http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/story/893405.html

An arbitrator has found that Time Warner Cable deliberately discriminated against the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and must carry the network on terms yet to be selected by the arbitrator, MASN announced today.
MASN and Time Warner have submitted their best offers for putting the network on the cable system, according to a news release from MASN, and the arbitrator, Jerome Sussman, will determine which one better represents fair market value. Sussman was appointed to the case by the Federal Communications Commission.

MASN carries baseball's Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles, as well as regional college sports events.

"The conclusion that Time Warner deliberately discriminated against MASN is inescapable from the documents and testimony," Sussman wrote, noting that Time Warner "had both motive and opportunity to discriminate." Sussman also found that "all of TWC's efforts went into figuring out ways to avoid putting MASN on the air."

Time Warner has argued that carrying MASN on basic cable would mean that its customers would have to pay for a service in which few are interested.

MASN called the ruling "a resounding victory."

Network spokesman Todd Webster said: "MASN is obviously pleased with this result, and we look forward to reaching a swift resolution that allows all Time Warner customers throughout North Carolina the same opportunity to watch their local sports on television that millions of other North Carolinians who receive their television service from other providers already enjoy."

Satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network carry MASN programming.

1/21/2008 1:01:23 PM

finally

1/21/2008 1:02:40 PM

so is that considered a regional network now (meaning that you would actually get to see the baseball games)? The RSN's have always confused me...

1/21/2008 1:03:21 PM

MLB should really rethink their blackout zones. It's stupid to have Washington/Baltimore be the "home team" in the Raleigh area even though they are closer than Atlanta is... 'Necks identify with 'necks...

1/21/2008 1:04:01 PM

I don't think MLB has a say in it but I could be wrong

1/21/2008 1:05:07 PM

Quote :

"MLB should really rethink their blackout zones."

dumber still is that western north carolina is considered part of the reds market

1/21/2008 1:07:27 PM

so this only affects baseball fans? since they're not showing the ACC on that channel anyway.

1/21/2008 3:51:01 PM

Charlotte is technically in the Reds, Braves, Nationals and Orioles markets

This means we're blacked out on MLB.tv games of those teams so this costs me over 40 Mets games a year

Pretty stupid rules

1/21/2008 4:06:38 PM

The RSN's are perhaps the biggest clusterfuck in the history of television. Example.......

Dish Network and YES- Steinbrenner wanted it to be on every package, Dish said no. So Steinbrenner won't sell it to them at all, even in an RSN package....

1/21/2008 4:11:16 PM

I wish I got FSN-South in addition to, or instead of CSN or MASN.

1/21/2008 4:29:49 PM

you can get it in addition to....but you won't get the baseball games, which is retarded and will probably always be retarded

1/21/2008 4:33:16 PM

Now, if we can only get the NFL Network...

1/21/2008 4:41:11 PM

word. now i can watch Pirate football w/out going to a bar.

1/21/2008 7:31:15 PM

hooray

i can get back to watching the terrible o's

1/21/2008 8:02:13 PM

They've expressed an interest in getting the Hurricanes contract. Regardless of who gets it, this means competition in the bidding for FSN, which will hopefully result in close to if not all 82 games being televised.

1/21/2008 8:04:40 PM

i just dont get why the govt tells a company why it must carry a certain channel

however, i also dont get why cable cos are allowed to have a monopoly

1/21/2008 9:01:37 PM

I had both masn channels last year. It's like trying to watch an O's game with vaseline smeared in your eyes.

I switched to FIOS, and now only have masn, and no masn2. O's usually ended up on masn2, so it looks like I'll be missing games this year.

1/21/2008 9:03:26 PM

I don't get why I shouldn't be allowed to pick and choose what channels I want.

1/21/2008 9:03:32 PM

Quote :

"This means we're blacked out on MLB.tv games of those teams so this costs me over 40 Mets games a year"

If you have MLB.tv let me know.. I can get you around those pesky blackouts. Can't do anything for you though if you have Extra Innings...

^^^^ I think that would be the best thing for MASN.. there were rumors of them going after the Canes a few years back IIRC too... it would firmly implant them in NC then and the Canes could use a solid network like that. I believe the Caps/Wizards are on Comcast Sports so there should be openings on MASN for games.

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 9:30 PM. Reason : x]

1/21/2008 9:29:29 PM

i'm back in the braves blackout area after moving away from raleigh

what's your secret mr. met?

i was googling on the effectiveness of proxy servers + mlb.tv earlier, but they don't seem to do much good

[Edited on January 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM. Reason : ]

1/21/2008 9:33:37 PM

and even better than all the games being broadcast would be more of them in HD.. i think Boston has most or all of their TV games on NESN, and every highlight i have seen on VS/ESPN from NESN has been in HD

1/21/2008 9:34:39 PM

this station means essentially nothing to me

1/21/2008 10:15:56 PM

I've had MASN and MASN2 for about a year now. I've yet to find more than one or two worthwhile things to watch.

1/21/2008 10:26:16 PM

does this mean I'm gonna pay more for cable?

1/21/2008 11:16:31 PM

Quote :

"I don't think MLB has a say in it but I could be wrong"

MLB has everything to say in it.

Quote :

"They've expressed an interest in getting the Hurricanes contract. Regardless of who gets it, this means competition in the bidding for FSN, which will hopefully result in close to if not all 82 games being televised."

Hopefully all 82 games being televised happens, but Id much prefer the Hurricanes staying on FSN. Its about time for them to step up and do all home games in HD though (I really thought winning a Stanley Cup would be a catalyst for one or both to happen, but I was mistaken). MASN does no HD at this time, so outside of some Big East and UNCW games that Id probably have little interest in, the channel is pretty much worthless.

Quote :

"does this mean I'm gonna pay more for cable?"

Its Time Warner...so you better believe it.

1/22/2008 5:15:07 AM

If you are expecting MASN to be a step up from Fox Sports South, prepare to be disappointed. It is a poor man's CSN.

1/22/2008 6:52:53 AM

lemme get ahold of this

so now we get masn

but i still won't be able to see a good many o's games cause it's on masn2?

1/22/2008 8:57:00 AM

thanks to masn, we couldnt watch any o's games in HD in baltimore last year.

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 9:09 AM. Reason : d]

1/22/2008 9:09:02 AM

^^No expert, but I believe MASN2 only exists when the Orioles and Nationals are playing at the same time. So youd get MASN2 anytime its on.

And its not set in stone MASN is coming...TWC is appealing the ruling, and I think even if its upheld, finalizing where its carried and carriage fees and all that wont be done until March.

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 9:13 AM. Reason : -]

1/22/2008 9:12:47 AM

Not sure if anyone is aware of this, but the maps for regional baseball coverage were drawn over 40 years ago....... fucking sad....

1/22/2008 10:10:08 AM

Quote :

"does this mean I'm gonna pay more for cable? "

Yes.

1/22/2008 10:55:10 AM

i think they upped rates recently {again}

and now they want me to pay an extra 10 bucks a month for "faster roadrunner"

1/22/2008 10:59:39 AM

Everyone altogether now:

A LA CARTE! A LA CARTE!

1/22/2008 11:20:41 AM

ahahaha never.......

1/22/2008 11:25:29 AM

how in the world do you discriminate against a tv network? does TWC think masns will steal its bike or default on a home loan or complain a lot about bagels?

or is "discriminate" used in this sense to mean "decided, of all sports networks, this one was the least watchable by the customers and thus least deserving of forcing down their throats"? because yeah i bet they did that

i think i am going to start a sports network which airs only videos from http://www.japanesebugfights.com/. i will scream bloody murder to the FCC should cable networks make the mistake of not putting it on basic cable for my low, low $2/subscriber fee. i bet i'll get more viewership than an o's game!

[Edited on January 22, 2008 at 11:39 AM. Reason : i am new to internet]

1/22/2008 11:31:06 AM

Quote :

"thanks to masn, we couldnt watch any o's games in HD in baltimore last year. "

this

1/22/2008 11:49:30 AM

I wasn't aware that enough people actually cared to watch the O's... They've finished 3rd or worse in the East since like 1997 or something crazy. Some NC State optimism there I guess.....

1/22/2008 11:52:53 AM

come to baltimore then.

1/22/2008 11:56:14 AM

No thanks, I've seen The Wire.

1/22/2008 11:58:41 AM

^ haha, my wife's interviewing at a hospital in baltimore, and after watching the wire, i really don't want to live there.

1/22/2008 12:08:54 PM

!

3/31/2008 8:25:07 AM

ECU football

3/31/2008 9:48:29 AM