Starz is asking for the FCC's help in settling a dispute with Altice that has resulted in Suddenlink and Optimum customers losing access to the channel. Customer of these cable operators haven't been able to access the channel since it was pulled offline in early January, after the two sides couldn't agree to a new contract without harming paying subscribers. These kinds of feuds have grown increasingly common over the last few years as broadcasters demand higher and higher rates for the same content, and cable providers (and their customers) balk at the hikes.
Starz has since filed a petition for declaratory ruling with the FCC urging it to force Altice to return its channel to the company's Suddenlink and Optimum lineups.
In its filing Starz urged the FCC to "restore carriage of Starz, StarzEncore and Movieplex for the FCC-required 30-day notice period; correct Altice’s misleading and false disclosures regarding its deletions of Starz’s channels; and respond to consumer inquiries and complaints in compliance with FCC rules."
That's not likely to happen. Under both parties the FCC has traditionally taken a hands off, "boys will be boys" approach to these contract standoffs, even though they consistently result in consumer harm. The FCC under former boss Tom Wheeler hinted at taking action to ban blackouts as an act of poor faith negotiation, but nothing ever came of them. New FCC boss Ajit Pai is even less likely to take action.
Altice, for its part, quickly blasted Starz filing, saying the "claims are without merit and we will file our response in due course."
"We are focused on providing the best content experience for our customers and continually evaluate which channels meet their needs and preferences relative to the cost of the programming imposed by content owners," Altice said. "Given that Starz is available to all consumers directly through Starz' own over-the-top streaming service, we don't believe it makes sense to charge all of our customers for Starz programming, particularly when their viewership is declining and the majority of our customers don't watch Starz."
"We have offered and remain open to a deal with Starz to offer the content to customers who want it but they refuse," added the company.