D.C. Memo: Altice USA Accuses Nexstar of Violating FCC's WPIX Order
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Retrans: Altice USA sent a letter to the FCC yesterday accusing Nexstar Media Group of violating an agency order amid their signal blackout that began last Friday (Jan. 10). The letter, signed by Altice VP of Federal Affairs Cristina Chou, said Nexstar, the largest TV station owner in the U.S., was attempting to negotiate carriage for TV station WPIX in New York City even though the FCC "has explicitly ruled it should not ..." Last March, the FCC fined Nexstar $1.2 million for allegedly usurping control of WPIX, a CW affiliate, from owner Mission Broadcasting. Nexstar has appealed within the agency. Altice said that after it attempted to negotiate directly with Mission, "Mission ... advised that Nexstar held the necessary rights to negotiate for WPIX." In communicating with Nexstar, Altice said, "Nexstar has continued to insist that the FCC’s order was not applicable to the negotiations and that WPIX be included in the agreement, refusing [our] requests to remove WPIX from these negotiations, in apparent disregard of the FCC’s clear directive." A Nexstar spokesman did not have an immediate comment Monday evening. Nexstar has said the Altice dispute involves 63 local TV stations in 42 markets. “Nexstar has tried to engage in good faith negotiations with Altice since October, only to have Altice refuse to do so by repeatedly demanding special terms that are wildly out of step with both our longstanding relationship and the cable television marketplace,” Nexstar said in a Jan. 10 email to the media. On Dec. 31, 2024, the FCC adopted rules that will require cable TV and satellite TV operators to report within two business days a TV station blackout that has lasted longer than 24 hours. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV are exempt from the reporting mandates — which have not taken effect — because as so-called virtual Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs), they are not regulated by the FCC.
