In the latest salvo in their retransmission-consent battle, Cablevision said it's up to Walt Disney Co. president and CEO Bob Iger whether the cable operator's customers get to see the Oscars telecast on Sunday night.
The New York area's predominant cable operator said Friday afternoon that it continues to urge Disney to listen to government officials and consumers and not pull the signal on WABC-TV on March 7 at midnight. The 82nd annual Academy Awards ceremony will air at 8 p.m. that day.
On Friday afternoon, Cablevision said it will leave the WABC-TV channel position open and available and that the switch is in Iger's hands.
"There is one man who is going to decide whether New York gets to see the Oscars, and that's Disney President and CEO Bob Iger," said Cablevision executive vice president of communications Charles Schueler in a statement. "Cablevision already pays Disney more than $200 million a year and now they are demanding $40 million more. We call on Bob Iger to stop holding his own viewers hostage, end his threats to pull the plug on ABC at midnight and instead work with us to reach a fair agreement. The switch is in Bob Iger's hands."
Disney didn't respond by press time.
Cablevision said its subscribers should urge Disney and WABC-TV not to pull the programming by calling 1-877-NO-TVTAX, visiting http://www.cablevision.com/abc or joining its Facebook group "Cablevision Viewers Say: No New Fees, ABC!"