SBG Reaches An Agreement With Buckeye Cable
07.15.2014
News Release
Contact: Barry Faber, EVP & General Counsel
(410) 568-1500
SINCLAIR REACHES AN AGREEMENT WITH BUCKEYE CABLE
TOLEDO, OH (July 15, 2014) — Sinclair Broadcast Group, the owner of WNWO-TV (NBC in Toledo, Ohio) announced today that it has reached a two-year retransmission consent agreement with Buckeye Cable (“Buckeye”). The previous agreement with Buckeye expired in 2013 and beginning December 16, 2013, Buckeye ceased carriage of WNWO-TV on its cable systems due to the failure of the parties to reach agreement on a new retransmission consent agreement. The new agreement provides for the renewal of carriage of WNWO-TV to Buckeye subscribers in the Toledo, OH market. In addition to customary terms and conditions, the agreement provides for Buckeye to pay a signing bonus to WNWO-TV, which is in an amount that more than covers the legal fees incurred as a result of a complaint filed by Buckeye at the Federal Communications Commission alleging that Sinclair had failed to negotiate in good faith. Such complaint will be withdrawn in connection with the new agreement.
Barry Faber, EVP and General Counsel of Sinclair, commented, “We are very happy to have reached an agreement with Buckeye through good faith negotiations between both parties and without government intervention to obtain fair compensation for the WNWO-TV programming. We again apologize to Buckeye subscribers for any inconvenience this situation has caused, however, now that an agreement has been reached, Buckeye’s subscribers can once again enjoy the live, local news and popular syndicated and network programming airing on WNWO-TV. We wish to thank our viewers for their patience and outreach to Buckeye over the past several months.”
About Sinclair: Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is the largest and one of the most diversified television broadcasting companies with affiliations with all the major networks. Sinclair’s television group will reach approximately 38.9% of U.S. television households, including pending transactions. Sinclair owns equity interests in broadcast transmission-related companies and various non-broadcast related companies. The Company regularly uses its website as a key source of Company information which can be accessed at www.sbgi.net.
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