Small Cable Ops To Get ABC Signal For Free

Small cable operators based inside television markets where The Walt Disney Co. owns the ABC affiliate will be able to carry the signal for free for the next three years, Disney announced Tuesday. Disney owns 10 ABC stations, including outlets in New York, Philadelphia and Houston. Under terms of the agreement, 91 out of 113 cable operators with systems inside those 10 owned-and-operated markets will get free access to the ABC signal. Disney intends to make the ABC signal available to "truly small" cable operators but not to big MSOs such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications. [Disney has always been an advocate for small, diversified media.] Starting on October 1, local TV stations need to decide whether to demand cable carriage or instead negotiate a deal for compensation, including cash and carriage affiliate cable networks. Disney will make ABC available to eligible small operators without the need to negotiate a deal.
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