Oversight Hearing at City Hall Looks Into Contract Dispute Between Time Warner Cable & CBS Officials
City Hall – Today Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Council Member Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., Council Member Daniel R. Garodnick, and Council Member Mark S. Weprin held a joint oversight hearing to examine the contract dispute between Time Warner Cable and CBS officials that has left millions of New Yorkers without access to CBS and Showtime television programs. Testifying before the Consumer Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises were Rory Whelan, Regional VP for Government Relations, and Kathleen Simms DeVito, VP for Government Relations for the Northeast Region/New York City on behalf of Time Warner Cable along with Martin Franks, Executive VP for Planning, Policy and Government Relations for CBS.

“It is time that CBS and Time Warner Cable both recognize that they have responsibilities to the public—the public trust—and New Yorkers deserve better than to be caught in the middle of a bitter corporate dispute,” said Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “The only loser in this battle is the public, and that is unconscionable.”

With nearly a week into the dispute and still not any closer to an agreement, Council Members brought both parties to testify in front of the Council to explain their irresponsible actions. Council members demanded a timeline for when the millions of blacked out customers can expect service to be reactivated. The Council also asked for a commitment from both sides to end the blackout.

“These negotiations need to take place without taking consumers hostage,” said Council Member Garodnick. “Ultimately most New Yorkers don’t care who is right or wrong, they just want the sniping to stop so that they can watch their favorite shows.”

“The Council is holding an oversight hearing to figure out what issues are causing the stalemate,” said Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises Chair Mark S. Weprin. “The public should not be treated as chips in a poker game between two mega corporations”.

“Any television blackout is an unacceptable situation for New Yorkers who work hard to pay their bills, and look forward to watching their favorite programs when they come home,” said Council Member Leroy Comrie. “The disagreement between CBS and Time Warner Cable is frustrating for many residents who are paying for a service they are not receiving. The hearing we are having today is an important step in bringing all sides to the table, to help determine what can be done to end this impasse.”
Last week, Speaker Quinn sent a letter to Time Warner Cable and CBS calling on both parties to either come to an agreement or to continue contract negotiations without the threat of a blackout.

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