaming Raycom Media for this week’s brief local TV service disruption represents the height of hypocrisy and arrogance. Only a company the size of DirecTV – with more than 20 million U.S. customers and annual revenues of nearly $32 billion – would be shameless enough to suggest that Raycom Media has undue clout negotiating fair value for its most-watched local TV programming.
“DirecTV has been involved in one-third of all service disruptions with local TV stations in the last 20 months, proving that its real motivation is not to protect TV viewers, but rather to perpetuate its manufactured claim of a ‘retransmission blackout crisis.’ DirecTV’s greed is highlighted by its refusal to rebate consumers for this week’s loss of programming, and by charging customers an astonishing $480 in ‘early termination fees’ to end a DirecTV service contract.
“Hundreds of pay-TV carriage deals are successfully concluded every year with no drama and no disruption. Rather than negotiate reasonably with local TV stations for their signals, DirecTV instead is purposely stalling retransmission consent negotiations to fuel their own greed-driven interests. DirectTV has willingly joined a pay-TV cabal at the expense of its customers and is bankrolling a multimillion dollar campaign in Washington to change the retransmission consent system. Policymakers should reject these pay-TV theatrics and allow private companies to continue negotiating market-based carriage agreements without government interference.”
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Please also visit the TVfreedom.org YouTube web page to watch consumer-friendly videos aimed at pushing back on the pay-TV industry’s gamesmanship in the marketplace and the ongoing abusive billing and business practices hurting consumers.
About Us
TVfreedom.org, is a coalition of local broadcasters, community advocates, network television affiliate associations, multicast networks, manufacturers and other independent broadcaster-related organizations committed to helping protect consumer interests, ensure emergency and weather related programming access, promote the value of broadcast-TV programming, and preserve a fair and free video marketplace.