We’re Negotiating to Bring You the Best TV Values Possible
Every three years, cable TV providers are required by law to receive permission from local broadcasters (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) to retransmit their signals to customers. Alpine Communications is currently negotiating with these broadcasters for retransmission consent fees — what we and other providers must pay to carry their networks on our system.
As always, Alpine Communications will do our best to negotiate fair fees so we can bring you the most affordable TV service possible. However, we face big challenges:
- Consolidation among the major network media companies means they have negotiating power and programming leverage.
- These media conglomerates may demand double or triple fee increases or more. The vast majority of your monthly cable bill pays for this programming.
- We may be faced with two options — pay the exorbitant fee or lose the network(s) on our channel lineup through a “blackout.”
Alpine Communications may be forced to raise the rates of our TV packages to cover the expected fee increases from the networks. We will update you as this process continues and work diligently on your behalf to keep costs down.
FAQs
Why do I have to pay for channels I never watch?
Cable TV providers, including Alpine Communications, are often required by contract to carry both the most-popular and least-popular cable networks through a tactic known as “tying” channels. They require us to take several of their affiliate channels in order to get the one channel that’s most popular. They either don’t offer the popular channel à la carte, or they make the à la carte fee so high we are basically forced to take the group of channels.
Why does my cable TV bill keep going up?
While we pledge to hold rates as low as possible, annual adjustments are necessary because of the rising cost of TV programming and other factors. We do our best at Alpine Communications to manage our internal costs with great efficiency. We have very little control, however, over the rates charged by the networks.
Why do networks take their channels away from cable TV providers?
This is an unfortunate tactic that media conglomerates use to gain leverage during fee negotiations. What’s more, before and after they remove channels from a lineup, they may ask you to contact Alpine Communications in an attempt to put pressure on us to agree to their excessive fee increases. Should a “blackout” of channels take place, we’ll let you know about viewing alternatives.
Have more questions? Visit TVOnMySide.com or please call us at 563-245-4000.