AT&T said it’s talking with Cox Communications about the cable...
AT&T said it’s talking with Cox Communications about the cable operator’s offer to the telco and several other subscription-video providers to let them carry a channel it owns in San Diego. That channel carries San Diego Padres games and is…
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the subject of an FCC complaint to commissioners by AT&T alleging Cox violated program access rules by withholding access to that programmer after the Media Bureau dismissed an earlier complaint (CD April 8 p3). A recent commission order on program access “was very helpful along with their willingness to convene a meeting to get all parties together,” AT&T Senior Vice President Bob Quinn said Wednesday. “We are now in negotiations with Cox and are hopeful that this issue can be resolved so our customers can enjoy the baseball season.” A Tuesday filing by Cox said it will make Channel 4 SD available to all San Diego pay-TV companies, including AT&T. Fox Networks, representing Cox in licensing for the channel, is negotiating with AT&T and other subscription-video providers for deals, the filing said. Cox’s move to let rivals carry the San Diego channel “was a business decision, which considered the FCC decision and other variables,” said a Cox spokesman. The commission’s program access order doesn’t require “Cox to expand distribution of Channel 4 San Diego” and instead changed the presumption in certain cases, he noted. “If Cox had not decided to make Channel 4 San Diego available as we have, AT&T would still have to pursue a case and Cox would have had the opportunity to defend our distribution practices.” An HD version of the channel also is being offered to pay-TV providers in the area, he said. DirecTV has been notified by Cox that the cable operator will offer the games, a spokesman for the direct broadcast satellite company said. “We'll evaluate the offer when we see it, but at this time we do not know how long a deal might take.” A Dish Network spokeswoman said the company is evaluating Cox’s offer.