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MediaCom, Sinclair Yet To Broker Retrans Deal

Broadcasting & Cable, Wednesday, December 30, 2009 11:31 PM

The FCC has been under pressure from Congress to step in and mandate Mediacom carriage of Sinclair stations while it considers a retrans complaint by Mediacom that Sinclair did not negotiate in in good faith. The flap involves two stations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Though the government has not stepped in before, the political interest is driven by concern that consumers will lose access to college football bowl games. The current retrans deal expires Dec. 31.

Time Warner Cable and Fox also are currently in retrans negotiations on a deal that expires Dec. 31 that threaten a similar outcome for sports fans. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) has called on the companies to resolve the dispute. One veteran cable attorney thinks the move to digital justifies FCC intervention.

Read the whole story at Broadcasting & Cable »

sports, television

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