Mediacom pays LIN TV increased retransmission consent fees to end dispute

Six weeks after LIN TV pulled its TV stations from Mediacom Communications, the broadcaster resumed delivery of its signal early Saturday morning after the cable MSO agreed to pay increased fees for retransmission consent.

Larsen (Image source: ACC)

"It's safe to say we are paying more," Mediacom group vice president of legal and public affairs Tom Larsen told FierceCable. Larsen didn't disclose specific terms of the agreement, which allows Mediacom to transmit LIN TV stations in Florida, Michigan, Indiana and Virginia to its subscribers.

Larsen said Mediacom has lost some subscribers since the standoff with Mediacom began at the beginning of September, but that the loss of LIN TV stations is just one factor that may have impacted its subscriber count. "Our company and the (cable) industry as a whole has seen a decline in subscribers recently, and I think it has more to do with price of service than anything," Larsen added.

LIN TV said in a statement that the agreement will help it fund local programming. "This fair resolution ensures that we can continue to provide top quality news, sports, entertainment, and other local programming that is most important to you."

American Cable Association president Matt Polka said the six-week dispute between Mediacom and LIN TV is a good example of why the FCC should reform its retransmission consent rules.

"Decisive action by the Federal Communications Commission is needed soon because approximately 900 independent cable operators have to conclude retransmission consent agreements by Dec. 31, 2011, or face TV station blackouts on a massive scale, especially in smaller markets like Topeka, Kan., where one broadcaster just gained control of the retrans rights to the ABC, NBC, and FOX affiliates now carried by 10 ACA members in that market," Polka said in a statement.

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