FLASHBACK: In 2000, Time Warner blacked out ABC over disputes with Disney (including in NYC)

[alp227]

Some controversial current events mirror the beginning of the milennium. For example, State Sen. Roy Ashburn (R-CA), who always voted against gay rights, was caught driving drunk leaving a gay bar while another man was riding in Ashburn's car...a STATE-OWNED car. As I posted yesterday, back in 2000, ex-gay activist John Paulk was photographed by Wayne Besen (of Human Rights Watch) partying in a gay bar and was confronted by James Dobson shortly after.

Well, I'm sorry for all you NYC and South New Jersey residents who subscribe to Cablevision and lack DTV antennas and thus who can't watch the Lakers game, the Oscars, the final season of Lost, the upcoming return of Scrubs, or anything else you enjoy on WABC and WPVI because of the a dispute between Disney and Cablevision over payments to broadcast ABC. Anyone remember back in 2000 when Time Warner Cable pulled ABC from all its markets (including New York City?) When TWC did that, it was sweeps and season finale time! Sigh, why must corporate spats always happen during the most ratings-crucial times? 25 days later, TWC and ABC reached a new deal, and in a July 2000 FCC hearing the feds scolded Time Warner for doing this.

[eleny]

1. Seems like another way to raise prices

They know people can't be without their tv fix. So they have an engineered spat at a bad time for viewers and then laugh all the way to the bank.