Verizon is not allowed to carry MSNBC

sh76 brought this topic up, and I feel it deserves its own thread.

sh76 mentioned that since he switched to Verizon FIOS, he can no longer get MSNBC. So he is unable to listen to Olbermann and Maddow and point out their "whoppers".

According to Wikipedia,

MSNBC is currently not available to Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse TV subscribers in portions of New York, northern New Jersey and Connecticut which overlap with Cablevision's cable television territory. The reason for the lack of availability is, in part, due to an exclusive carriage agreement that msnbc entered into with Cablevision, which prohibits competing wired providers from carrying the network.[34] The terms of the agreement (i.e. when the exclusive agreement expires) are not publicly known.

A suit from Verizon to the FCC has recently been filed in order to force the termination of this deal. Connecticut attorney general Richard Blumenthal wrote to new FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, agreeing with Verizon, saying that the deal may be illegal

My general position is that carriers can choose whether or not to carry whatever content they wish - but they have no business making these kinds of exclusivity deals. Seems like Cablevision is using an unfair tactic in it's effort to compete with Verizon. Even if courts rule that Cablevision's actions are legal, they are definitely NOT cool.

Originally posted by Melanerpes
sh76 brought this topic up, and I feel it deserves its own thread.

sh76 mentioned that since he switched to Verizon FIOS, he can no longer get MSNBC. So he is unable to listen to Olbermann and Maddow and point out their "whoppers".

According to Wikipedia,

MSNBC is currently not available to Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse TV subscribers in porti ...[text shortened]... . Even if courts rule that Cablevision's actions are legal, they are definitely NOT cool.

I told the guy who signed me up that I chose them because they don't carry MSNBC and that if they ever get MSNBC I'm switching back to Cablevision. It's probably not true (and I said it tongue in cheek); but I figured it's a good way to make a political statement and have some fun at the same time. 🙂

Originally posted by sh76
I told the guy who signed me up that I chose them because they don't carry MSNBC and that if they ever get MSNBC I'm switching back to Cablevision. It's probably not true (and I said it tongue in cheek); but I figured it's a good way to make a political statement and have some fun at the same time. 🙂

So if Verizon does get MSNBC, beware - that Wade Boggs impersonator might come to your door expecting you to switch back to cable (or maybe he'll just rummage through your fridge looking for chicken) 😉

Originally posted by Melanerpes
So if Verizon does get MSNBC, beware - that Wade Boggs impersonator might come to your door expecting you to switch back to cable (or maybe he'll just rummage through your fridge looking for chicken) 😉

Hey, if he'll teach me how to hit a curveball, maybe we can work something out.