TMCnet News
Rock Hill, S.C.-based digital cable firm, NBC affiliate don't reach deal(Herald, The (Rock Hill, SC) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jan. 31--Comporium digital cable customers no longer will be able to view NBC programming in high definition. The Rock Hill-based company and WCNC-TV were unable to reach an agreement to continue 20 hours a week of high-definition television for Comporium's HDTV package customers. The Charlotte NBC affiliate wanted to charge a monthly fee that would cost customers about $5 more per month, said Glenn McFadden, Comporium Communication's executive vice president of operations. "HD is provided free over broadcast channels," he said Monday. "We don't want to charge our customers for it." WCNC General Manager Stuart Powell said other cable providers pay the fee, which he would not disclose but said would be much less than $5 per customer. "What we've offered Comporium is similar to other cable providers," he said. "We are certainly not asking for $5 a month -- it's a tiny, tiny fraction of that." The NBC affiliate charges because "we've made a significant investment in our equipment and infrastructure," said Powell, who was not sure if other networks also charged. Comporium has about 3,200 HDTV package customers who already pay $5 a month for nine high-definition channels. Customers received a letter about the changes that begin Wednesday. For customers, the move means missing out on sports in high-definition, including some Winter Olympics events, college football and NASCAR. Customers can still catch some Olympic games in high-definition on Universal HD, but events seem to be limited to men's and women's ice hockey, according to a schedule posted on the Web site. McFadden said the Federal Communications Commission prohibits the company from using Columbia and Greenville NBC affiliates for high-definition. The Rock Hill-based company will replace NBC cable channel 306 with Universal HD, which constantly airs high-definition television. The channel's Web site lists reruns of series like Law & Order: SVU, Knight Rider and Battlestar Galactica as well as movies and sports. The 2004 Summer Olympics and last year's U.S. Open championship tennis are still being broadcast. NBC and WCNC programming will be available on cable Channel 6. "You're still getting the network and the programming, there's just no HD on it," McFadden said. But that's a big deal to Matt Meadows' customers at Queen City TV & Appliance on Cherry Road who pay from $900 to $3,000 to buy a television with the technology. "Everybody who walks in the door wants a high-definition TV," he said. "They are going to have a lot of negative feedback. To drop something like that is taking a step backward to analog." The store sells about 150 high-definition televisions a month to sports fans and movie lovers who crave a better picture and sound. "We can't even keep them in stock," said Meadows, a satellite customer. "I'd be so mad if I paid for it and couldn't watch college football on NBC in high-definition." Comporium has HDTV programming from local Charlotte affiliates of ABC, CBC and Fox as well as ESPN, Discovery and HBO. To get HDTV channels, Comporium customers need a HDTV-ready set and Comporium's HDTV digital converter. For subscribers of Comporium's digital cable service, the cost is $5 per month, which includes the receiver, the new HDTV channels and HBOHD for customers who already subscribe to HBO. |