Retrans resolutions: Time Warner Cable-Sinclair hammer out tentative deal, Dish-Griffin come to terms

Several retransmission disputes were effectively resolved over the weekend, obviating any additional ugly TV blackouts for the very near term.

In the highest profile case, Time Warner Cable's (NYSE: TWC-WI) four million subscribers continued to get local TV signals from Sinclair Broadcast Group after the two sides returned to the table and hammered out a deal--after a second extension moved the already extended deadline from midnight Jan. 14 to midnight Jan. 15. Before the celebrations get too rowdy, it should be noted that this is a deal "in principal" and it's not yet finalized.

As an addendum to this piece, Bright House Networks also reached tentative agreement with Sinclair and "extended negotiations" to Jan. 21 to "work out details." About a million Bright House subs are affected.

A lower profile but still-worth-mentioning agreement was reached between Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) and Griffin Communications that kept Griffin's CBS and CW affiliates on the air in Oklahoma City. Much more worth mentioning is what David Griffin, president-CEO of the company bearing his name, had to say: "Times are changing. It will be very interesting to watch other stations negotiate their contracts in the next few years."

For more:
- Small Cap Networks has this story
- the Tulsa World covers this story

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