For Charter Subscribers

By John Voket

If you were preparing to say goodbye to Dr Mel and NewsChannel 8’s daily Connecticut headlines, hold the line.

Broadband and cable company Charter Communications Inc said this week it reached an agreement in principle with LIN TV Corp that will permit Charter to continue carrying the analog, digital, and high definition programming of LIN TV stations, including New Haven-based WTNH.

On June 4, LIN TV said negotiations with Charter seemed unlikely to result in a retransmission consent agreement and that it expected Charter to discontinue carriage of its TV stations when the current contract expires on June 30.

Announcing the agreement June 11, Charter Senior Vice President of Product Management and Strategy Ted Schremp said “We are pleased to have reached an agreement in principle with LIN TV, giving us the right to continue delivering programming offered by their owned or operated stations, and affording Charter the opportunity to expand our high definition programming to our customers in these communities.”

LIN TV Corp, along with its subsidiaries, is a local television and digital media company, owning and/or operating 29 television stations in 17 US markets, all of which are affiliated with a national broadcast network. In Newtown, the company currently delivers ABC television programming, including local NewsChannel 8 broadcasts.

Wire reports indicate LIN TV has been securing compensation for carriage from cable companies on terms that are comparable to those given cable networks so that it can continue to provide its local, regional, and national programming. Within the past year, LIN TV has successfully reached agreements with numerous cable, satellite, and telephone companies, all of which have recognized the fair market value of its stations’ signals.

“Most cable operators, like their satellite and telephony competitors, now understand and acknowledge that fair and equitable compensation is essential to ensure the viability of our local outlets which are such a big part of the value they provide to consumers,” said LIN TV’s Executive Vice President, Digital Media Gregory M. Schmidt.

The news about the possibility of losing one of several Connecticut network affiliate stations on the Newtown cable system came just weeks after Charter was criticized by State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal about a “potentially illegal” test program targeting Newtown Charter Internet customers.

Critics of the project, including federal officials, suggested the Newtown program — one of four in the United States — would essentially be “spying” on the web-surfing activities of its customers with the apparent intent of selling that data to an online advertising firm called NebuAd for use in targeted advertising.

The tracking was set to begin in June in Fort Worth, Texas; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Oxford, Mass.; and Newtown. When apprised of the issue by The Bee on in late May, Mr Blumenthal vowed to immediately contact Charter officials, “and challenge them to justify this potentially illegal practice.”

A letter circulated to Newtown Charter Internet subscribers described the program as “an enhancement” to customers’’ web browsing experiences that is more customized to their interests and activities.

“As a result, the advertising you typically see online will better reflect the interests you express through your web-surfing activity,” the letter continues. “You will not see more ads — just ads that are more relevant to you.” The letter states that the “service” was designed to ensure that customers’ privacy will continue to be protected.

At press time, Mr Blumenthal’s office had not responded to a request from The Bee about the status of his investigation into the Charter Internet issue.