Cox, KHBS-KHOG In the Air Over Digital

The Fort Smith and Fayetteville ABC affiliate, KHBS-KHOG-TV, Channels 40/29, recently announced its digital high definition signal may no longer be carried by Cox Communications.

The signal is technically called KHBS-KHOG-DT and appears on channel 720 to Cox digital subscribers.

Jim Prestwood, general manager of KHBS-KHOG, said the two entities are negotiating a contract at the corporate level. KHBS-KHOG is seeking a “long-term” contract for its digital signal.

The removal of the digital transmission will result only if KHBS-KHOG TV’s parent company Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. and Cox can not reach terms by Oct. 1.

“Cox has been actively promoting to current and prospective subscribers the addition of our digital channel to its lineup, and charging its subscribers a premium for our high-definition signals,” Prestwood said in a press release. “We’re certainly supportive of their adding and promoting our high-definition programming. But they won’t come to terms with us on providing fair consideration for that right. To allow any re-distributor of our station’s digital signal to benefit economically from our efforts without providing us a reasonable contract for that right would be unacceptable for us.”

KHBS-KHOG and Cox still have an agreement to transmit the analog signal should there be no timely agreement on the digital transmission.

Prestwood was optimistic that an agreement to suit both parties would be made.

Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. owns 26 television stations. Twelve of those are ABC affiliates.