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Fargo TV stations are wrong
Published Friday, December 7, 2007
Fargo television stations KVLY and KXJB decided to put up their dukes and take on the big cable companies this week.
But it's the residents of Fergus Falls that are taking a left hook.
The TV stations want money from Charter Communications in order to broadcast their signals on Charter's line-up. If they don’t get it, they’re threatening to pull programming from the air.
We think that's wrong.
KVLY, KXJB, and the Dallas, Texas-based media conglomerate Houk Media Corporation - which owns the stations - has never paid a penny to broadcast
its signal over the airwaves that are owned by the American people and regulated by the Federal Communications Commission for the United States
Government.
Why then, would the stations believe that Charter should pay money to bring the very same signal into thousands of homes in the Fergus Falls area?
We're not taking the side of big business - just the side that respects the rights of the Fergus Falls community.
Charter Communications is actually doing the stations a favor by broadcasting for free the Fargo NDC and CBS affiliates. The stations are receiving advertising revenue from businesses who are able to reach a
broader marker, thus broadening the value of their clients' advertising dollars.
When Fergus Falls residents visit Fargo they also visit stores, restaurants and many other businesses. How do they know about these businesses? Often because they saw them on TV.
Removal of KVLY and KXJB from the local ai waves not only hurts the Fergus Falls community, but the stations’ home turf of Fargo, as well.
We hope Houk and Charter officials can sit at a table this week and resolve this silly dispute before the likes of Jay Leno, The Office, ER, Law and Order, and dozens of other programs are strangers in our homes.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by woundedduck (anonymous) on December 7, 2007 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If we as community members want an ally, we better start contacting the businesses who advertise on those stations. Start local. Minnesota Motors advertises on those networks. Then call a Fargo business like Hornbacher's. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to call KVLY and ask why they've chosen to alienate thousands of consumers during the Holiday Season. Poke the bee hive baby.
Viva la Revolucion!
Posted by Mel (anonymous) on December 7, 2007 at 5:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Find out what they pay for each of the other channels, most of which you may never watch. (and yes, they run ads also) The clear signal on cable should be worth a couple pennys??? no
Posted by The_Riveter (anonymous) on December 11, 2007 at 1:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Poke the behive? Will you get the response you are looking for, or just several an annoying itch?
How about you just cancel your Charter Communications package and find a different provider? That will send a message as well!
Posted by really (anonymous) on December 12, 2007 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just be thankful that you don't have Comcast. They have been raising rates and dropping channels left and right. I don't agree with Charter's actions! But, just be thankful you aren't dealing with Comcast! They by far are the worst cable company out there!
Posted by Stonewall (anonymous) on December 12, 2007 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All TV will be pay TV in the very near future, that is plain and simple a result of competition for the same advertising dollars and the same viewers in a free enterprise society.
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