Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Loyal reader Catnap tells us that Mediacom isn’t the only company that Sinclair is battling with these days. Catnap lives in Marion, Ohio. Check out what he has to say. Thanks for the insight, Catnap!
Sinclair owns both the Fox station in Columbus and is in a similar battle with Time-Warner. Fox will carry the national championship game remember – very big deal here. They worked out a last minute contract extension and are still negotiating. I don’t think they really have to carry the local station, they just have to give the local station a chance. Mediacom can probably come up with another ABC station that will provide all the same programming but the local news. Do you really need to know that there is a thunderstorm outside when you can look out the window?
The Sinclair station here, knowing that the cable company would come up with another Fox station for viewers was running ads telling people to drop their cable and switch to dish network. They must only have a couple of voice talents because I recognized the fake broadcasting scary voice. He is the same guy that does the news promos about bras that kill and we will tell you how you can keep you kids from being kille on the 11 oclock news.
Because we live 40 miles from the city the local news covers we never watch it. It is a blessing Malcom in the Middle is on and the Simpsons while they are blathering on about auto accidents.
Seriously, they are in the STATE CAPITOL (AL?) and they always lead with auto accidents and house fires.
Saw Mary Jedlicka do an extensive report they other day on carbon monoxide poisoning (she doesn’t work for sinclair) turns out its bad and you should not bring the hibachi in the house for a heat source.
Who do you root for when the cable company is battling Sinclair it’s like the Iran Iraq war. Who ever wins is going to be trouble down the road – or both of them.
The Mediacom/Sinclair debacle, which is a "tranmission consent" issue has caused quite a problem. Mediacom can provide another ABC station by using the "must carry" rights under FCC law. Only problem is that Mediacom customers in Hendersonville, Franklin and Sylva cannot receive a signal good enough from a surrounding market to sign a "must carry" agreement with a neighboring market.
Meanwhile in McDowell County, Mediacom, if they wanted to, could sign a "must carry" agreement with WSOC TV in Charlotte because McDowell County is considered a shared market area (Asheville-GSP and Charlotte Markets).
Ha! I knew that comment would get you going…
Um, Edgy, thousands upon millions of people care about what’s on television. it brings the world into your living room. sports, science, entertainment, all right there with a little click of a button. you really should check into it sometime. there’s a whole ‘nother world out there…
Okay, I know I’m a Luddite, but who cares?
It’d be nice if Mediacom could find another ABC station, but I won’t hold my breath. According to yesterday’s paper (Hooterville), WLOS is the exclusive provider for ABC in Western North Carolina.