Missourians might be interested in learning about what is happening with the ongoing dispute between Univision and Charter Communications. According to news sources, Univision pulled its stations in several major markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and elsewhere, from Charter on Jan. 31.
The decision comes amidst an ongoing carriage dispute between the parties, which has already led to a lawsuit. Univision claims that Charter failed to use good faith negotiations in order to reach an agreement. Charter argues that there is already a contract in place with Univision.
The issue stems from the acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Communications, which Charter Communications completed in 2016. The acquisition made Charter second only to Comcast as one of the largest cable providers in the country. The dispute centers on the post-contract terms, which prompted Univision to file a lawsuit in July 2016. The lawsuit seeks to clarify which contract should be enforced between the one that Time Warner had in place or the one that Charter Communications did. Charter has elected to enforce the Time Warner contract as it had more favorable payment terms.
When a contract dispute arises, there are a number of potential contract remedies depending on the type of breach that has occurred. For minor contract breaches, attorneys may be able to negotiate settlements short of going to trial. When breaches destroy the parties’ ability to perform their contractual obligations, litigation may be necessary in order to make the injured parties whole. Attorneys may advise their clients about what they believe might be the best approach in order to resolve disputes in the most expedient manner.
Source: Variety, “Univision stations go dark on Charter Communications in New York, L.A., other big markets,” Cynthia Littleton, Jan. 31, 2017
