The fees for rebroadcasting rights on cable reflect the fact that televised sports and shows cost money, and represent programming that cable customers want to watch, said Dennis Wharton, a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters.
A 1992 federal law gives broadcasters the right to negotiate with cable operators for such compensation, Wharton said.
These disputes between cable operators and TV broadcasters aren’t new. WDTN-TV Channel 2, Dayton’s NBC network affiliate, was removed from Time Warner Cable’s Dayton market service for most of October 2008 because of a contract issue between Time Warner and WDTN’s owner, LIN TV Corp. WDTN was restored to the Dayton market cable offerings at the end of October when the companies resolved the dispute.
Consumers can visit www.rolloverorgettough.com to voice their concerns about the issue.