Bill Text: NJ AR143 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Urges Comcast and YES network to resolve broadcast programming dispute.*

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-05-26 - Filed with Secretary of State [AR143 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR143-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 143

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED APRIL 14, 2016

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  CRAIG J. COUGHLIN

District 19 (Middlesex)

Assemblyman  WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Pinkin

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges Comcast and YES Network to resolve broadcast programming dispute.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee on May 12, 2016, with amendments.

  

An Assembly Resolution urging Comcast ¹and the YES Network¹ to resolve ¹[its] their¹ carriage renewal agreement dispute ¹[with the YES Network]¹.

 

Whereas, The YES Network (YES) has been the exclusive New York Yankees regional sports network since 2002; and

Whereas, YES also broadcasts coverage of Brooklyn Nets basketball games and New York FC soccer matches; and

Whereas, YES is carried by Comcast Cable (Comcast) and can be viewed by approximately 900,000 Comcast customers in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania; and

¹Whereas, Comcast is a leading cable provider serving approximately 23 million cable subscribers and holding 22 percent of the national cable market share; and

Whereas, The most recent Comcast and YES carriage agreement expired in February 2015 and both parties agreed to air regularly scheduled YES programming indefinitely while negotiations continue; and

Whereas, Comcast customers cannot opt out of receiving YES as part of their subscription; and¹

Whereas, ¹[Since] Upon reaching a negotiations impasse, in¹ November of 2015, YES ¹programming¹ has been blacked out by Comcast ¹[due to a carriage renewal agreement dispute, preventing Comcast customers from accessing the channel]¹; and

Whereas, On April 4th, 2016, the New York Yankees ¹[will play] played¹ their first game of the 2016 Major League Baseball season, yet thousands of their fans across the region who are Comcast ¹and YES¹ customers ¹[will be] were¹ prevented from ¹[celebrating] watching¹ their favorite team due to the ongoing black out; and

Whereas, In 2015, YES aired 130 of the New York Yankees's 162 games and a similar broadcast schedule was anticipated for the 2016 baseball season; and

Whereas, Sports games are one of the few types of television broadcasts that viewers must watch live to enjoy the experience;

Whereas, Sports are often the reason customers subscribe to cable providers ¹[such as Comcast]¹ and pay high rates for receiving sports channels; and

Whereas, The New York Yankees are one of the oldest and most popular professional sports franchises in the country and serve as a cultural bond that stretches across all generations and all socio-economic groups; and

Whereas, Comcast is ¹[also]¹ urged to ¹[reimburse] consider reimbursing¹ on a pro rata basis its customers who receive YES ¹programming¹ for each day of the black out; and

¹Whereas, Both parties are urged to agree to a carriage fee that will not increase rates to Comcast customers; and¹

Whereas, Comcast ¹[is] and YES are¹ urged to resolve the carriage renewal dispute ¹[with YES]¹ and to discontinue the black out ¹[of the network]¹, which is preventing 900,000 ¹[Comcast]¹ customers from enjoying broadcasts of New York Yankees games; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House urges Comcast Cable ¹and the YES Network¹ to resolve ¹[the] their¹ carriage renewal dispute ¹[with the YES Network]¹ and to discontinue the black out of ¹[the]¹ YES Network ¹programming¹ so that 900,000 Comcast customers may view broadcasts of New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and New York FC games and matches.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President and Chief Executive Office of Comcast Cable and to the President and Chief Executive Officer of the YES Network.