Milford Communications has contracts with various TV “parent companies” (FOX etc) so we can provide Cable television programming to our customers. The contracts include information such as streaming rights, viewership stipulations and, most importantly, cost. Every few years these contracts expire and need to be renegotiated. Often times, these renegotiations include a cost increase over the life of the contract. Milford Communications is part of a “bargaining agent” called the NCTC, a group that represents hundreds of other Cable TV providers across the country.
This year, Milford Communication’s (via the NCTC) current contract with FOX Corporation is due to expire at 11:59PM on 12/31/19. This means that over the past several months, the NCTC has been attempting to come to a new agreement with FOX Corp. Unfortunately, FOX has been demanding unreasonable rate increases that will directly impact our customers’ monthly bills. Since 2009, fees for FOX News Channel and FOX Business Channel have increased almost 250%. FOX Sports 1 and 2 have seen increases of 190%. Now, FOX is demanding additional increases with this new contact. Premier, via the NCTC, is pushing back, trying to negotiate reasonable terms, but FOX is refusing to compromise. We hope to come to an agreement soon, but if no agreement is in place by Dec. 31 at midnight, FOX may pull their signal from Milford Communication’s channel lineup and customers will experience a loss of Fox News, Fox Business, FS1 and FS2 until an agreement is reached. This is a “worst-case-scenario”, we hope to reach an agreement in time or, at the very least, negotiate a contract extension so we can continue the negotiating process into 2020.
FOX Cable Networks
Only FOX cable networks are impacted: FOX Business, FOX News, FS1 and FS2.
Channel Cost Increases
We can’t share an exact dollar amount, but FOX wants to significantly increase their fees to our customers. You may hear FOX say they are “asking for a fair rate that others have agreed to” – but there is nothing “fair’ about demanding a rate increase that is 10x the rate of inflation. We are on your side and working to keep these networks on our lineup at the lowest price.
Milford Communications Isn’t Alone
A group of about 700 other companies across the country are involved with this dispute as well.
Stand With Us
Unfortunately, FOX is not afraid to use our customers as a “bargaining tool” to try to force Milford Communications to agree to unfair terms to restore the FOX programming to our lineup. Please stand with us as we continue negotiating.
Learn more about the dispute by visiting TV on My Side >