Comcast Complaint a 'Pretext,' Nexstar Says

Comcast's good-faith negotiation complaint about a blackout of WPIX New York (see 2212130029) accuses Nexstar of violating standards "that Comcast itself flouted," the broadcaster said Wednesday in its docket 22-443 answer. Comcast's complaint raises novel good-faith objections that never came up in the companies' negotiations, said Nexstar, saying Comcast not withdrawing the complaint now that the two have reached an agreement "underscores that its filing was merely a pretext for trying to force a proceeding based on arguments that Comcast has already presented to the FCC." It said the complaint doesn't offer a cognizable claim for good-faith violation and urged that it be dismissed. Comcast outside counsel didn't comment.