Cablevision Comments on FCC Action to Address 'Good Faith' Negotiations in Retransmission Consent and Reduce Threat of Programming Blackouts

Cablevision Systems Corp., CVC today issued the following statement regarding the important decision by the Federal Communications Commission to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on retransmission consent: "The FCC's Notice Of Proposed Rulemaking is an important first step for consumers, because it recognizes that consumers are the ones who are harmed when programming is pulled – or threatened to be pulled – from cable systems," said Tom Rutledge, Cablevision's Chief Operating Officer. "The FCC has signaled its plans to examine certain broadcaster practices in retransmission consent negotiations – including the impacts of Most Favored Nation agreements and exactly what it means for a broadcaster to negotiate in 'good faith.'"