Cable One subscribers in North Dakota currently don’t have access to several local ABC affiliates amid a retransmission dispute with station operator Forum Communications.
Forum has put statements on the websites of ABC affiliates WDAY-TV in Fargo and WDAZ-TV in Grand Forks, informing viewers that its contract with Phoenix, Arizona-based Cable One expired on September 8.
“WDAY is still in negotiations with Cable ONE to resume bringing programming to you throughout this interruption,” the broadcaster’s statement read. “… Without a fair agreement we will not be able to provide the premier news, sports, entertainment, weather, traffic updates, political coverage and other local and national programming that is most important to you.”
Forum’s statement includes the usual phone numbers and call to action for viewers to call Cable One and complain.
Cable One responded with this statement: “Cable One has been in negotiations to renew our contract with Forum Communications for the past several months, and we have tried to reach a fair deal.”
“However, Forum is asking for a rate increase of more than 100% and they have refused our counter proposal to pay a rate that is consistent with what these networks are receiving in other markets,” the operator added. “Since we have been unable to reach a fair deal with Forum, they have forced Cable ONE to remove their channels from our channel line-up. Cable ONE will continue to negotiate in good faith with Forum Communications in hopes of restoring their channels to our line-up.”