Business
KTKA returns to satellite network
ABC affiliate is back on Dish Network after negotiations, but KMBC still off Sunflower
January 9, 2009
Advertisement
KTKA, the ABC affiliate serving the Topeka television market, is back on Dish Network after the two operators settled an impasse that had disconnected the station’s programming from subscribers since midnight Jan. 1.
Now that the station’s owner, Free State Communications LLC, has that issue settled, the company’s parent is continuing efforts to restore access to two Kansas City, Mo.-based stations for its own cable-television subscribers through Sunflower Broadband.
Sunflower, which is owned by The World Company — owner of both KTKA and the Journal-World — lacks a valid retransmission agreement to carry over-the-air signals of two stations owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc.: KMBC, an ABC affiliate previously shown on Sunflower’s channel 9; and KCWE, a CW affiliate that had been on channel 17.
A previous agreement expired at midnight Jan. 1, leaving Sunflower unable to carry the stations’ signals.
At issue is money. Neither side will disclose its offer, only to assert that the offers are commensurate with retransmission pacts that each side already has worked out with other companies.
Wayne Godsey, general manager for KMBC and KCWE, said Hearst-Argyle would create “quite a bit of bad feeling and controversy” by making an agreement that would be “substantially out of line” with others.
“The proposal we made to Sunflower is absolutely in line with what we have asked for — and received, by the way — from other cable systems, large and small, and from DirecTV and the Dish Network,” Godsey said.
He continued: “We don’t think that we have asked anything of Sunflower that is not appropriate and is not justified by the overall marketplace. It’s frustrating and, frankly, a little bit surprising that we’re having so much difficulty reaching an agreement … (but) it is not going to get fixed by us just caving in to Sunflower’s demands.”
Patrick Knorr, chief operating officer for The World Company, said that Hearst-Argyle was seeking fees that would be “significantly higher than any other deals we’ve made.”
His company would sign an agreement immediately if Hearst-Argyle were willing to substantiate its claim that its offer was in line with those for satellite and large cable operators, Knorr said.
“We recognize the value of the programming they offer,” Knorr said. “We urgently and absolutely want to get that back in front of our viewers, but this is about the cost to our consumers, and this is about the cost to our communities that we serve.
“Ultimately, whether or not we pass this cost on to consumers, this cost is coming out of our community. We’re a locally based company. They are demanding to extract money from us, from our customers, and at an exceptionally higher amount than (in) any other deal we have. And we think it’s wrong.”
More like this
- Sunflower Broadband drops two KC channels after stalled negotiations 149 comments / December 31, 2008
- KMBC, KCWE return to Sunflower Broadband lineup 10 comments / January 30, 2009
- KTKA signal suffers temporary outage April 25, 2006
- SUNFLOWER CUTS KSHB AS HOLDOUT CONTINUES October 6, 1993
- 2 BROADCAST AFFILIATES, CABLE STATION REMAIN AT IMPASSE August 31, 1993
Top ads RSS
- KU Center for Educational Research
- Part-time CNA needed immediately to help our elderly clients in ...
- Now Hiring Experienced Sales People $9/hour + commission + bonus ...
- HIV Education/ Outreach Coordinator: Dynamic, self-directed person needed to conduct ...
- 17 Full Time Positions • Inbound only • 9 to ...
- Blog: How Has Obama's Stimulus Helped You? November 21, 2009 · 25 comments
- Quiet revolution taking place in America November 25, 2009 · 51 comments
- On the street: Is Thanksgiving your favorite holiday? November 25, 2009 · 22 comments
- Dropping home values may not accurately reflect market November 25, 2009 · 15 comments
- More cuts to Kansas state budget may be on the way, even after recent $259 million reductions November 24, 2009 · 7 comments
- Lawrence men charged in recent auto burglaries October 8, 2008 · 18 comments
- Stay or leave? It's business as usual for Mangino in wake of probe November 25, 2009 · 15 comments
- Lambert performance causes stir November 25, 2009 · 13 comments
- AD should go November 24, 2009 · 56 comments
- Former OU basketball coach Billy Tubbs to speak at Lawrence Chamber of Commerce meeting November 24, 2009 · 15 comments
- Lawrence likely to land distribution center November 24, 2009
- Dropping home values may not accurately reflect market November 25, 2009
- Budget cuts lead to plans to close 18 National Guard armories November 25, 2009
- Haskell freshman dies in Montana jail November 24, 2009
- Former OU basketball coach Billy Tubbs to speak at Lawrence Chamber of Commerce meeting November 24, 2009
- Message warns students at Perry-Lecompton not to attend class today April 20, 2007
- KU students develop marketing plans for Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area November 24, 2009
- Stay or leave? It's business as usual for Mangino in wake of probe November 25, 2009
- Turbine manufacturer passes on Lawrence site November 24, 2009
- Cornish hens: a special little meal November 25, 2009
9 January 2009
at 10:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
aha (Anonymous) says…
Sunflower and KMBC need to hurry up and reach an agreement. KTKA really, really sucks, and I hate having to watch it.
9 January 2009
at 10:43 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
tir (Anonymous) says…
Patrick Knorr's message on Sunflower Cable Channel 17 indicated that KMBC and KCWE were demanding Sunflower customers pay $100,000 for receiving these stations' signals over cable, but neglected to say if the amount mentioned was a yearly, monthly, weekly, or daily rate. I would like to know what they are really asking for. I don't think KTKA is all that bad. I have been used to getting the KC news, but I can always watch KCTV 5 for that. What I miss is the KCWE programming. Sure, I can watch it on the computer, but the desk chair is not as comfortable as my couch, so it's not as convenient for me. But if you have no computer, or if there are multiple family members who want to watch something on one little computer screen, that is a REAL problem. Sunflower customers have a right to be ticked off at both Sunflower and the KC stations for jerking us around.I think Sunflower really should worry about customers deserting them for other alternatives if this goes on much longer, and the folks at Hearst-Argyle might want to consider how their advertisers feel about losing a sizable audience in Lawrence. Both have something to lose. They need to work this out. Fast.
9 January 2009
at 10:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
frwent (Anonymous) says…
And of course, neither of the combatants will reveal the truth, the dollars involved. Rather, like a couple of spoiled rotten childern, they continue to blather, squabble and posture about this issue. I do not know why KMBC is doing this, but I can guess that Sunflower Cablevision (or”Broadband” or whatever they are calling themselves this week) has some serious financial issues of their own due to their customers bailing out for satellite TV because if their already ridiculously high fees, and the transient nature of many of their customers in a one horse college town. But when you are the only “horse” in town, I guess it matters not to how the captive audiance customers are treated, just keep squabbling and bitching and moaning.
9 January 2009
at 10:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
frwent (Anonymous) says…
And I think it is funny as hell that right above this page there is an advertisement for “Dish Network Satellite TV!!
9 January 2009
at 11 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
GetItRight (Anonymous) says…
So, this doesn't have anything to do with better marketing for KTKA sales people? Those sales people work for the same company as Sunflower and can now offer exclusive access to Lawrence viewers on ABC. Seems like there may be more to this story….
9 January 2009
at 11:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
geniusmannumber1 (Anonymous) says…
Seriously, what's the difference between the stations? The local news, maybe? And if you're the kind of person who takes the time to watch local news on TV … perhaps your time could be better spent? Like in learning to dress yourself, or to tie your own shoes?
9 January 2009
at 11:52 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
Here's a story that ran in the KC Star about this. It's a obviously a different perspective. There is a poll that Sunflower Cablevision viewers can take about their views on the disruption of coverage from KMBZ. http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/20… another note, KMBZ is once again being charged with age and gender discrimination toward female anchors (they were infamous for the Christine Craft case many years ago). Currently three anchors and reporters have charged that they have been replaced by younger female anchors whereas male anchors don't have the same experience. Here's a link to a story about that also.http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/11/christine-craft.htmlAll in all, not being able to receive KMBZ's signal does deprive me of an opportunity to boycott their station. :~)
9 January 2009
at 12:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
OldEnuf2BYurDad (Anonymous) says…
Logan: That's not news, and definitely not unique to KMBZ. The women who man (no pun intended) the anchor desks at these stations know that they are one set of crow's feet away from being replaced. That's the hard, sad and unfair truth of what consumers like you and I expect from our newcasts. Years ago there was a middle-market “weather-girl” who wore low-cut spandex tops when she did the weather. It was so tight that you didn't need the sound on: you could tell if it was cold by looking at her chest. It's what “we” want, so don't blame KMBZ for having the common business sense to cater to our sexist values.
9 January 2009
at 12:06 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
Probably not old enough to be my dad, I understand what you are saying, but it truly is not what I want. I want men and women to be treated fairly and to have competent reporters and anchors reporting the news.
9 January 2009
at 12:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
justaverage (Anonymous) says…
I think the fact that ktka (abc-Topeka) is owned by the World Company which also owns Sunflower Broadband could be an issue with kmbc (abc-Kansas City). All I really care about is the network programming anyway.
9 January 2009
at 3:07 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Raider (Anonymous) says…
I have DirectTV, so I don't have to worry about this. I get KC news channels. If more people boycotted Sunflower's monopoly over this town then maybe they'd change their business practices.
9 January 2009
at 3:25 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
skinny (Anonymous) says…
Why is it Sunflower Cable can put KTKA up in HD but not WIBW in HD?
9 January 2009
at 3:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
rdragon (M. Lindeman) says…
So can we assume that when sunflower does reach an agreement with them. Which we all know, the extra cost is going to get passed down to us. Then at the same time will they credit us all for the time we have gone with out those channels and still had the same bill?
9 January 2009
at 4:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
BeeBee3 (Anonymous) says…
I miss Jimmy Kimmel..
9 January 2009
at 9:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
kubacker (Anonymous) says…
For the outrageous rates Sunflower already charges they better eat $100K/yr if they want to keep my business. I'm a one-cent rate increase away from going over to DirecTV.