Cordillera Communications and Time Warner Cable have struck a retrans deal for NBC affiliate KRIS, KAJA (Telemundo), and KDF, all Corpus Christi.
President and general manager Tim Noble announced the deal Friday on the station's Web site. He said the station was "pleased with the new agreement" and added "it is always important to stand up for what we believe in." Terms were not disclosed.
The stations have been off on TWC's systems since December.
Cordillera filed a complaint with the FCC against the MSO in January saying the cable operator was not negotiating in good faith. It asked the FCC to step in and put the stations back on the cable system, but the FCC does not traditionally get in the middle of retrans negotiations beyond monitoring them and asking both sides to come to agreements for the sake of their viewers and customers.
"We are pleased to announce that Time Warner Cable has reached a long-term agreement with Cordillera, and we are in the process of returning KRIS-TV, the CW South Texas, KAJA-Telemundo and KDF to our lineup," said TWC in a statement. We thank our customers for their patience and loyalty."
Cordillera told viewers it expected the stations to be back on Saturday (May 26).
The American Television Alliance (TWC is a member), which has been pushing the FCC to step in during retrans disputes keep stations on the air and force outside arbitration, saw the glass as still three-quarters empty. "While we are pleased to see the blackout of three local stations end in Corpus Christi, 2012 continues on course as the worst ever for broadcaster abuse of viewers." the group said in a statement.
