What is the Nature of the dispute between Rainbow and ATT?

[wayniac5]

I've read a dozen articles but can't find what the dteails of their impasse is?

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

No one knows for sure, but we can infer a few things from facts that we do know:

From AT&T's perspective:

• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC in certain markets to prevent AT&T from competing with the local cable company.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC in these markets.
• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC HD in all markets to prevent AT&T from competing with cable overall.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC HD for everyone.
• Rainbow Media is owned by Cablevision, and has allowed cable providers such as Cox, Charter, Comcast, Brighthouse, etc. to get AMC/AMCHD and the other channels, but is denying some or all of these to AT&T, Dish, and DirecTV.  --> AT&T wants Rainbow to make a fair offer inline with the offers made to the cable companies.

From Rainbow's perspective:

• Rainbow is owned by Cablevision, which is also a provider/distributor which competes directly with AT&T U-Verse.  --> Rainbow wants to deny AT&T access to these channels to force customers to leave AT&T and go to Cablevision or another cable provider.  Rainbow is attempting to do this by forcing AT&T to agree to exorbitant fees for the channels -- fees which are well in excess of what the cable companies are charged for these channels.

People keep accusing AT&T of being greedy, but I think we all can infer who is actually the greedy one here.

[shoe]

Well said

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SomeJoe7777 wrote:

No one knows for sure, but we can infer a few things from facts that we do know:

From AT&T's perspective:

• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC in certain markets to prevent AT&T from competing with the local cable company.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC in these markets.
• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC HD in all markets to prevent AT&T from competing with cable overall.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC HD for everyone.
• Rainbow Media is owned by Cablevision, and has allowed cable providers such as Cox, Charter, Comcast, Brighthouse, etc. to get AMC/AMCHD and the other channels, but is denying some or all of these to AT&T, Dish, and DirecTV.  --> AT&T wants Rainbow to make a fair offer inline with the offers made to the cable companies.

From Rainbow's perspective:

• Rainbow is owned by Cablevision, which is also a provider/distributor which competes directly with AT&T U-Verse.  --> Rainbow wants to deny AT&T access to these channels to force customers to leave AT&T and go to Cablevision or another cable provider.  Rainbow is attempting to do this by forcing AT&T to agree to exorbitant fees for the channels -- fees which are well in excess of what the cable companies are charged for these channels.

People keep accusing AT&T of being greedy, but I think we all can infer who is actually the greedy one here.

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[Pip_2]

Well, having read through some of these threads, I can only say that after getting the message on the TV regarding those channels, my channel line-up for WE TV changed to something completely different that it was.

If this is not taking effect till 7/14 then why the change now, 5 days early?

Personally, seeing how the Dolan family deals with the Cleveland Indians baseball team, get rid of the best so they don"t have to pay, their handling of this situation seems to be right up their alley.

In other words, I never felt AT&T was the bad guy to begin with here.

.

[emily4567]

Mad Men is the best show on earth

[mmm_1]

Emily4567

I so agree with you about Mad Men!  I could almost live without all other TV but not Mad Men!!! 

[paul416]

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shoe wrote:

Well said

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SomeJoe7777 wrote:

No one knows for sure, but we can infer a few things from facts that we do know:

From AT&T's perspective:

• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC in certain markets to prevent AT&T from competing with the local cable company.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC in these markets.
• Rainbow Media is currently denying access to AMC HD in all markets to prevent AT&T from competing with cable overall.  --> AT&T probably wants to get AMC HD for everyone.
• Rainbow Media is owned by Cablevision, and has allowed cable providers such as Cox, Charter, Comcast, Brighthouse, etc. to get AMC/AMCHD and the other channels, but is denying some or all of these to AT&T, Dish, and DirecTV.  --> AT&T wants Rainbow to make a fair offer inline with the offers made to the cable companies.

From Rainbow's perspective:

• Rainbow is owned by Cablevision, which is also a provider/distributor which competes directly with AT&T U-Verse.  --> Rainbow wants to deny AT&T access to these channels to force customers to leave AT&T and go to Cablevision or another cable provider.  Rainbow is attempting to do this by forcing AT&T to agree to exorbitant fees for the channels -- fees which are well in excess of what the cable companies are charged for these channels.

People keep accusing AT&T of being greedy, but I think we all can infer who is actually the greedy one here.

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I have a slightly different take.:

From AT&T's Perspective.

They can get into this dispute and use it as an excuse to jack up the rates some more then blame it on Rainbow.

[kryptonite]

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emily4567 wrote:

Mad Men is the best show on earth

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So you forgot your password from your last 10 accounts?

Then again, I could care less about Mad Men.  Really, the only place I see it mentioned is on this forum.  If I wasn't on this forum, i'd have no idea that Mad Men exists.

[Loki40]

Knowing who runs Rainbow Media,  I beleave SomeJoe is correct in his thoughts rather than ATT trying to up the rates paul416.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

One thing is certain.  None of us (subscribers) will ever know the full details of this dispute.  The powers that be are interested in making money.  And they both stand to lose if these channels will be dropped permanently.  If the channels go off the air they could still return at some time.  But hopefully it won't come to that.  And the threads that have been started regarding aMC, IFC, and WE can fade slowly into the thread basement.

[shoe]

AT&T has filed a equal access complaint with the FCC against Rainbow Media.

 All AT&T wants is the programming for all of us.

 GO AT&T!!

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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shoe wrote:

AT&T has filed a equal access complaint with the FCC against Rainbow Media.

 All AT&T wants is the programming for all of us.

 GO AT&T!!

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Where did you see this?

[shoe]

I had a conversation a few days back witg a Senior Marketing Manager  at U-Verse.

 I have known him for a couple of years and he has always been  on the level with me

[jdwestbr]

So is there anyway that this equal access filing will get us AMC HD?

[shoe]

I have no idea one can only hope

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Publishers,+Media,+Music/Cablevisio...

The shoe's on the other foot for Cablevision in a contract dispute that could affect millions of AT&T U-verse television customers at midnight. AT&T's contract to carry AMC, IFC, WE tv and other channels owned by Cablevision's Rainbow Media is about to expire, and both sides are still talking tough. But this time Cablevision, which usually fights programmers who want higher prices, is the one asking for more.

email addresses for two Rainbow execs are here: http://www.financialpost.com/markets/news/Statement+from+Rainbow+Media+Negotiations+with+Other+Popul...

[Uniblurb3 ACE - Guru]

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dhascall wrote:

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Publishers,+Media,+Music/Cablevisio...

The shoe's on the other foot for Cablevision in a contract dispute that could affect millions of AT&T U-verse television customers at midnight. AT&T's contract to carry AMC, IFC, WE tv and other channels owned by Cablevision's Rainbow Media is about to expire, and both sides are still talking tough. But this time Cablevision, which usually fights programmers who want higher prices, is the one asking for more.

email addresses for two Rainbow execs are here: http://www.financialpost.com/markets/news/Statement+from+Rainbow+Media+Negotiations+with+Other+Popul...

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The press release/statement by Rainbow in the last link sure seems to contradict their link to "iwantmytvchannels" in the same article.

From the statement by Rainbow:

"We have been good partners and have been supportive of AT&T since they launched their U-Verse service."

From the Rainbow Media "iwantmytvchannels" interactive website link:

"Find a new TV Provider. Enter your ZIP code to find who in your area carries the channels you love."

Guess the support has ended.

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Good point, Uni.  If Rainbow Media has been such good partners, why have they restricted which U-verse markets can carry their channels?  Why no HD versions of these channels?  Not my definition of a good partner.

[robbo_1]

partnerships require 2 parties to cooperate. AT&T has turned this into an adversarial relationship, so Rainbow Media is responding accordingly.    It was through their website that i found my new TV provider, if AT&T doesn't come to their senses shortly.

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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robbo wrote:

partnerships require 2 parties to cooperate. AT&T has turned this into an adversarial relationship, so Rainbow Media is responding accordingly.    It was through their website that i found my new TV provider, if AT&T doesn't come to their senses shortly.

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How has AT&T turned this into an adversarial relationship?

[robbo_1]

from this news release:

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=30951

"We don’t want customers to lose their programming. We’re fighting for a fair deal because our customers deserve the programming they want, at a fair price."

the website that they set up is also called "We're Fighting for You."

you'll rarely see parties that want to cooperate using the word "fighting".  theyre acting in what they think is the best interest for their customers - when clearly, it is not.  if they wanted to be partners, maybe the title "we'll do what's best for you" would be better.

Rainbow media at least appears to e trying, with verbage like "doing everything possible to reach an agreement", as can be seen on their release:  http://www.rainbow-media.com/release_release_press.jsp?nodeid=6217

check it out, look at the tone of the two companies.   Rainbow is proud of their programming - why would they not want people to see it?     AT&T, however, is only proud of it's perceived low pricing (perception will change as more channels go away).

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

You haven't been here long enough or you'd know better...read through the tons of posts about these channels and Rainbow...it's real educational. 

And how Cablecos get away with this MONOPOLY is unbelievable!