Verizon Fios Customers To Lose Fox45 And WNUV As Of Jan. 1

[Natty Boh]

[url="http://www.foxbaltimore.com/"]http://www.foxbaltimore.com/[/url]

Verizon Fios' current contract to carry this station expires on December 31, 2011, and based on the current status of negotiations we do not believe they will be carrying this station after that date. We do not think it is appropriate to negotiate matters such as this in public and as a result are not prepared to comment further on the reasons that we do not believe a new contract will be entered into. This issue will impact only Fios subscribers and this station will continue to be available from DirecTV, DISH Network and Comcast Cable and we encourage our loyal viewers to make alternative arrangements to ensure their uninterrupted ability to watch our great programming after the end of the year. Fios subscribers may also want to call Fios at 1-800-483-7988 or email them at [email="potomacexecescals@one.verizon.com"]potomacexecescals@one.verizon.com[/email] in order to let them know that they value this station and will consider canceling their Fios service if this station is not carried. We apologize for any inconvenience resulting from this and will update the information provided to the public on our station's broadcast and on our website if anything changes.



I love my Verizon FIOS service but this is worrying me. I hope they get a deal done because I really don't want to have to switch back to something else. I only really want FOX for the sports they televise but they have some decent shows too.

Anyone else in this boat with me?

[FerrariFan87]

Yes, I'm very worried.... I watch a ton of shows and sports on FOX... I really don't want to lose it!

[1/28/01]

Guess I should be glad I live in the middle of nowhere and FIOS lines cant run out here

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' timestamp='1323899939' post='906881']
Yes, I'm very worried.... I watch a ton of shows and sports on FOX... I really don't want to lose it!
[/quote]
I hear ya. I can't believe these companies can't get a deal done. I mean it's not like this is some rinky-dink network we are talking about here...it's FOX! ...and WNUV.

I don't know all the details but I read somewhere that it is a dispute about FOX content that is available free over the internet but they want to charge the cable companies to carry it. And of course the cable companies, in this case Verizon, doesn't feel it should have to pay for that content and relay the charges onto their customers. Not sure if this is everything but it's what I read.

[Guest Moderator 6]

If worse comes to worse you can get a decent antenna and pick up FOX45 in HD. But I don't think it will come to that. FiOS would lose [b]so[/b] many customers in 2012 in FOX45 viewing area. They'll find a way, even if it's in the 11th hour.

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='Moderator 6' timestamp='1323901156' post='906899']
[b]If worse comes to worse you can get a decent antenna and pick up FOX45 in HD[/b]. But I don't think it will come to that. FiOS would lose [b]so[/b] many customers in 2012 in FOX45 viewing area. They'll find a way, even if it's in the 11th hour.
[/quote]
Yeah that is my last resort plan. Good lookin' out.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Moderator 6' timestamp='1323901156' post='906899']
If worse comes to worse you can get a decent antenna and pick up FOX45 in HD. But I don't think it will come to that. FiOS would lose [b]so[/b] many customers in 2012 in [b]FOX45 viewing area.[/b] They'll find a way, even if it's in the 11th hour.
[/quote]
Oh... so this is doesn't count for those of us who use Fox (50)5?

I love how Fox is saying that this shouldn't be public, but is asking making it exactly that. I wonder if Fios has a address for their supports to contact Fox and tell [i]them[/i] to get a deal done.

[Guest Moderator 6]

[quote name='darklight1216' timestamp='1323901357' post='906903']
Oh... so this is doesn't count for those of us who use Fox (50)5?
[/quote]
I haven't read into it that much; I don't have FiOS. My guess would be it [u]only[/u] affects FOX 45.

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='darklight1216' timestamp='1323901357' post='906903']
Oh... so this is doesn't count for those of us who use Fox (50)5?

I love how Fox is saying that this shouldn't be public, but is asking making it exactly that. I wonder if Fios has a address for their supports to call Fox and tell [i]them[/i] to get a deal done.
[/quote]
For what it's worth...

I found this post of a Virginia FIOS customer on the Verizon forums about this topic.

"Nope, the local stations can charge for retransmission. [b]This whole thing happens to be stations owned by Sinclair, which includes my local FOX station in Richmond, so I will lose it too if no agreement is reached.[/b] The problem in the United States is that local stations have way too much leverage because cable and satellite providers are prohibited from showing stations from another market. It's either your local affiliate or nothing.[left]While I know the landscape is different, cable companies in Canada carry CBC affiliates from across the country. You can watch any regional NHL game on Saturdays on TV, and if you can't manage that, CBC shows it online for free. Quite a difference from MLB on FOX, where you're stuck with the game selected for your city, like it or not.[/left]

I still expect Verizon to reach a deal with Sinclair, even if it's at the last minute."
[left][color=#555555][font=Arial][size=3][url="http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-TV-Programming/Losing-Fox45-in-Baltimore/m-p/377967"]http://forums.verizo...more/m-p/377967[/url][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[theFRANCHISE]

Funny how this deal mirrored a similar dispute between FOX affiliates and Time Warner awhile back -- and those affiliates happened to be owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, as well.

If history is any indication, a deal will be reached eventually, even if the deadline passes. There could also be contingencies in place where national FOX programming would air as usual but syndicated content would be withheld until a deal is reached.

[Natty Boh]

If any Verizon FIOS customers want to contact Verizon about this, you can of course call them to voice your concerns or you can go to http://www.verizon.com and click the "Contact Us" link at the very bottom of the page. It looks like fine print at the bottom toward the left of the page.

You have to then put in your zip code and enter in some acccount information so have your Verizon account # handy if you go that route. You can also do a "Live Chat' with a rep which is all text based and communicate your concerns that way. Not sure which way is the most effective if any but you have options.


When I contacted them through the Live Chat they just gave me the canned response that they are diligently working on a deal and updates would be available on their website if available. But hey, at least they have me on record for voicing my concerns. For what it's worth...

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' timestamp='1323906677' post='906992']
Funny how this deal mirrored a similar dispute between FOX affiliates and Time Warner awhile back -- and those affiliates happened to be owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, as well.

If history is any indication, a deal will be reached eventually, even if the deadline passes. There could also be contingencies in place where national FOX programming would air as usual but syndicated content would be withheld until a deal is reached.
[/quote]
I'm sure you are right. A deal would almost have to be reached between them. It would be a crime for a company like Verizon to not be able to carry the local FOX and WNUV broadcasts. I'm hopeful and fairly confident but still a bit frustrated that it is even an issue.

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='Natty Boh' timestamp='1323906679' post='906993']
When I contacted them through the Live Chat they just gave me the canned response that they are diligently working on a deal and updates would be available on their website if available. But hey, at least they have me on record for voicing my concerns. For what it's worth...
[/quote]
It never hurts to speak up, no matter how inconsequential you think your opinion may be to them. If no one speaks up, nothing gets done. If even a handful of people speak up, they'll at least put it in the back of their heads until even more people complain.

[JO_75]

[quote name='Natty Boh' timestamp='1323901741' post='906909']
For what it's worth...

I found this post of a Virginia FIOS customer on the Verizon forums about this topic.

The problem in the United States is that local stations have way too much leverage because cable and satellite providers are prohibited from showing stations from another market. It's either your local affiliate or nothing.
[left]You can watch any regional NHL game on Saturdays on TV, and if you can't manage that, CBC shows it online for free. Quite a difference from MLB on FOX, where you're stuck with the game selected for your city, like it or not.[/quote][/left]

I don't have Fios so I don't have a fight in this but I can't help but notice about what this person said about local stations having too much leverage and not showing stations from other markets. With user customization being more and more important in our every day world, I'm stunned that TV stations haven't adapted to that yet. I think if FOX, CBS, NBC can come to an agreement where stations can show other channels, within a range that makes sense. Obviously I don't think being in MD, or in my case NC I'm going to want to watch the local news from California , but something within a radius. Like maybe, for people in MD, your radius of Local Stations to watch could extend from down to VA, but as far North as say NY. Being in NC, maybe I can have a choice of watching from VA, even WV all the way to South Carolina. I don't know but that's just an idea.

Regarding the sports, I also think it would be a cool idea for stations to allow you to switch to 2 other games playing on the station elsewhere. It wouldn't be Direct TV's Sunday Ticket but it would be more limited as in you get 3 games to choose from. Obviously the first game is whatever your local channel is showing, but the other two could be 2 random games and you can watch either one of them and flip between them similar to Sunday Ticket but it would only be 3 games and not every game. Same with FOX, you get the primary game and you can turn it to 2 other games if you choose EX:

Primary CBS Station: Ravens vs Colts
CBS-2: Titans vs Colts
CBS- 3: Titans vs Texans

Primary Fox Station: Jets vs Eagles
FOX-2: 49ers vs Cardinals
FOX-3: Falcons vs Saints

[theFRANCHISE]

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1323908254' post='907008']
I don't have Fios so I don't have a fight in this but I can't help but notice about what this person said about local stations having too much leverage and not showing stations from other markets. With user customization being more and more important in our every day world, I'm stunned that TV stations haven't adapted to that yet.
[/quote]
What you're suggesting would eventually lead to a-la-carte services -- which cable companies are heavily opposed to, given the fees associated with licensing, as well as the profit they have to gain from forcing predetermined tiers of service unto subscribers.

With the increasing popularity of on-demand services, however, I wouldn't be surprised to see a-la-carte cable subscriptions in the future -- I would just be surprised to see them anytime soon.

[FerrariFan87]

I just wrote an e-mail to Verizon... hopefully they're flooded with them, and they'll have no choice but to agree to a deal.

[darklight1216]

[quote name='Natty Boh' timestamp='1323901741' post='906909']
For what it's worth...

I found this post of a Virginia FIOS customer on the Verizon forums about this topic.

"Nope, the local stations can charge for retransmission. [b]This whole thing happens to be stations owned by Sinclair, which includes my local FOX station in Richmond, so I will lose it too if no agreement is reached.[/b] The problem in the United States is that local stations have way too much leverage because cable and satellite providers are prohibited from showing stations from another market. It's either your local affiliate or nothing.[left]While I know the landscape is different, cable companies in Canada carry CBC affiliates from across the country. You can watch any regional NHL game on Saturdays on TV, and if you can't manage that, CBC shows it online for free. Quite a difference from MLB on FOX, where you're stuck with the game selected for your city, like it or not.[/left]


I still expect Verizon to reach a deal with Sinclair, even if it's at the last minute."
[left][color=#555555][font=Arial][size=3][url="http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-TV-Programming/Losing-Fox45-in-Baltimore/m-p/377967"]http://forums.verizo...more/m-p/377967[/url][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[/quote]
That is interesting. I just tried to find out which stations are owned by Sinclair and Wikipedia agrees that the Richmond Fox channel is owned by them, but that was the only one that I saw listed in Virginia (and it's not the same one that I have), but, like I said it's just Wiki. I'll need to do some more research I suppose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_Broadcast_Group

[Moderator 2]

They did this with Direct TV a few years ago, we switched to FIOS and hated it so we are back where we started with Comcast lol

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='FerrariFan87' timestamp='1323921001' post='907139']
I just wrote an e-mail to Verizon... hopefully they're flooded with them, and they'll have no choice but to agree to a deal.
[/quote]
Good deal. I just hope everyone that is in this situation is doing something as well.

[Natty Boh]

Well the good news is that Verizon and Sinclair Broadcasting are working on finalizing a deal as I'm sure you are all aware since nobody lost FOX or WNUV after Dec. 31st. The bad news is that the customers are the ones that still lose on this eventually I imagine. I'm sure there will be a rate hike somewhere in the mix.

[url="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-12-22/entertainment/bal-sinclair-verizon-reach-deal-wbff-wnuv-20111222_1_fios-baltimore-s-wbff-verizon"]http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-12-22/entertainment/bal-sinclair-verizon-reach-deal-wbff-wnuv-20111222_1_fios-baltimore-s-wbff-verizon[/url]

[PSU RAVEN]

This isn't just with FIOS, I live in southern york county and FOX 45 has been dropped b/c the "local" FOX channel is insisting on enforcing their coverage rights.
Unfortunately what this means is that the two Ravens home games vs NFC teams that are broadcast on Fox will not be shown on my cable even though I live 2 miles from the MD border. The Lancaster/York Fox carries iggles.

Looks like I will buying an antenna