A worker with General Communications Inc. does work on the lines along Church Street on November 21.
Sports fans and other television viewers subscribing to General Communication Inc. have likely noticed that its FOX programming has been absent for most of the month.
Since November 8 the telecommunications provider has been unable to show FOX in Southeast Alaska due to a
contract row with television station KJUD. Based in Juneau, the television station is an ABC affiliate owned by Vision Alaska LLC, and in addition to FOX, carries programming for the CW network.
In a media release GCI explained its contract with KJUD is one of many it negotiates with programmers in order to provide content to its own subscribers. This particular contract has been in effect since 2011, and is set to expire in 2018.
The FOX feed was cut after the network argued GCI is not allowed to show FOX programming in Southeast under the terms of their contract. GCI contends this is not the case, while requests for a response put to KJUD have not been answered by Tuesday's press time.
GCI's media contact Heather Handyside explained the move had been unexpected. "We were just as shocked as folks were when they pulled the feed," she said. "We are disappointed."
The telecommunication corporation has, in both its news release and a separate editorial by regional vice president Warren Russell, linked the cut to its Southeast FOX programming with wider negotiations with the network, which it claims is trying to negotiate a 300-percent increase on fees for the next contract. This would include ABC and CW programming, whose contracts are set to expire later this year.
Asked what the asking price would entail, Handyside opted not to disclose the contract amount. She further explained that a definite price would be difficult to quantify, as the FOX contract would be bundled with agreements for other channels across the state.
As of this week, no new progress has yet been made in negotiations, which are ongoing. Among the FOX network's more popular programming at this time of year is its Sunday National Football League broadcasts, which has seen a blackout for local cable viewers since the disagreement began.
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