Asheville News

WLOS, fade to black

Jason Sandford January 6, 2007

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

It’s official, folks. The midnight Friday deadline has passed and there was no agreement between cable company Mediacom and station owner Sinclair.

That means that some 28,000 cable subscribers just get nothing. when they tune in to see WLOS on the Mediacom cable system that serves Macon, Jackson, McDowell and Henderson counties. No Lost. No ABC sports. No WLOSer news. No nothing.

Loyal reader Ron suggests that customers should start demanding a service rebate of a third of their monthly bill because WLOS is the only station in the market that Mediacom provided. Advertisers should demand a cut in ad rates, too, Ron says.

Here’s another thing that Mediacom customers will miss now that WLOS is off the air – dozens of ACC basketball games this season. We’re going to have to start blogging more for all you Tar Heel fans, because you’re gonna be shit-outta-luck if you want to try and watch a game on TV.

We just want to thank Mediacom and Sinclair for driving another 28,000 viewers to Ashvegas. Here, will you keep you in the loop on all the news and culture you need. We’ll give you the WLOSer run-down, and more. Who needs to watch their so-called news? Just come Ashvegas every day and we’ll tell you what you need to know.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

George Clooney watch

Sinclair vs. cable company, Ohio style

2 Comments

mish January 6, 2007

I hope Mediacom doesn’t think that giving a "free preview" of the Starz Kids & Family channel counts as providing actual "service." Your service (no quotes necessary) is far, far better!

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Catnap January 6, 2007

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.

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