Yet again, Cablevision and Fox disagree in their ongoing feud over broadcasting fees. Yesterday, at the request of the Federal Communications Commission, both sides submitted their explanation of the current impasse and their suggestions to bring Fox programming back to Cablevision customers.
Cablevision President James L. Dolan slammed Fox’s “intransigence and bad faith” and asked the FCC to “arbitrate and restore the Fox stations immediately” for the company’s 3 million customers.
Conversely, Michael C. Hopkins, president of Fox Networks’ affiliate sales and marketing, opposed binding arbitration as it would not provide a fair price for their “high quality, and very expensive, sports and entertainment content.”
Fox wants $150 million yearly, up from $70 million, from the Bethpage-based Cablevision. The increased federal scrutiny comes as welcome news with most Long Island viewers having been shut out of their Fox favorites such as “Glee” and NFL games since Oct. 16. With the World Series on Fox this year, baseball fans might also be whiffing on the Texas Rangers — San Francisco Giants matchup.
Steven Muraco, president of the Half Hollow Hills Little League, said “it hurts not to have kids watching the biggest prize in the sport that we promote.”
