Cox Media Group’s CBS station KIRO-TV has gone dark for Frontier Communication’s Fios customers after the provider and the broadcaster were unable to reach terms on a new deal.
According to Frontier, Cox was asking for fee increases of more than 80% over the next three-year contract period. Frontier turned down the deal and now its subscribers in the Seattle area will no longer get CBS, Get TV and Laff TV programming.
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“Cox’s bullying and heavy-handed blackout tactics hurt consumers,” said Steve Ward, senior vice president of video technology and content at Frontier, in a statement. “Their demands for an outrageous price increase would have to be passed on to customers in the form of higher monthly service rates. It’s time for Cox to agree to a fair and reasonable solution.”
Cox Media operates 14 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, more than 60 radio stations, six daily newspapers and more than 12 nondaily publications.