Advanced Television

Starz petitions for Altice network restoration

January 19, 2018

Premium subscription video programming provider Starz has filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling, Enforcement Order, and Further Relief on January 8th and an Emergency Petition for Injunctive Relief on January 17th with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in an effort to restore its channels to Altice customers in New York in compliance with FCC rules.

The public comment period is currently open on Starz’ Petition for Declaratory Ruling, Enforcement Order, and Further Relief, and it will close on February 5th.

  • Restore carriage of STARZ, STARZENCORE and MOVIEPLEX for the FCC-required 30-day notice period;
  • Correct Altice’s misleading and false disclosures regarding its deletions of Starz’ channels; and
  • Respond to consumer inquiries and complaints in compliance with FCC rules.

As of January 1st, 2018, Altice (parent company of Cablevision) deleted all 16 STARZ, STARZENCORE and MOVIEPLEX channels from all of its systems. Altice took this action without providing the FCC-required 30-day notice to its subscribers prior to such drop. Subsequently, Altice has followed a pattern of avoiding the inquiries and complaints of tens of thousands of its subscribers, also in violation of FCC rules, claims Starz.

“To our great disappointment, and to the disappointment of Altice customers, Starz and its affiliated channels continue to remain off the air in New York,” said Chris Albrecht, President and CEO of Starz. “This disruption has caused high-quality programming that promotes diversity in its production, talent and content, to be taken from viewers with no notice. More than that, Altice has continued a pattern of abusive consumer practices in avoiding the inquiries and complaints of its subscribers about the deletion.

“The filing of today’s petition is the next step in our effort to ensure that Altice subscribers receive the full value of their subscription, including restoration of all Starz channels,” continued Albrecht. “Starz has never stopped transmitting its service to Altice and it is time for them to do the right thing by either restoring the service or giving our customers a refund.”

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