A content fee dispute between Viacom and buying...
A content fee dispute between Viacom and buying group National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) could lead to a blackout of Viacom/MTV Networks channels starting March 31 that would affect 5.2 million subscribers on nearly 800 small and independent cable providers,…
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NCTC said in a news release Tuesday. Viacom initially asked for “a rate hike of more than 40 times the rate of inflation,” and has “refused to grant an extension to the cable operators in the existing contract” if an agreement is reached by March 31, NCTC said. “Customers may lose access to all of Viacom’s channels, including Nickelodeon, BET, Comedy Central and VH-1 the day the current agreement expires,” said NCTC President Rich Fickle. The buying group has members throughout the U.S., and a Viacom blackout would be the first for NCTC, said the co-op. Viacom didn’t comment.