NASA TV programming, text crawl replaces AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ marathon
NASA TV and the International Space Station greeted Bardstown Cable TV viewers watching AMC’s “Walking Dead” marathon just after midnight Thursday, Dec. 31. A blue text crawl informs viewers looking for AMC programming that the network refused to continue its programming while negotiations continue.
NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT
Friday, Jan. 1, 2016, 1 a.m. — As promised, AMC Networks discontinued its programming at midnight, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, right in the middle of the “Walking Dead” New Year’s marathon, and viewers were switched to NASA TV programming.
The NASA TV feed features a text crawl with the message:
“As part of its heavy-handed negotiating tactics to extract a large fee hike, AMC Networks, owner of this channel, has decided to shut down its programming to our customers. We requested that AMC Networks keep the programming on while we try to resolve this issue but they refused. For the latest updates and to find where you can still watch shows from this network, visit TVOnMySide.com.”
Negotiations to renew AMC Network’s programming on the Bardstown Cable TV system is being done on the city’s behalf by its co-op, the National Cable TV Cooperative (NCTC). The NCTC represents more than 850 small to medium-size cable systems who serve more than 4 million customers.
Fans of the popular AMC program “The Walking Dead” were unhappy with the move; many “Dead” fans vented their anger on social media, vowing to drop the city’s cable TV and go with a provider that still offers AMC.
There are alternate ways to watch “Dead” when the new season resumes, including via AMC’s website and other options.
In addition to AMC on the city’s Extended Basic programming tier, AMC Networks also terminated its two other channels on the city cable TV system, Women’s Entertainment (WE) and the Independent Film Network, both channels were part of the Digital Basic programming tier.
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