Statement from Tribune Company (“Tribune”) regarding Cablevision’s decision to deprive its subscribers of access to programming on certain of Tribune’s television stations including WPIX-TV (New York), WPHL-TV (Philadelphia), WCCT-TV (Hartford) and KWGN-TV (Denver) by removing those stations from its cable systems:

“Tonight, while in the middle of negotiations with Tribune and without warning, Cablevision unilaterally removed four Tribune stations in four markets from its cable systems. Cablevison took this action despite our offer of an unconditional extension of the current carriage agreement with no change in terms while negotiations continued.  To be clear, Tribune was willing to provide Cablevision subscribers access to the valuable programming on these stations while working toward a new agreement.  Tribune never made any threat to withdraw these stations or any demand that Cablevision remove them.

“Tribune makes a substantial annual investment in local news, live sports and high-quality entertainment programming.  Cablevision has never compensated Tribune for the retransmission of its local stations, which are among the most highly watched channels on Cablevision’s line-ups.  What we have proposed amounts to less than a penny a day per subscriber, well below what Cablevision pays to providers of less well-watched channels.

“Tonight’s action by Cablevision is unfortunate and is designed to mislead their subscribers who rely on Tribune’s local stations.”

More information can be found at:  KeepPIX11.com, KeepPHL.com, KeepCT.com, KeepKWGN.com, and KeepAntennaTV.com.