Community Corner
Baseball Fans Sound Off On Cablevision/FOX 5 Situation
With the World Series starting tonight, Cablevision subscribers are left in the dugout
As the on-going tiff between News Corp. and Cablevision continues with no apparent end in sight, the real victims of the battle are their unfortunate customers who are caught in the crossfire.
In what Cablevision called "an act of corporate greed," News Corp. pulled FOX 5 off of Cablevision's lineup after a disagreement over fee increases, depriving many subscribers access to FOX's sports coverage and hit television shows.
According to Cablevision, News Corp. is insisting on an $80 million fee increase for Cablevision to be able to air FOX 5 and MY 9, bringing the total fee for the two channels up to over $150 million.
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A potential powder keg is the upcoming World Series, which FOX also has the rights to.
It's looking like Cablevision-subscribing Major League Baseball fans may be forced to trek down to their local sports bars to watch the San Francisco Giants host the Texas Rangers this Wednesday, much like NFL fans have been having to do for their gridiron fix every Sunday since October 16th, when FOX was first blacked out.
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Cablevision customer Francis Hughes was playing softball in Burns Park with his sons. Hughes is angry that, despite the premium price he splashes out for his cable channel package, he'll be unable to watch the opening pitch from the comfort of his own home.
"I'm disgusted by this situation," he said. "I'm paying a lot of money and not getting what I paid for...and it's not like I'm much of a bar person, either, but I'm going to have to deal with it if I want to watch the game...either that, or make friends with someone with Verizon."
"I feel that Cablevision isn't to blame here, it's News Corp," he added. "I just wish they could have found a way to keep FOX on the air while they ironed out their differences."
Harlan Smith, who's rooting for Texas, is unhappy that he can't host his usual World Series party. Instead he'll be watching the game at Johnny McGorey's.
"It's the first time the Rangers have ever made it this far...I always root for the underdog," he said. "I've held a party every year to watch the first game, and thanks to this [situation] with Cablevision, I have to break with my little tradition and traipse out to a bar instead. Not fair...not fair."
