(Toledo News Now) - A financial dispute between Buckeye Cable System and Sinclair Broadcast Group, the owner of Toledo's NBC affiliate, is resulting in Buckeye being barred from airing WNWO's signal.
The agreement which allowed Buckeye to transmit that signal expired December 15, and for now, people can't watch the station by way of the cable provider.
While the head of Buckeye Cable is not commenting, on its website the company claims Sinclair is demanding 10 times more money than what they were previously receiving. Sinclair Executive Vice President and General Counsel Barry Faber denies that claim.
"That is not a true statement. What we're asking for is consistent with what we're paid by other cable and satellite providers similar to Buckeye," Faber said.
According to BJ Fischer with the Thread Marketing Group, the dispute amounts to a public relations stalemate.
"The problem is from a PR standpoint it's very difficult for the public to gain any sympathy for either side," he said. "All they want to do is watch their television program."
Block Communications owns both Buckeye Cable and the Blade, and ads in the paper and electronic billboards aimed at putting pressure on Sinclair are being called childish.
"I've never seen another cable company do something like that," Faber said. "It's the most irresponsible manner I've seen a cable company behave."
What both sides do agree on: There are plenty of options to view the station's programming other than Buckeye, including using an antenna.
