Your thoughts on Local Stations

Every 3 years, local channels retransmission consent agreements expire.   According to the FCC, we can't carry over the air local stations without consent of the station, and they are allowed to charge a fee in exchange, even if their signal is marginal like we experience from Cincinnati, Lexington and Evansville stations. There are no real rules other than the agreements when renewed must be negotiated in good faith between the channel and the cable/satellite provider.  If the station wants any amount of money they ask for, and we don't agree, we can't carry it.

Currently we are negotiating for all of the local channels.  If their rates stayed within a 1.5-3% increase annually like ESPN and your favorite cable news channels,  our cable TV bill would be MUCH lower than it is today, and the product would be better overall. However what the massive corporations that own these stations are asking  for next year is along the lines of 75% higher than this year. Overall the fees demanded from local stations have risen in the last decade 1500 times the rate of inflation.

We would like to know when or if there is a time for us to flat out say no to them.  Your feedback on just four questions to help us decide on what to do next with local channels.   We will enter you into a drawing for a $25 gift card if you choose to provide your name and email address at the end of the survey.

This survey will close October 29th at midnight and the drawing will be held October 30 at noon.  

Shadoe Perry's entry of Owenton, KY was drawn.  We will call you to make arrangements to pick up or deliver your gift card!