WVEC-TV 13 has launched a public relations campaign explaining their side of their negotiations with DIRECTV over retransmission rights. The current agreement between WVEC and DIRECTV expires October 31st. DIRECTV subscribers could lose the ABC affiliate if a new agreement isn't reached. WVEC's campaign involves the spot below, which is in fairly heavy rotation on the station.
The controversy is similar to one earlier this year between between LIN Media, NBC affiliate WAVY's parent company, and Dish Network. That issue wasn't resolved until after Dish Network blacked out WAVY's programming for several days. WAVY was also blacked out in Eastern North Carolina for a time in September due to a disagreement between LIN and Mediacom.
Such disputes grow out of the 1994 Cable Television and Protection Act. The law banned cable companies from charging local TV stations to carry their signals, but it also gave local TV the right to negotiate with the cable companies over retransmission rights. The agreement could involve cash paid by the cable company to the TV station, or there could be other considerations. WVEC's now defunct local news channel LNC 5 was a byproduct of a retransmission agreement between the station and Cox Communications in the 1990's.
Links:
WVEC's side of the story
Retransmission consent explained on Wikipedia
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