PITTSBURGH, January 1, 2018 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement in response to end-of-year retransmission consent negotiations:
“With most members of the American Cable Association having wrapped up their retransmission consent negotiations with corporate broadcasters, the outcome is clear: Consumers will be paying the price for the broadcasters’ greed.
“Our members are small and mid-sized cable companies whose primary goal in these negotiations is to keep prices down and programs on the air for their customers. But this latest round of negotiations demonstrates once again that large corporate media conglomerates (particularly Hearst, Meredith, TEGNA, and Sinclair) – who are remotely headquartered and have little concern for the local communities our members serve – can and will force small cable operators to accept high double- and triple-digit percent increases to continue carrying their signals.
“With ACA members unable to fully absorb these cost increases and stay in business, the real victims of the broadcasters’ greed are consumers who will see cable subscription rates rise in 2018. Don’t blame cable; blame the broadcasters.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/