John Kerry Warns Sunbeam, DirecTV Against Super Bowl Blackout.Senator John Kerry is hinting that WHDH-TV and DirecTV (Ch. 7) creates an enemy of him, if your dispute keeps 200,000 DirecTV customers in Greater Boston to see the Super Bowl.
"If people in Boston lost the Super Bowl this year because of this dispute, I can assure you will get people more and more to lower their arms and say, 'a curse on both their houses" Kerry wrote today in a letter to the heads of both companies.
Parents Sunbeam Television removed WHDH Channel 7 and WLVI [website]-TV (Ch. 56) of greater Boston DirecTV service on January 14 after his contract with DirecTV expired.
The two sides have failed to reach agreement on a new agreement in a dispute over the amount of "retransmission consent fees" of a renovation contract should include.
Retransmission rates are more or less payment of 50 cents per customer monthly cable providers and satellite TV stations to give the right to carry a particular channel.
However, disputes over these fees have become common in recent years as television stations, cable companies and satellite companies all fight for money in today's tough economy.
But because NBC is taking on 05 February, the Super Bowl is a subsidiary of NBC WHDH in Boston, no means no Super Bowl for WHDH Axis DirecTV customers if the dispute drags on.
The perspective of the New England Patriots [team stats] fans missing the big game has legislators up in arms.
Kerry, Sen. Scott Brown and 10 members of the State House DirecTV and Sunbeam have written in recent days asking them to resolve their fight before the big game.
Kerry increased further pressure today with a second letter to the heads of both companies.
Senator hinted that if the Hub DirecTV customers miss the Super Bowl, which will support proposals for new powers of the Federal Communications Commission to resolve conflicts of fees.
"I cannot force you to reach a solution, but it can and strongly urge you not to use the Super Bowl as a lever to the resolution," Kerry wrote.
"And I will continue working to urge the FCC to ensure that access to major live events (not) become a recurring tool to leverage in these negotiations," he said.
Kerry also called on both parties to publicly announce they are going to restore the signal to DirecTV for the Super Bowl WHDH least.
"I want every owner of a bar and family in our region with a subscription to DirecTV to know that it does not become collateral damage in (east) of disputes, (with) everything that Tom Brady [Statistics] and (Bill ) Belichick is on the line, "wrote the legislation.
DirecTV said it is willing to "immediately (restoration of Channel 7), while trading for (that) customers in the Boston area can enjoy the next Super Bowl."
Sunbeam did not immediately return calls seeking comment but has said he is suspicious of the restoration of its signal, while talks continue.
Sunbeam chief Ed Ansin told the Herald this week that DirecTV "has a reputation in the industry in many cases, to keep negotiations forever."
"If people in Boston lost the Super Bowl this year because of this dispute, I can assure you will get people more and more to lower their arms and say, 'a curse on both their houses" Kerry wrote today in a letter to the heads of both companies.
Parents Sunbeam Television removed WHDH Channel 7 and WLVI [website]-TV (Ch. 56) of greater Boston DirecTV service on January 14 after his contract with DirecTV expired.
The two sides have failed to reach agreement on a new agreement in a dispute over the amount of "retransmission consent fees" of a renovation contract should include.
Retransmission rates are more or less payment of 50 cents per customer monthly cable providers and satellite TV stations to give the right to carry a particular channel.
However, disputes over these fees have become common in recent years as television stations, cable companies and satellite companies all fight for money in today's tough economy.
But because NBC is taking on 05 February, the Super Bowl is a subsidiary of NBC WHDH in Boston, no means no Super Bowl for WHDH Axis DirecTV customers if the dispute drags on.
The perspective of the New England Patriots [team stats] fans missing the big game has legislators up in arms.
Kerry, Sen. Scott Brown and 10 members of the State House DirecTV and Sunbeam have written in recent days asking them to resolve their fight before the big game.
Kerry increased further pressure today with a second letter to the heads of both companies.
Senator hinted that if the Hub DirecTV customers miss the Super Bowl, which will support proposals for new powers of the Federal Communications Commission to resolve conflicts of fees.
"I cannot force you to reach a solution, but it can and strongly urge you not to use the Super Bowl as a lever to the resolution," Kerry wrote.
"And I will continue working to urge the FCC to ensure that access to major live events (not) become a recurring tool to leverage in these negotiations," he said.
Kerry also called on both parties to publicly announce they are going to restore the signal to DirecTV for the Super Bowl WHDH least.
"I want every owner of a bar and family in our region with a subscription to DirecTV to know that it does not become collateral damage in (east) of disputes, (with) everything that Tom Brady [Statistics] and (Bill ) Belichick is on the line, "wrote the legislation.
DirecTV said it is willing to "immediately (restoration of Channel 7), while trading for (that) customers in the Boston area can enjoy the next Super Bowl."
Sunbeam did not immediately return calls seeking comment but has said he is suspicious of the restoration of its signal, while talks continue.
Sunbeam chief Ed Ansin told the Herald this week that DirecTV "has a reputation in the industry in many cases, to keep negotiations forever."
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