Cox Communications, Nexstar & Mission Broadcasting Reach Retransmission Consent Agreement

Source: Nexstar Press Release Cox Communications, Inc, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc and Mission Broadcasting, Inc today announced that the companies have signed a retransmission consent agreement for analog and digital carriage rights. The deal includes 12 Nexstar stations and 9 Mission stations serving the following Designated Market Areas: Abilene-Sweetwater, San Angelo, Lubbock, Amarillo, Odessa-Midland and Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas; Shreveport, La.; Fort Smith, Little Rock and Monroe-El Dorado, Ark.; Springfield and Joplin, Mo. and Pittsburg, Kan.

The agreement means that Cox customers in San Angelo, Texas can again enjoy KLST/CBS on Cox Cable. KTAL/NBC returns to the Cox lineup in Bossier City and Minden, La., as well as Magnolia, Ark. and Mt. Pleasant, Texas. KRBC/NBC (a Mission Broadcasting station) is again available to Cox customers in Abilene, Sweetwater and Snyder, Texas. Without permission from Nexstar and Mission to carry these broadcast signals, Cox was required to remove these channels from the lineups in the impacted markets last January.

“We are pleased to welcome these Nexstar and Mission stations back to Cox Cable,” said Pat Esser, chief operating officer. “We regret the inconvenience to our customers while we negotiated these deals, which will help keep cable prices reasonable, fair and competitive. We also thank our loyal customers who stuck with us through this challenging time.”

Nexstar Broadcasting Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Perry A. Sook commented, “As has been previously reported, Nexstar refused to grant retransmission consent without receiving adequate compensation. Although the confidentiality provisions limit Nexstar and Cox from discussing publicly the financial aspects of this agreement, we are pleased to have reached an economic agreement that is acceptable to both parties. This agreement encompasses all of the Nexstar and Mission stations carried on Cox cable systems. Going forward, we anticipate a mutually beneficial relationship between the companies.”

“We highly value the local and national programming that the Nexstar and Mission stations deliver to our customers,” said Debbie Cullen, director of programming. “We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Mission and Nexstar, which meets all of our original objectives. The deal demonstrates that broadcasters and cable operators can reach terms that are mutually agreeable and in the best interest of consumers. Our innovative agreement provides for incremental value to all parties, while giving Cox the long-term rights to carry the primary analog and digital signals of the Nexstar and Mission stations.”

Additional from Arkansas Business.com: A deal has yet to be reached with Comcast Cablevision in Little Rock, leaving the possibility that Nexstar-owned KARK-TV, Channel 4, could be yanked from the air when parties' agreement expires in December.

Brian Jones, regional vice president of Nexstar, has said that he is optimistic a deal with Comcast will be reached during negotiations next month.