Update on Viacom Negotiations
12/20/10 at 10:00 am Pete 26 comments
In our experience, many of these contract negotiations are not completed until just before their expiration date, although we sincerely hope this one can be completed well before then.
To that end, we will continue to negotiate in good faith with Viacom to establish a new contract with fair and reasonable terms for our customers. In the unusual event those negotiations are unsuccessful and Viacom refuses to allow us to carry some or all of the above-listed channels after December 31, we reiterate our pledge to reduce customer prices by the cost of the affected channels for whatever length of time they are unavailable.
We will provide an update when there is a material change in the status of these negotiations.
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* The channels listed above are those that are typically featured on our widely available “Expanded Basic” service. Other channels affected by these negotiations are featured on incremental, digital service packages and include Logo, Palladia HD, Nick Jr., TeenNick, NickToons, Nick2, MTV Hits, MTV2, MTV Jams, Tr3s, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, and CMT Pure Country.
Entry filed under: Cable Programming, Suddenlink News. Tags: .
1. Rob | 12/21/10 at 3:12 am
Thank you so much for the update.
I also hope that Suddenlink will be able to provide at least some if not all these channels in HD with this new contract.
2. Richard | 12/23/10 at 12:16 pm
We can lose all these channels for all I care. My family and I don’t watch any of them and the money saved could go elsewhere …
3. Teresa | 12/29/10 at 10:40 am
LOL I totally agree the only channels I even watch out of that lineup is TV Land I have always hated having to pay for those stupid music channels so tell them to take it and shove it where the sun dont shine I would rather have a lower bill and there are other kids channels. Yes I love the old reruns on tvland but they are just that I am almost 48 and watched all those shows when they were on their first runs so no great loss. …
4. Dawn | 12/23/10 at 11:03 am
Based on another article I read, we would only save around $3 a month if these negotiations fall through…. I would absolutely hate to lose NICK JR to save $3 a month.
5. FYI Publisher | 12/28/10 at 5:21 pm
Two points to consider. For customers who subscribe to our digital Family package, where Nick Jr. is located, the monthly discount would be closer to $4. That being said, we would very much like the option to pick and choose which Viacom channels we carry, but so far, Viacom will not give us a realistic offer to carry individual channels. For instance, if we tried to take one Expanded Basic Viacom channel like Nickelodeon, Viacom told us the cost for that one channel would be three times more than what we pay for seven Expanded Basic Viacom channels today. We do not believe the majority of our customers would want to pay even more for less.
6. The Doc | 12/24/10 at 2:56 pm
Drop these channels – they are pure junk
7. denver | 12/26/10 at 4:37 pm
Don’t need these channels. Replace them with something better or lower our bill.
8. Bonita | 12/28/10 at 9:45 pm
They can keep their channels. Tired of big businesses trying to control & blackmail to get their way and gouge hardworking consumers for more money.
9. Dick Martin | 12/28/10 at 9:46 pm
Your belief is entirely correct. I DO NOT care to pay more for less. There is enough of that going on as it is. The Government wants to freeze wages and cost of living increases and everyone else wants more money. I guess it would take an Economics professor to figure out a way to make that work. I sure cannot. I agree with No. 6 above – replace them with something better or lower the bill.
Thanks for trying to guard all our interests!
10. Donna | 12/28/10 at 9:54 pm
What are the channels that are in negotiation?? Doesn’t seem like any channel would be worth their scare tactics.
11. Tim | 12/28/10 at 10:26 pm
Please don’t raise our rates to carry these channels. I would much prefer you remove these channels then to raise the rates. Plus, no company should be rewarded for bullying, otherwise, where will it ever end? Instead why don’t you carry 3ABN (Three Angels Broadcast Network) and SafeTV (a family friendly channel that has some similar programming as TV Land)? They will let you carry it for free.
12. Robert | 12/29/10 at 4:54 am
I have reviewed the Viacom channels in question and would definitely like to drop them for a monthly savings …
13. Stan | 12/29/10 at 6:08 am
individual account is small, but the total lose to Viacom is large. I say continue with negotiations and hope they will be more realistic in what they want. If an owner of a business increased their prices 20% at these trying times they would soon be out of business.
14. PJ | 12/29/10 at 6:50 am
We can use a break in our bill, those channels are not necessary to my life and I sure could use the money saved. Let Viacom eat dirt is my opinion if they want to play hard ball in these economic times, I say down with Viacom.
15. JM | 12/29/10 at 9:00 am
Tell them to take a walk! It is time that we take our control away from corporations that believe they can in essence hold the public hostage. These channels are not necessary for quality daily life, so drop them and show them they are not a necessity just merely a choice.
16. Frank | 12/29/10 at 10:04 am
No one can afford the rates going up.
I say drop them.
17. WFS | 12/29/10 at 10:13 am
I could not care less if these channels were dropped. There is very little programming on these channels that I watch and none that I would really miss. Not worth an increase in my cable bill.
18. gene | 12/29/10 at 10:32 am
First, if a negotiation cannot be reached, drop them and lower our bills. 2ndly if my bill raises to keep them, I will be looking else where. 3rdly I would like to stay status qou. …
19. JS | 12/29/10 at 11:09 am
These channels are pure junk.
Drop them now!
20. Gordon | 12/29/10 at 11:24 am
Let them have these channels. The only one that is truly family friendly is TV Land. All the Nick channels have a “twist” to them that is not necessarily good for our youth, and the MTVs and VH1s……….ooo boy. I say let them go. I’ll take the reduced bill and not have to block these channels any more.
Thanks for the update.
21. Judy | 12/29/10 at 11:34 am
Please know that out of all the channels I watch on a daily basis, TVland is the main one. It honestly is about the only channel I watch. But, as for all of the other channels I can certainly do without them and it would be no great love loss here to loose the music channels or even nick, but we do understand that you guys are doing all you can to get us the best price out there, without getting ripped off in the process. So from what I have read on this blog, I think TVland is about the only channel you really need to fight for the rest of them could go without argument. Good luck in this process and hope we keep my favorite channel out there.
22. Vanessa | 12/29/10 at 12:20 pm
If these channels are cut, my family would be looking for a new cable provider. My kids watch Nick and love Dino Dan, Dora, etc. They don’t watch a lot of tv so these shows are a nice treat at times. Just because some of you don’t watch these channels doesn’t mean no one watches them.
I do agree that Viacom is being unreasonable. They know they have the channels that most households with small kids watch regularly.
23. Delbert Allen | 12/29/10 at 12:38 pm
I say let them have their channels. When they loose enough, they will come begging. I only watch TV Land and not the other corrupt channels. We would all be better off if we did not watch their smut. I say stop negotiating and watch them do a double take. I don’t watch or care to watch their channels. Please do something more family oriented. I know rates occasionally go up, but don’t let them go up for this reason. This is totally uncalled for. VIACOM can go stick their heads in the sand. When they loose enough customers and money, they will ask what we would like to watch and at what price we are willing to pay. GOODBYE VIACOM. We don’t need or want you.
Thanks for listening.
24. Alyssa | 12/29/10 at 1:37 pm
Our family does not watch these channels and would be fine with them being gone and getting a reduced bill. The other option is replacing them with better quality TV programs. Some of these could be channels that you offer in your Premium programming package (e.g. Kids Discovery, Biography)
25. Norma Jean | 12/29/10 at 2:59 pm
Say goodbye to viacom, give us a choice as to preferred channels and reduce the cost. At this rate we will be looking at other sources.
26. Steve Conger | 12/29/10 at 3:34 pm
Please discontinue the channels offered by Viacom and reduce everybody’s monthly bill. I do not watch any of those channels enough to justify having them.