EPB and the FOX network have reached a deal that ensures EPB subscribers will still get their FOX News and Sports channels.
“We will continue to offer the FOX channels just as we planned,” said EPB Vice President of Marketing J.Ed. Marston. “As has been the case over the last few years, (FOX) asked for and got a substantial rate increase and, at some point, we will have to pass that along.”
In a full-page newspaper advertisement in the Times Free Press last week, FOX warned that its news and sports channels were at risk of going dark for EPB customers on Jan. 1, 2020. About 48,000 customers receive those channels, and EPB was negotiating rates for that content as part of the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC).
“We are asking for terms that are in-line with what other cooperatives and our other distribution partners pay,” FOX spokeswoman Megan Klein said last week.”We are disappointed that the NCTC appears to be putting its own business objectives ahead of the needs of its members and their respective customers.”
Ultimately, EPB wants to offer the channels its customers expect, and has to pay for the content, Marston said. But as the cost of the content increases, cable providers have to pass increases to customers.