Cox - Hearst Argyle agreement in works?

[SoonerDave]

Hmmm

I was told by someone with at least some insight into the workings at Cox Communications that Hearst Argyle and Cox were "extremely close" to a settlement in their long-standing stalemate that has kept KOCO-HD off of Cox OKC cable offerings.

Anyone have any other info on this? I was left with the impression that we might get an announcement of a retransmission agreement almost any time....

Love to think that's true, but color me skeptical...

-SoonerDave

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I'm holding my breath.

[traxx]

I just wish I could get Channel 5 on over-the-air HD since I'm out of the Cox service area and I don't wanna pony up the extra money for Dish HD. I recieve all the other HD stations with no problem over-the-air. It seems as if Channel 5 does want anyone receiving their station in HD.

[SoonerDave]

UPDATE!!

Rumors are flying on several other Internet sources that Heasrt-Arygle and Cox are very close to completing the details of a retransmission agreement. The current story is that, as a demonstration of good faith, HA has granted (or will grant) permission for Cox to air ABC HD college football games this coming weekend, as well as the OU-Texas game October 6th.

Obviously, since this info is only second hand from another Internet source, you have to view it cautiously, but it IS consistent with the info I put in the original post. Supposedly the details are all-but worked out.

Here's hoping!

-SoonerDave

[betts]

Here ya go. Hot off the DOK press:

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Hearst-Argyle (KOCO’s parent company) announced on Friday that an agreement in principle has been reached with Cox Cable to provide KOCO’s HD signal to Cox subscribers. While final contract details are being worked out, as a sign of good faith KOCO and Cox Cable will broadcast the Michigan/Notre Dame game at 2:30 p.m. and the Nebraska/USC game at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and the NASCAR event 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday in High Definition on Cox Cable Channel 705.

At this time no other High Definition programming from KOCO has been cleared to air on Cox Cable. “We are very pleased to offer the games in High Definition this weekend. We have made substantial progress in the negotiations with Cox and anticipate delivery of our full HD line-up to Cox Cable by the end of September.” said Brent Hensley, President & General Manager of KOCO-TV. Cox and KOCO know how important college football is to our viewers and are very pleased that we can bring viewers Saturday’s games in High Definition. We are confident that we will have the full line-up of KOCO HD programming on Cox channel 705 very soon.” said Dave Bialis, VP/GM Cox Communications.

Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. owns 26 television stations, and manages an additional three television and two radio stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The Company’s television stations reach approximately 18% of the U.S. TV households, making it one of the largest U.S. television station groups. Hearst-Argyle owns 12 ABC affiliated stations, and manages an additional ABC station owned by Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group. The Company owns 10 NBC affiliates, and is the second-largest NBC affiliate owner, and also owns two CBS affiliates. The Company’s Web address is Hearst Argyle Television, Inc..

[PUGalicious]

Victory at last! I guess harassment CAN work.

[NikonNurse]

I was just b**ching about this today!!

[MrZ]

Last week I was watching the OU-Miami game and every minute or so they would remind us the show was available in HD. Yeah, EXCEPT FOR IN THE HOMETOWN OF THE WINNING TEAM!

Glad this mess might soon be fixed.

[Easy180]

Awesome....Get back to watching OU beat Texas in HD again

[Jack Wonder]

^ You can watch OU/Texas in HD if you have a cheap HD antennae??

[SoonerDave]

Not necessarily, Jack.

KOCO's digital signal is *severely* limited to the southwest, thus creating a fairly large region ranging roughly from Will Rogers World Airport south to the western edge of Norman that cannot receive KOCO's signal for love nor money.

There are some fairly complex antenna setups that some have created to amplify the weak signal that is present, but it is not the simple setup like that of a regular antenna.

That's one of the reasons this situation has been so infuriating for many of us in that part of town (myself included).

-soonerdave

[Jack Wonder]

That's right. I knew that, and said what I said anyway.

I get a clear signal in Yukon, but they warned me about the range. I even saw a colored chart of OKC, based on the signal strength of the networks.

*embarrassed*

[windowphobe]

That's what they get for parking themselves on channel 7; they still have to protect the analog signal from KSWO-TV in Lawton. (KSWO-DT is on channel 11; once analog dies in 2009, perhaps things will improve for KOCO-DT.)

[OU Adonis]

ABC in HD should be up now.

[oneforone]

Posted from koco.com

Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., KOCO-TV/DT’s parent company and Cox Communications Inc., are pleased to announce a new agreement bringing KOCO-TV/DT’s High Definition digital signal to Oklahoma City viewers on Cox Cable channel 705.

“We’re very pleased our HD signal will now be available to Cox Cable customers. We want to provide Oklahoma viewers with the best programming and local news coverage every day. Bringing our HD programs into local homes on the Cox system will allow more of our viewers to enjoy our programming with the improved clarity of our HD signal.” said Brent Hensley, KOCO-TV/DT president and general manager.

Programs carried exclusively on KOCO TV/DT including ABC’s Good Morning America, primetime hits like Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, as well as ABC’s College Football coverage will now be available to Cox Cable customers in the exceptional clarity of HD.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Anybody know what the deal is? Not that I think Cox caved, but I'm curious to know the story.

[SoonerDave]

I don't know specifics, but I had heard that Argyle was threatening to pull the analog KOCO from their previous Cox agreement. I think that was too great a risk for Cox to take, unfortunately. Like I said, I don't know that for a fact, but if it were true, that'd be some pretty serious leverage for HA.

-soonerdave

[PUGalicious]

I find that a little hard to believe because KOCO would be a bigger loser than Cox would be if they had pulled their analog signal. Most viewers learn to adapt to the channel lineup, which Cox realizes and apparently KOCO had difficulty understanding.

With ABC HD off of Cox last year, my viewing of ABC programming dropped substantially — down to one primetime program (Boston Legal) and an occasional sporting event. Instead, I found other HD programming that was interesting enough to watch and changed my viewing habits. KOCO and its advertisers were the losers, not Cox.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I find that a little hard to believe because KOCO would be a bigger loser than Cox would be if they had pulled their analog signal. Most viewers learn to adapt to the channel lineup, which Cox realizes and apparently KOCO had difficulty understanding.

With ABC HD off of Cox last year, my viewing of ABC programming dropped substantially — down to one primetime program (Boston Legal) and an occasional sporting event. Instead, I found other HD programming that was interesting enough to watch and changed my viewing habits. KOCO and its advertisers were the losers, not Cox.

Same here...Except I quit watching ABC all together.

[oneforone]

If KOCO where to pull their signal, Cox would have just used the ABC affliate out of Tulsa or Lawton.

I think it had more to do with KOCO being the only Network HD station not on Cox's lineup. ABC is carrying twice if not three times the amount of HD programming they did last year. Not metion to Daytime TV shows are switching to HD. Almost every Soap Opera fan I know watches General Hospital and One Life to Live