ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Alaska cable and internet provider GCI has reached a contract extension that will keep ABC, CW and Fox on its cable packages at least through January.
The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Wednesday that the extension comes as GCI and the owners of local network affiliates continue to negotiate cost increases.
ABC and CW would've been removed from GCI service statewide on Jan. 1 without the extension. Fox would've been removed on Jan. 15.
Fox programming includes the upcoming National Football League playoffs.
GCI Spokeswoman Heather Handyside says the provider offers 450 channels in Anchorage and negotiates new contracts for each of them. Cost increases on contracts are usually between 5 percent and 20 percent, but GCI says the ABC, CW and Fox affiliate owners requested a 300 percent increase.
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Information from: (Anchorage) Alaska Journal of Commerce, http://www.alaskajournal.com