Blackouts Ring in the New Year

Viewers of three multichannel video programming distributors in more than 15 markets experienced blackouts in the first week of January, said a group of MVPDs and others seeking changes to retransmission consent rules. Broadcasters blacked out subscribers of DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS to extract higher retrans fees, said the American Television Alliance in a news release Monday. ATVA said Cordillera Communications blocked DirecTV viewers in at least 10 markets. Capitol Broadcasting prevented Dish viewers from seeing two stations in the Raleigh area, said the alliance. It said Coastal Television Broadcasting in Alaska blocked the direct broadcast satellite company's subscribers in Anchorage, and Vision Alaska II is blocking viewers in Fairbanks and Juneau. Bristlecone Broadcasting also blocked Verizon FiOS customers from viewing WSYT (Fox) Syracuse, New York, said ATVA. NAB didn't have any immediate comment Monday.