Summit Broadband continually works with our programming partners to negotiate and deliver the maximum amount of quality programming at the best value for our customers. We also constantly face ever-increasing programming costs and at times unreasonable demands for programming fees.
On January 4, we notified you that Summit Broadband was negotiating with Cox Media Group to resume broadcast programming in Central Florida on Channels 9 (ABC affiliate WFTV), 17 (WRDQ – Ind.) and 84 (WRDQ27 – Ind.). Unfortunately, we have not been successful in reaching an agreement with this broadcaster. Cox Media Group has decided to significantly increase their fees for broadcast carriage and continue to demand that Summit Broadband pay unreasonably high costs for programming.
After years of faithfully carrying these stations, we have no choice but to discontinue carriage of channels 9 (ABC affiliate WFTV), 17 (WRDQ – Ind.) and 84 (WRDQ27 – Ind.), as well as all related offerings within the Video on Demand content for these stations. Please know that our decision was not made without a fervent effort to meet Cox in the middle with fair pricing that match market conditions. Sadly, our efforts were rejected, and zero regard was given to our customers by this broadcaster.
Should Cox Media Group be willing to agree to more equitable price terms, Summit Broadband would welcome the opportunity to resume carriage of these stations once again in the future.
We never make these decisions without considering the full impact to our customers and remain committed to providing you with the best experience possible. We appreciate your continued patronage, and we will continue to always do everything we can to provide our customers quality data, voice and video services at the most affordable prices.
To learn more about the alternative ways to receive the WFTV (ABC) and the WRDQ (Ind.) broadcast feeds please see our FAQs below.
As always, thank you for being part of the Summit Broadband family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are these channels missing from my lineup?
A: According to U.S. law, station owners have exclusive control over who can receive their broadcast stations, regardless of the service provider.
Q: What fees do broadcasters negotiate with service providers like Summit Broadband?
A: Station owners charge cable TV companies like Summit Broadband rates that allow us to broadcast their content/programming to our viewers. At times, the station owners will look to increase those rates, some which are called retransmission fees. This causes a financial burden to the cable companies which try not to pass those costs on to the end user customer. During the negotiations, a broadcaster may blackout the channel(s) as leverage.
Q: Do station owners have that right?
A: The Federal Communications Commission grants local stations free use of the public airwaves and an exclusive license to serve a specific region. The service providers – such as cable and satellite companies – cannot offer certain channels without permission from the channel’s owner.
Q: Can Summit Broadband give us the signal for these stations from another city?
A: No. Bringing in a station from an outside market is very costly to consumers as station owners control who has the rights to do this.
Q: Can I get an adjustment to my bill now that these stations are no longer available?
A: Bill adjustments and credits are not available as the programming on theses particular stations are free over the air via other view options (see below).
Q: How can I watch this programming now that the network is not available in my Summit Broadband channel lineup?
A: There are several viewing options to explore when a local station is dropped.
- For Residential customers, you may be able to view the station by:
- Using an over-the-air antenna to watch the channel, along with other local broadcasts.
- Exploring streaming options, such as Locast (locast.org).
- For Commercial customers, you can explore these options:
- Use an over-the-air antenna to watch the channel, along with other local broadcasts (if applicable to the type of business setup you may have).
- Explore other streaming options, such asLocast.org (https://www.locast.org) (if applicable to the type of business setup you may have).
- Pull in the signal from an antenna and mix it into your feed. Summit Broadband can offer to connect you with a technical resource that could possibly assist you.
Equipment for watching a station over the air
To watch a television station over the air without a pay TV subscription, you need either a digital TV set or an analog TV set connected to a digital-to-analog converter box. In either case, you will need an appropriate antenna connected to the TV or the converter box. Depending on your location, this could be either an outdoor or an indoor antenna.
Converter boxes and analog TV sets
Since 2009, all full-power TV broadcast stations can only be received in digital format. Although cable subscribers can still use analog TVs with a cable box, if you are using an analog-only TV and want to watch a station over the air, you will need to use a digital-to-analog converter box. You can purchase a converter box from a consumer electronics retailer or online.