Today, Univision’s stations went dark on Charter Spectrum cable systems, preventing subscribers in affected markets from accessing Univision’s Spanish-language content. The blackout is the result of a carriage dispute between the two companies and impacts millions of subscribers.
The following can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Counsel at Public Knowledge:
“The blackout of Univision on Charter Spectrum cable — which includes millions of former Time Warner Cable customers — is an unfortunate development that shows how disparities in bargaining power between programmers and distributors can leave customers in the lurch.
“As we argued in recent comments to the FCC, these imbalances can distort competition and harm consumers. We hope that Charter and Univision resolve their dispute in a way that ensures the continued vibrancy of independent programming, particularly programming that serves diverse audiences, while keeping costs low for consumers.”
You may read our recent FCC comments on independent programming here.
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.