Sinclair Broadcasting Vs Mediacom Communications Corperation

Sunday November 26th 2006 - It is true that these stations will remain free. Why would customers favor Sinclair who wants to over charge Mediacom for stations that are FREE over the air with an antenna. Mediacom is willing to negotiate a price but they are not willing to over charge their customers for something that the customers have the ability to obtain for free. Read More...

The information here has been provided by trusted sources and anything stated as "I" is a matter of fact from a Mediacom user.

SINCLAIR BROADCASTING VS MEDIACOM COMMUNICATIONS CORPERATION
Other companies and people against Sinclair that are not related to Mediacom

http://www.befairsinclair.com
http://www.stopsinclair.org
http://www.sinclairaction.com
http://www.sinclairwatch.org

Quote: From article: As cable, broadcast snit boils, FCC calls a meeting
"Regardless of what happens Thursday at midnight, all Sinclair-owned stations will continue to be available for free in Iowa for viewers who own a broadcast antenna."
- The Des Moines Register

It is true that these stations will remain free. Why would customers favor Sinclair who wants to over charge Mediacom for stations that are FREE over the air with an antenna. Mediacom is willing to negotiate a price but they are not willing to over charge their customers for something that the customers have the ability to obtain for free.

A FEW THINGS TO THINK ABOUT/TALKING POINTS

Please read this page completely before making any decisions.

Sinclair is being unreasonable. This corporation is using the behavior of a bully with its threats to take stations off our local cable system unless high financial demands are met.

I depend on Mediacom to get reliable, high-quality reception. I like the variety of many cable channels, but I definitely don't want to lose local stations. Sinclair needs to stop being a bully and make a reasonable settlement with Mediacom.

I know that Mediacom has done a lot more to improve Iowa's fiber cable network than the previous cable owners, and with digital services, cable has changed dramatically in the past few years. We know that Mediacom has invested in Iowa and is local, but we can't say the same about Sinclair.

How does Sinclair come to the conclusion that it is worth more than any other local broadcast station in Iowa? I'm willing to put up the rabbit ears for a while if it comes to that. I'd rather do that than have to pay the added cost Sinclair wants Mediacom to pay.

The stations Sinclair owns have been carried on cable for decades without excessive monetary demands. It's been a good partnership because Mediacom makes the signals come in much better and to an expanded audience.

Sinclair has used it's strong-arm tactics in public disputes with the Dish Network and other cable companies – similar to the tactics it is now using with Mediacom. Sinclair seems to act in ways that are different from the other broadcasters and not in the public interest.

Sinclair's people say its stations should be compensated like the cable channels of CNN or Bravo or A&E. But the analogy is completely wrong – cable channels aren't using public broadcast spectrum which the government gives to stations for free. Sinclair needs to get the facts right and stop playing games with Iowa consumers.

There are still people who get reception for local TV stations over-the-air at no cost. That's why it is unreasonable for Sinclair to think consumers should pay higher cable bills for the stations that are free over-the-air.

Money and greed are at the core of demands by Sinclair Broadcast Corp. If Mediacom is forced to pay more for a lower-rated station in the market, common sense says that other stations will want higher compensation as well. As a result, there are more dollars at stake here, and as someone who pays a monthly cable bill, I don't want to see higher rates due to demands by broadcasters who are given a free license from the government for the use of public broadcast spectrum.

It looks like Sinclair is being unreasonable in its dispute with Mediacom. I've read that Sinclair is the #2 owners of television stations in the U.S. Iowa consumers are a small percentage of their business. But they know that Mediacom is the major cable provider for Iowa and they are putting the squeeze on Mediacom. I don't like to see this kind of bullying, and I know Sinclair has done this in other states. As consumers, we need to say no to Sinclair's tactics and the unreasonable costs they are trying to take out of our pockets.

The issue between Mediacom and Sinclair Broadcasting is like a Pandora's box. If Mediacom is forced to pay significantly more for KGAN (or KDSM), there will be an overall cumulative effect with other broadcast stations asking for the same. I've always thought broadcasters get plenty of revenue from their advertisers. I don't want to see rates climb higher as a result of Sinclair asking for more than what the other broadcasters receive from cable companies like Mediacom.

It seems to me that Mediacom gives KDSM (or, KGAN) the benefit of reaching a more people in communities well beyond the metro area of Des Moines (or Cedar Rapids). That means advertising dollars for the local station. As one who endures program interruptions from frequent advertising breaks, I can't be silent while the owner of one of the market's smaller stations demands higher costs from Mediacom customers like me.

Sinclair's actions are contrary to those of a good corporate citizen and do not reflect Iowa's fair-deal values.

It is interesting to see that Sinclair has singled out Mediacom for its latest fight to boost the fees cable companies have to pay in order to carry the local broadcasts over the cable system. Sinclair did this with a company in West Virginia earlier in the year. I've read that mediacom has amicable agreements working with more that 400 other local broadcast owners and this tells me that Sinclair-owned stations are out-of-step. I hope Sinclair will reconsider its decision and for a reasonable end to this situation.

People need to understand that the Sinclair – Mediacom dispute is about money, and Sinclair wants more. Most of us don't like to see cable rates increase, but Sinclair thinks that's no big deal. They are in the catbird's seat because while they will receive the higher fees, we will see the impact on our bills and we will want to blame our cable company. Sinclair must think it can dupe so – so instead, we need to be sure it is Sinclair that hears our voices and frustration over this matter. We should cheer for Mediacom to win this one because we're the ones who pay.

For consumers / customer living in or near Cedar Rapids / Iowa City Sinclair is fighting with Mediacom in an attempt to gain higher fees. Do people know that Iowans for Better Local Television (based in Iowa City) has been closely following the broadcasts of KGAN and has gone to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to file numerous petitions to deny license renewal for KGAN? The petitions document the station's failure to meet programming minimums, its practices of exceeding advertising maximums, and its lack of children's programming. KGAN has changed since being taken over by Sinclair. It is doing much less to serve the public interest, and yet it is asking the public to pay much more by raising the costs it charges to Mediacom. Sinclair is not acting in the best interest of our community or state.

This information is from an internal release and is true to the best of my knowledge. This information has been giving for you to make a decision, for you to use your voice, and to contact those in charge and let them know where you stand.

Instructions for writing your Letters to Newspapers / other key contacts:

1) Write and submit a brief letter-to-the-editor within 5 days or sooner. 2) Submit your letter to the newspaper in one of two ways: a) E-mail - please use your home e-mail / personal acct. b) take it in personally and hand it to appropriate person at the paper;
most papers prefer E-MAIL; 3) and 4) Intentionally left out because they do not apply to customers
5) TOOLS – we're providing two resources to help you make this happen quickly:
A) talking points and brief sample letters
B) Excel file with Iowa newspaper names & contact info.

6) MAKE YOUR POINT(S) -- write your brief letter - select a main point or two that you want to emphasize; write a one-paragraph letter. Ideal length: 150 words or less.
7) VERIFICATION – editors require you to include your name, home address & city. PLUS, they usually want to verify that you, indeed, wrote this letter – so include a daytime telephone number (it can be your cell if you answer your cell during day); some may verify by e-mail these days, but most will do so by phone.
8) ENCOURAGE Family and Friends – ask for a Favor / get others to contact
A) most of us have family members, neighbors or people we run into asking us about the issue with Sinclair and the stations being "pulled" from Mediacom's cable system. MOST people who AGREE with our position don't think about writing a letter to the editor or to Sinclair unless we ask – please ask and encourage friends and family to do this ASAP – prior to Thanksgiving.
B) Help your friends with the info. FAQ on the Web site: www.befairsinclair.com
9) In addition to newspapers – we need co-workers, friends and family to contact the two stations in Iowa and Sinclair -- KGAN station mgr, Mike Sullivan (319) 395-9060 or kgan@kgan.com
KDSM station mgr, Mike Wilson (515) 287-1717 or mwilson@kdsm.sbgnet.com
Sinclair Corporate HQ – Phone, (410) 568-1500 or comments@sbgi.net

Call and e-mail (home and personal e-mail accts) to tell them you don't think they are playing fairly with Iowa TV viewers, nor with Mediacom.

Tell them to come to the table with a reasonable agreement that won't force you to pay more for TV stations that are available over the air for FREE.

Remind them that you know the stations they own in Des Moines or Cedar Rapids are not the top-rated stations; but you also know they get a lot of advertising revenue because many more viewers watch the Sinclair stations, thanks to cable. The audience size will drop dramatically if Sinclair pulls those stations off of Mediacom.

Back To Top