If you’re a Charter Spectrum customer, you’ve no doubt seen the messages on your screen on 23 popular Viacom-owned channels will disappear this evening (October 15th) if an agreement is not reached.
What does this mean?
Charter is in a tizzy with Viacom, the owner of 23 Channels, These networks include: MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, VH1, BET, CMT, Spike, Nick Jr., TV Land, Logo, MTV2, Nicktoons, TeenNick, MTV Classic, NickMusic, MTV Live, BET Her, CMT Music, BET Jams, Tr3s, BET Soul, Nick 2 and MTVU.
Charter has to Pay Viacom, and undisclosed amount of money to transmit these channels to their subscribers (you). and apparently, that figure has changed, and both parties are up in arms about it. Both have launched aggressive advertising campaigns to try and look like the bigger person.
The Companies Messages
Viacom Says: Viacom is giving Spectrum a Change to Lower Your Cable Bill, but Spectrum isn’t Interested. (from keepviacom.com)
Charter Says: Viacom is threatening to remove their channels, unless Spectrum agrees to significantly overpay for them. We are negotiating with them in good faith and are optimistic that a fair deal can be reached. (from getthefactsaboutviacom.com)
You’ve no doubt noticed the targeted Facebook and Instagram ads both are running to users in our area to try and convince you to call one company or the other and complain.
What does it mean for me?
More than likely, the deal isn’t going to be reached tonight, and the 23 channels mentioned above will go black for Charter Spectrum subscribers. These sorts of disputes aren’t new, and typically resolve in a matter of days or weeks. They’re toxic, and everybody loses – Viacom will lose much needed income from no longer providing service to the #2 cable company in the US, Charter will lose because it will piss off their customers, and many will threaten, and some will leave because of it, and the customers lose some of their favorite channels, until these two giants get their sh*t together.
Who’s really the bad guy?
In our opinion, both probably are. Viacom probably does want more than their channels are worth, but Charter is probably trying to throw around their weight after the Bright House/Time Warner merger. At any rate, they’re effectively having a screaming argument at three o’clock in the morning on their front lawn, and woken up all of their neighbors, which are all of the charter spectrum subscribers.
What should I do?
To each their own. You can get mad, call up charter and switch to DirecTv, only to go through this again when one of their carriage agreements comes up with another broadcaster. Charter may offer you a temporary discount while you wait for these channels to be restored. If the viacom channels do go black tonight, expect a long time on hold with Charter, and ask yourself, is it really worth it to save a few bucks?
I’d recommend just grabbing a pint, and waiting for this to blow over. Or do some research on your options for cutting the cord completely, or making your charter cable package cheaper by cutting the cost of the cord.
