This ad campaign from Time Warner Cable is making the battle over Fox’s demands for subscription fees very public. But unless one side flinches, a lot of folks could be starting 2010 off without America’s most-watched network.
Right now, News Corp is asking Time Warner Cable to pay $US1 per month for each subscriber. If not, they’ll pull the plug on Fox content as soon as the current retransmission agreement expires on December 31. There’s too much for both sides to lose for them not to come to some sort of agreement before then, but in the meantime, a plague on both their houses for playing chicken with your House reruns.
The rest of the ad goes on to say:
At midnight New Year’s Eve, FOX has threatened to pull the plug on Time Warner Cable customers—withholding FOX programming unless we give in to their demand for massive price increases.
We think FOX is going too far—especially in today’s economy—and we’re glad you agree. Over 600,000 unique visitors have gone to our website RollOverOrGetTough.com. And the overwhelming response has been to ‘Get Tough.’ With your support, we’re standing up to FOX to hold down the cost of cable TV.
We apologise in advance for any inconvenience and remind you to visit RollOverOrGetTough.com for the latest information on which channels may no longer be available as of January 1, 2010. There you’ll find a helpful guide to alternative sources for FOX programming—so you can continue to watch many of your favourite shows.
And please note that not all programming is at risk in all areas: visit RollOverOrGetTough.com and enter your zip code to see a list of channels at risk in your area. Time Warner Cable is working hard to reach an agreement. WE’ve offered FOX a reasonable price increase that protects our customers’ pocketbooks. But we are not giving in to FOX’s excessive demands.
Don’t let FOX hold your TV hostage.
Visit our website today. Together, we can fight the FOX price increase.
[NY Times]
carol border
Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 2:39 AMtime Warner please continue to take care customers. I do not like fox and would not miss it,because it is never viewed by us. Stay tough
christine cavanaugh
Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 6:43 AMif I don’t get Fox, i SWITCH TO SATELLITE. I HAVE DIIGITAL IN HAWAII SO IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED BUT IF I HAVE TO PAY AN EXTRA DOLLAR, SO BE IT.IT’S WORTH IT. CHRISTINE CAVANAUGH
Employee
Friday, January 1, 2010 at 3:36 AMI used to work at NEWS CORP. The salaries, bonuses and parties are outrageous. Rupert Murdoch is a greedy and power hungry Australian. It is not fair that an Australia can have that much RIGHTS and POWER over our media ( newspapers, TV, cable, magazines). Not only does Rupert controls us ( Americans), now he has American bickering amongst ourselves over FOX programming….smart move Rupert!. What an instigator ! I say REMOVE FOX and let Americans gain back access and control of all forms of media. Let us be responsible for the commication to our own people. Rupert is a billionaire…he can afford to keep Americans battling forever.