September 06, 2016

Charter Takes a Swing at Cárdenas Pitch to Air Dodgers Games on TV

PLAY BALL! Charter Communications takes a swing at Congressman Tony Cárdenas’ (CA-29) pitch to end Dodgers TV blackout and will air six regular-season Dodgers games, including the final series, to be broadcast by local Los Angeles over-the-air television station KTLA (Channel 5). The broadcast of the first game will include celebrations related to Vin Scully Appreciation Day.

“Game on! Man have I missed Vin Scully,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “He’s the reason I signed up for the Congressional baseball team again this year and why I will be watching the games that will air on KTLA 5. As a legislator, I do not always get to take a swing at fun topics, but if there is anything I am proud of it is my efforts to end the Dodgers blackout in L.A. This may not be the home run my colleagues and I had been writing to FCC Chairman Wheeler about, but it certainly gets us on base.

“For the next month, I’ll be singing a special rendition of the fan favorite song…

Take me out to the ball game,

The Dodgers are finally on.

Buy me a TV that airs the games.

After Vin leaves it will not be the same.

Let’s root, root, root for broadcast negotiations;

If they don’t agree it’s a shame.

For it’s 1!

2!

3!... 4,5,6 games

And we’re back on in L.A!”

In July 2014, Congressman Cárdenas led his Los Angeles delegation colleagues in writing a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler asking the FCC to mediate the stalemate between Time Warner Cable and other pay-TV providers that had left thousands of Los Angeles Dodgers fans unable to watch their team from their homes.

Congressman Cárdenas’ June 29, 2016 op-ed in the Los Angeles Daily News called attention to the issue once again and suggested a work-around in which New Charter could come to an agreement with a Los Angeles TV station to broadcast a number of games over-the-air.

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