‘Fast & Furious 6′ Opens To Big $6.5M … 
‘Katie’ Shakeup: Rachel Miskowiec Replaces … 
Hammond On Cannes: French Hero Jerry Lewis On His Return To … 
Cannes: Another Jewelry Heist? $2.6M Necklace Missing After … 
Hammond On Cannes: Leo DiCaprio’s Moon Trip Tops … 
Specialty B.O. Preview: ‘Before Midnight’, … 
2012-2013 Season Network Rankings: CBS Sweeps In Final … 
Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings 
TOLDJA! Paramount Pocketing $190M From Disney For Marvel … 
‘Good Morning America’ Hits 19-Year Viewership … 
MGM Buys ‘Modern Family’ Producer Ben … 
‘Fashion Police’ Writers Chant On Picket Lines: … 
Universal Makes Seven-Figure Deal For ‘The School For … 
Steven Soderbergh Will Interrupt Retirement To Direct And … 
Cannes: EOne Announces Itself As Player In U.S. … 
Will LIN TV Stations Go Dark On Time Warner Cable? 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Modern Family’, ‘Law … 
Hammond On Cannes: Paramount’s ‘Nebraska’ … 
Hot Trailer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s ‘Don … 
Hammond On Cannes: A New Day Comes To The Fest As HBO and … 
Cannes: Fleming Reflects And Finds Talented Trio A Breath … 
The programming company already has a website warning Verizon FiOS‘ 4.6M subscrubers that they are “about to lose” channels including AMC, IFC, and WEtv when the current contract expires at year end. Now AMC Networks is reaching out directly to Verizon customers: AMC says in a message that negotiations to renew the programming deal, which goes back to 2006, “are ongoing and we are hopeful to reach an agreement with Verizon that recognizes the fair value of our networks.” That sounds like code for: we’re far apart on the terms. Verizon says AMC is simply trying to “scare” FiOS customers. The phone company adds that it’s “unfortunate that [AMC] has decided to unnecessarily publicize these discussions, but not surprising as they have a history of using their viewers as pawns in their negotiations with distributors.” Dish Network recently resumed carriage of AMC’s networks after dropping them in June while the companies were engaged in a legal battle.
AMC Networks Warns Verizon FiOS Customers That Channels Could Go Dark
-
Marketplace
News/Opinion Poll
Loading ...Box Office Poll
Loading ...
Why can’t Cablevision sort out AMC Networks. They have 4 networks, a few amazing dramas on AMC, Portlandia on IFC and the rest is honestly dreadful. Why don’t they put Portlandia on AMC, get rid of Sundance, IFC and WETV and stop pretending they are a group of networks. What a waste of cable real estate.
No one has mentioned that they dropped MGM HD,Hall Mark HD and others in the three years I have been with them. We are paying a higher price but combared to others in my area Fios has the best picture and no dropping out and pixels like I see on other providers.
On top of AMC we now have two local channels that have banners saying Fios is thinking about dropping them. I’m thinking about getting a Tivo and going back to antenna.
Huh. So maybe, after being told for x number of months that it was Dish to blame, maybe, just maybe AMC carried a share of the responsibility too?
That’s exactly right, the cable companies don’t want to stop carrying these channels, AMC wants them to pay through the nose in order to carry them. If the cable companies agree to what AMC wants, then who do you think that increased cost will be passed on to?
All the cable companies know that there will be an increase with networks when the contracts are up but are not willing to be raked over the coals by AMC.
The fact that AMC then goes public and places everything squarely on the cable providers so customer threaten to cancel their service, is bull shit…
this is starting to look like a pattern… I won’t feel bad about using alternative means to watch AMC programming if they can’t make a deal with Verizon.
I want to say that I go on my laptop to watch shows. So, even if a show is dropped from any provider I will go watch it on my computer.
I was just watching AMC on Verizon Fios, and I saw both a commercial and a scrolling warning at the bottom of the screen alerting its viewers that we’re about to lose them due to Verizon’s unwilling efforts to come to an agreement with AMC. I’m so sick of seeing this crap I sent the following email to both AMC & Verizon:
After watching AMC regularly, I see a message scrolling across the bottom of the screen saying “You’re about to lose AMC with Verizon”… I’ve seen other cable companies say the exact same thing, so I honestly don’t know where the real problem lies. Either you, AMC, is asking for too much money, or VERIZON is too stubborn and cheap to pay AMC. I can say this much! I’m so damn tired of seeing these STUPID THREATS saying we’re about to lose AMC! Furthermore, my Verizon Fios bundle package (cable, internet & phone) is already WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!! We’ve been thinking about switching cable companies anyway for several months now. That said, we have a LOT of friends and family that also currently have Verizon Fios, and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE GETTING TIRED OF PAYING SUCH EXPENSIVE VERIZON CABLE BILLS!! We’ve even gone as far as posting on FaceBook about how rediculous Verizon Fios fees for their supposed money saving bundle packages are still WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!! Word of mouth advertising is the fastest most effective way to spread any kind of news good or bad, and right now Verizon Fios is about to lose a very signifant amount of subscribers if they don’t find a way to get our monthy bill to a more competitive rate! We pay $257 a month for cable, internet and phone. To some families that may not sound like a lot, but to us that’s WAY TOO EXPENSIVE (thats 4 times said now). AMC, you and VERIZON need to work together and figure this out, and LEAVE THE POLITICS BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE END USER, US, OUT OF IT! ‘NUFF SAID! Thank you, A Very angry and dissatisfied Verizon Customer!
I really like and support your letter in response to AMC and Verizon Kevin. My Husband and I have Verizon Fios as well, and we love watching Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead and some other AMC shows. I just cant understand why they (AMC) try to have us the customer fight their battles for them. We’ve also lost a lot of respect for Verizon Fios too because when we originally signed up for their bundle package they offered standard cable (that includes AMC and all their affiliates) Internet service and phone (which we don’t ever use, but they say we have to have a phone because it’s connected to the internet service) and all that cost us $99 for all three. Now the same bundle package cost us almost $170 a month! My Husband said thats a rediculous price increase over such a short period of three years. Kevin you may consider cutting out some of your movie channels and this should lower your bill.We can’t afford all their movie channels because there too expensive. And now they want to take away AMC and its sister stations too? This really is getting rediculous and maybe we should start looking at other cable companies too because I have heard Verizon is one of the most expensive. Thanks for sending your letter to AMC and Verizon Kevin. Im going to have my Husband send one to them as well.
AMEN!! You said what a lot of us are thinking. AMC and Verizon need to gert it together or we will all watch TV across HULU and other sites.
@ Mr. Turpin ; I couldn’t have said that any better myself and I to am being ripped off by verizon every month! But I have to say I cant stand any tv station such as amc sending negative messages to the customer telling me my carrier is about to drop their station and have to get us/me involved in efforts to get my vote to keep them! That really crosses the line and pisses me off! Thanks for taking a stand Mr.Turpin, as I totally agree!
I support AMC reaching out to customers. Verizon is very powerful My phone service and internet do not always work well. My tv does. (most of the time). But I feel that ending AMC is a breach of the contract I just got talked into signing. They said my rates would go up otherwise, so I signed it and my rates went to the highest anyway. But they have more legal clout than I do. The thing is that some of the other servers are worse…like time warner.. Their customers are always complaining. I have acccepted that Verizon has me… as long as they keep up their end. REmoving amc will impact me negatively and they are much smaller than verizon. So I”m supporting them.
Both my wife and I watch the AMC channel faithfully. Mad Men is one of our favorite programs. We wish Verizon and AMC can get their problems resovled so we (the consumers) can enjoy our programs.
As a Fios subscriber I can say that AMC’s HD feed is unwatchable. If AMC wants more money then they should fix the feed. It’s way over compressed. At least when I have to watch Mad Men and Walking Dead On Demand it looks much better.
I thought I might have been imagining the poor quality of AMC HD, thanks for confirming this
You must have an HDMI cable hooked to your tv in order to get good HD. With that wire, AMC is perfectly clear. It is not as good on regular (not hd) tv .in terms of clarity. But I tried to watch World without end on another channel that was not HD and it was unwatchable (while network channels are pretty okay in not HD. Get a HDMI.
Verizon if notorious for pushing new customers to order service online or over the phone and not disclosing the charges for boxes, taxes, and fees. Those charges alone bring a standard triple play from 89.99 as advertised up to a minimum of $130 depending on how many boxes are needed. Lucky for Verizon, they do have a very powerful marketing strategy which the average consumer falls for. They advertise fios to be 100% fiber optic, which it is not. There is NO fiber optic cable inside your homes. Their customer service is awful and most times cannot explain random charges on the monthly bills. Just a terrible way to do business. But unfortunately most people are unwilling to make the change to another cable company.
wh at is wrong with all of you companies, its always about more money or who is in power over what, but it is the customers that pays for it all ( both ways )all of the greed is insane ! there is going to come a time when people will get smart and not give you bussiness anymore then you can have something to cry about.quit playing with the customers and do what is right, just remember its our money your playing with!
I want AMC and WeTV to not be dropped and for Verizon to work with the network to come to some sort of reasonable agreement that works for all parties involved especially the customers.
We really are tired of paying all of our hard earned money to companies who raise rates and drop programming scheduling whenever they feel like it. And furthermore, what is with me having to pay for channes that I can’t even watch like telemundo and the rest of the spanish channels. I am not spanish I am american and I don’t like paying for channels that do not benefit me at all. I can think of several other channels I would rather have on my line up instead of those spanish channels that I don’t want or need.
Get it together or you may end up feeling the pinch like netflix did when they decided to try to make everyone go to watching movies on their computers or gaming consoles.
Whatever happened to the customer is always right and basic good customer service. I guess you all think this is funny, to make people pay thier money for cable and then they can’t even watch the shows they like.
Stop playing with your customer’s money!
This is purely AMC’s doing. Verizon did not intend to drop AMC. They are in negotiations and this is AMC’s immature way of securing all the money they can get their greedy hands on. AMC believes viewers are their pawns and can get them to pressure Verizon. Meanwhile, whose pocket will this come out of? Verizon customers. The petitions people filled out simply reminded Verizon how premium AMC is. This will effectively prop AMC to be a premium channel due to the false drama AMC generated. How does that make you feel, Verizon customers?
I pay for premium channels.. I get them instead of starbucks coffees. If I have to pay for AMC I will. Though I hope it doesn’t come to that. (it actually makes me feel relieved that I would be able to get it regardless) Fios is already one of my biggest bills. But we love our TV watching! I am happy to hear that Verizon is trying to negotiate… They have enough money.. Remember what happened to KCET.. they didn’t want to pay the huge PBS bills..but now all of us watch other PBS stations instead. Let’s hope they all work it out. I just watched season finale of WAlking dead. Scary!
My favorite program is The Walking Dead. If I can’t watch the program I will have to wait until the program is on DVD. I don’t appreciate getting involved in petty arguments. Why can’t I just watch my program in peace. I pay my bills. This is only to make people more richer. AMC is not as big as they think they are.
As long as i get the season end of the dead I don’t rea;;y care. AMC tries this nonsense with all the non cable providers, but ask the Dolans how many times they’ve resisted provider increases on their Cablevision systems. As a matter of fact this is probably an attempt to get Fios customers to return. As for Fios itself, the picture is so superior to my Optimum pix that it’s not debatable. I’ve lost service once in four years for four hours and Fios returned immediately after my power was restored after Sandy.Customer service has never been a problem and the cost four a one bill is better than competitive with the Dolans. My advice to Verizon is stay the course. Don’t give the Dolans one more dime than you do now.
FIGURE it out! AMC is great…but I am in total agreement with the first comment. Leave us out of it but get it done
Amc is the BEST channel. i love the walking dead.
So, with Verizon now on board with big-media’s “six strikes” thing, will they monitor for torrenting of ALL copyrighted works or will they let you slide if they catch you torrenting stuff from networks that they’ve stopped carrying.
One thing’s for sure, if Verizon *does* let AMC drop, we won’t see our bills reduced proportional to the lost channels/programming.
Go ahead and drop AMC, see if I care. When I watch a movie on AMC it is so loaded with commercials and cuts that I end up switching the channel. I gave up on AMC a long time ago, greedy bastards.
AMC has unique programming plus access to classic movies. I hope that Verizon and AMC can come to an agreement.
My solution to this (me personally) is to keep Verizon FIOS (always hoping they strike a deal with AMC) but if no deal is struck, to dump all my premium packages. I will find another way to watch every original drama on all those stations one way or another, and save myself some money to boot.
I would like to see some “voom” channels come back. More specifically “Monsters HD” and “Rush HD”. That’s the main reason AMC sued Dish Network.
First Dish, now AMC and Verizon. Does it surprise anyone that the cable companies have now surpassed the auto sales industry as being the most untrustworthy. One suggestion how all cable providers can save money and pay for the programs we, the customer contracted to see, quit spending all that money on their good will “we love our customers and are looking out for you” ads. No one believes them so it is indeed a grand waste of money. Tell you what cable providers, let me pick the 12 stations I want to watch ans get rid of the other 185 no one watches. They only exist because you can drain more revenue from usless programming, but you already know that because you now feel a channel like AMC that has decent shows is worth extorting money from your customer…..remember us, the ones you love soooo much. Notice also that every month your good ole’ cable provider increases your bill a little at a time with no explanation. They can’t even explain it after you wait 30 minutes on hold for them to explain it. What a joke, both AMC and Verizon.
It does not matter which company it at fault, its the loyal paying customer who will loose out in the end. Shame on you Verizon and AMC for not thinking of your loyal customers first.
Well looking at last nights huge Walking Dead Ratings Verizon Fios Would be foolish to let a squabble over fee rights to get in the way of fans watching this show. I had Comcast, In Massachusetts, when they decided to charge me extra for NFL Network few years back in august , I grabbed FIOS and dropped Comcast. Not a much of a AMC watcher but would be not too happy to see it drooped .
I am sure If this happens FIOS will lose more subscribers then they feel would have saved in paying fees .ANime Network did the same type of viral marketing when they were about to and were dropped by FIOS earlier this year .
I agree with many other posters that the most Cable fees are way to high .
FIOS should be looking to upgrade a lot of stations to HD dump half of the crappy religious stations or little channels nobody watches .
SAVE AMC DO NOT GET RID OF IT OR I WILL SWITCH FIOS,DONT BE LIKE
DISH AND GET RID OF THINGS,YOU WILL LOSE CUSTOMERS THANKYOU
Here the deal: Make ESPN, all the Spanish tv networks, and anything else an optional service. I do not need ESPN, Fox, spanish tv, amc, and see how much I save. Make it all a la carte so everyone has a choice.