Q. I got a notice from Comcast that I was going to lose one of my local stations next month. Do you know anything about this? — Genny, Dunkirk, Maryland.
Genny, you live in one of the 38 Comcast markets that will lose at least one local channel on December 22, 2020. Before you get too angry, let me explain.
Update: Comcast to Now Keep 35 ‘Neighboring’ Local Channels
In those 38 markets, Comcast now provides more than one affiliate for at least one network. For example, in Calvert County, Maryland, where you live, the cable operator provides both the Baltimore NBC station (WBAL-TV) and the Washington, D.C. local NBC (WRC-TV).
The reason for the dual coverage is that some residents in that market (and the 37 other markets) have interest in news from both areas because they live roughly the same distance from each. (The 38 markets are largely in rural/suburban areas.)
However, Comcast has had to pay the owners of both stations to deliver their signals. And with pay TV operators looking to cut programming costs, the cable operator has decided to jettison one of the two affiliates in the 38 markets. The affiliates being removed are largely owned by Hearst Communications
“It’s our goal to provide you with the shows and movies you love at a fair price,” Comcast said in the e-mail notice sent to subscribers in the 38 markets. “We work with networks, local TV station owners, streaming companies and others to bring you a range of top programming. As part of this process, we often have to make decisions about what we’re able to offer. Today, you have access to two TV stations affiliated with the same national network, one from your local market, and another from a neighboring market. The owner of the station from the neighboring market is insisting we pay additional fees to continue to carry their station in your area. That station offers much of the same content as the one in your local market. In an effort to keep costs down for our customers, we did not accept their proposal. As a result, we will no longer be able to offer the out-of-market station as of December 22, 2020. Please note that all of the national network programming on this station will continue to be available to you on the network’s local station serving your community.”
The cable operator notes that subscribers will continue to be able to watch the network’s national programming via the one affiliate that stays in their lineup. But they will no longer have access to the news and local programming provided by the affiliate in the neighboring market. (Genny, in your case, you will keep WRC in Washington, but lose WBAL in Baltimore.)
Comcast says subscribers might be able to get the local newscasts of the departing stations on their web sites and/or news apps such as NewsOn.
So which stations will be dropped on December 22? And which markets will be affected? Here they are:
Portales, NM
Affiliate Being Removed
KOAT (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
KVII
Tallapoosa, GA
Affiliate Being Removed
WVTM (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WXIA
Twin City, GA
Affiliate Being Removed
WJCL (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WJBF
Wilmot, NH
Affiliate Being Removed
WPTZ (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WBTS
Horse Cave, KY
Affiliate Being Removed
WLKY (CBS)
Affiliate Staying
WNKY
Claremont, NH
Affiliates Being Removed
WCVB & WMUR (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WVNY
Colleton County, SC
Affiliate Being Removed
WJCL (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WCIV
Chico/Oroville, CA
Affiliate Being Removed
KCRA (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
KNVN
Newberry, SC
Affiliate Being Removed
WYFF (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WIS
Las Cruces, NM
Affiliate Being Removed
KOAT (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
KVIA
Tell City, IN
Affiliate Being Removed
WLKY (CBS)
Affiliate Staying
WEVV
Arcadia/Cape Haze, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WMOR (IND)
In this market, there will be no alternative channel for the independently-owned WMOR.
Glades County, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WPBF (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WZVN
Alachua/Levy County, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WESH (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WNBW
Harrisburg, PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WBAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WGAL
Norwich/New London, CT
Affiliate Being Removed
WCVB (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WTNH
Connersville, Richmond, Lynn-Winchester, IN
Affiliate Being Removed
WLWT (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WTHR
Bedford, IN
Affiliate Being Removed
WLKY (CBS)
Affiliate Staying
WTTV
Crescent City/Palatka, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WESH (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WTLV
Nahunta/Waynesville, GA
Affiliate Being Removed
WJCL (ABC)
There will be no alternative for the ABC signal in this market.
Johnstown-Altoona Area PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WTAE (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WATM
Mount Vernon, GA
Affiliate Being Removed
WJCL (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WGXA
Coatesville/Kennett Square, & Reading/Hamburg, PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WGAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WCAU
Kent County, DE
Affiliate Being Removed
WBAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WCAU
Berwick/Eliot, ME
Affiliates Being Removed
WCVB & WMUR (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WMTW
Bristol County, MA
Affiliate Being Removed
WCVB (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WLNE
Danville, Galax & Martinsville, VA
Affiliate Being Removed
WXII (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WSLS
Salisbury, MD Area
Affiliate Being Removed
WBAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WRDE
Contra Costa/Solano County, CA
Affiliate Being Removed
KCRA (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
KNTV
Santa Clara County, CA
Affiliate Being Removed
KSBW (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
KNTV
Springfield, MA Area
Affiliate Being Removed
WCVB (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WGGB
Polk County-Citrus County, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WESH (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WFLA
Polk County, FL
Affiliate Being Removed
WKCF (CW)
Affiliate Staying
WTOG
Calvert & Frederick, MD
Affiliate Being Removed
WBAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WRC
Todd Township, PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WGAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WRC – available Dec 2
Wheeling-Steubenville Area, PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WTAE (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WTRF
Pottsville/Hegins Township, PA
Affiliate Being Removed
WGAL (NBC)
Affiliate Staying
WBRE – available Dec 2
East Liverpool, OH
Affiliate Being Removed
WTAE (ABC)
Affiliate Staying
WTRF
Genny, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
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— Phillip Swann
They have been dropping stations for a year and with out reduce ing your bill
Comcast is RIDICULOUS keep dropping channels but the bill stays the same … Oh but I can “upgrade” and pay more to get the channels I should still have. How is it legal to change the contracted channels and keep the fees the same? And I have a sports fee in a sports free house
The effects of Digital tv. Makes you think how it is that those in Annapolis can’t get Dover but get dc out of market but are told they are a Balt suburb! The loss of analog tv allows crazy and what should be illegal tv controls. Remember those 100,000 watt radio channels like 1120 KMOX in St Louis?? They are gone too.
KMOX (nor any other former Class A AM station) has ever operated, legally that is, at 100,000 watts. Without special authorization, such as WLW had, all stations in the United States are, and have always been, limited to 50.000 watts.
So. Is “Out of Market” determined by distance or politics?? The latter I’m sure! Just think of this. What if ALL Comcast had to Only have the NBC affiliate that was closest?? I’d love to see that. Shows we need to reduce about 10-15 markets at least especially in the 13 colonies!
These are not based on politics, they’re based on the Designated Market Areas as determined by Nielsen. It’s not necessary for Harrisburg to see Baltimore’s NBC station when WGAL blankets central Pennsylvania.
Get IPTV . Start inexpensively with a 4K Firestick, and for about $80 per year, get any and all things cable or satellite can give, plus get and keep all your local channels.
Comcast in Baltimore charges over $200 for my mom’s basic cable. Is that how much everyone there pays?
I think she’s being robbed. That fee is absurd.
Put an antenna on the back of your tv. Download your stations.through input settingsI have 18 channels that give me all my local and national news.these are. FREE. Not cable connected.
I have no lost love for Comcast but this issue is pretty clear. Local stations are charging Comcast (and other cable providers) for the same signal you could get over the air, free for many years. Obviously, this cost is passed on to you. The local affiliates are trying to soak us for as much as they can and the affiliate fees are going up every year. I don’t need, or wish to pay for duplicate stations. Cut the off Comcast!
Local affiliates are not trying to “soak you” by making cable companies pay for the content they are carrying and providing over the air. Comcast has to buy all it’s other content from “providers” why should they be allowed to basically charge you for what they get free off the air?
I noticed that most of the stations being removed have one thing in common – they are owned by Hearst Television. It looks like to me, a former Hearst station employee, that at least 30 of the 38 markets losing stations are losing stations owned by Hearst. This could just be a ploy by comcast to get Hearst to lower their retransmission fee, which is why there is about a month to negotiate before the changes.
If you have an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the Hearst Stations are not included on NewsOn, but they are included as individual Apps! However, on a Roku Stick, Hearst Stations are part of NewsOn, but the individual Apps do not exist on Roku?
Removing WMUR (based in Manchester, NH) and replacing it with a NY based station makes not sense. If that had been the case – especially early in the pandemic – we would have had no timely NH state news source for COVID notices from our govenor and state health officials. VT has WCAX so would have been covered.
try twitter !Your welcome