More Retrans Fun: Mediacom Asks FCC to Force Sinclair Negotiations

Mediacom filed an emergency retrans complaint at the FCC late Tues, hoping to force Sinclair to “immediately commence negotiations in good faith.” The MSO’s laundry list of complaints includes claims that Sinclair backed out of a deal to allow it to review other MSO’s retrans deals and that the timing of the retrans flare up was meant to interfere with Mediacom’s latest debt offering. About 50% of Mediacom’s total cable system subs are in areas potentially affected by its dispute with Sinclair. If the spat continues, the subs will most likely lose the broadcasters’ stations on Dec 1. The MSO has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Sinclair, claiming it’s breaking the law by tying stations to one another. Mediacom told the FCC that Sinclair only made a “sham” offer for stations separately after the lawsuit was filed. Mediacom repeated claims that Sinclair has a bounty program in place with a DBS operator in which it receives money for MCCC subs who switch to the DBS provider and for advertising losses. It asked the FCC void and prohibit such agreements.