Customer Updates

Retransmission Consent? Morris Broadband is currently negotiating programming fees with several local broadcasters. During these contract negotiations we strive to get the lowest programming fees possible as subscriber cable rates are directly affected by these fees. Unfortunately, cable companies have very little power as broadcasters generally dictate the programming fees.

What is Retransmission Consent? The U.S. Congress has authorized broadcast stations, such as those that air ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX programming, to grant or deny permission (provide “consent”) for a cable television operator to “retransmit” the signal to its customers. In order to acquire consent the owner of the television station will demand some form of compensation from the cable operator, which is typically re-negotiated every three years.

Frequently, a broadcaster demands the smaller cable operators pay an exceptionally higher per-customer fee than other larger operators in the same market. Broadcasters charge smaller cable operators retransmission consent fees as much as twenty times more than what the largest distributors pay. There is no justification for the price difference faced by small cable operators because the retransmission is costless for the broadcast station owner. The burden to a broadcaster of having its signal carried on a large system or a small one is identical.

Cable operators who refuse to accept the higher charge (as it frequently would result in higher rates for customers) face a decision from the broadcaster – a dropped signal and the refusal to allow a cable operator to deliver its programming to customers.

Making matters worse, federal rules and regulations hinder small cable operators serving small and rural markets to offer broadcast signals from neighboring television markets, even when the neighboring broadcast is willing to offer the same network programming at a more reasonable rate.

How Does Retransmission Consent Harm Consumers? When independent cable operators are dealt disproportionally higher per-subscriber fees to broadcast a signal, the result is increased costs for consumers and reduced competition by undercutting smaller companies’ ability to compete on price. Notably, independent cable providers often have to redirect investment that should go towards increasing system capacity and improving infrastructure for broadband to instead line the pockets of big broadcasters and programmers, putting already underserved markets even further behind the Digital Divide.

What is being done about this issue? Currently, the FCC is reviewing whether revisions to the wholesale cable programming and retransmission consent rules would provide consumers with more choice and value. The industry has presented the FCC with multiple filings to demonstrate how the current marketplace harms both independent cable operators as well as consumers. In addition, NCTC and others in the industry are supporting a “quiet period” between broadcasters and cable operators during the coming round of retransmission consent negotiations.

Watch this page of our website as more developments occur.

August 2011 - ATTN PPV Customers:  Our PPV channels have been moved and are grouped together for your convenience (Henderson, Jackson, Macon, McDowell county areas). PPV channels are now in the 400's, between 400 and 467. InDemand PPV as well as ESPN GamePlan, where you can subscribe and watch up to 15 College Football games have now moved to these channel positions.

Have a TV or TIVO unit that accepts Cable Cards? We offer Cable Cards for as little as $1.99 a month!

Due to data updates to cable converters, some customers may need to reset their "channel autotune" function.  This allows channel changing by pressing the channel number without pressing the select/ok button. Please follow these directions if you would like to use the "autotune" function.

1) On you cable converter remote press cable.

2) Press the "Menu" button.

3) Arrow over to the "TV Guide Main Menu" (which is the logo that looks like a house) and press "select/ok".

4) Arrow over to "Setup" and press "select/ok".

5) Arrow over to "Guide Setup" and press "select/ok".

6) Arrow down to "Channel Entry Behavior" and arrow over to "Autotune" and press "select/ok".

7) Press exit. (You have just set the "autotune" function!) 

Thanks for being a Morris Broadband customer!