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The Smoking Boar and the Coconut

The Smoking Boar and the Coconut is a family owned and operated restaurant in Waialua. Stop by for your local style plate lunch fix the next time you head up to the North Shore!

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Get in touch with The Smoking Boar and the Coconut:
 

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Hawaiian Telcom
1177 Bishop Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

© 2024 Hawaiian Telcom.  All rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Things You Should Know About Retrans Negotiations

Should customers switch to another pay TV provider due to blackout?

All TV providers have contractual agreements with broadcasters and go through these same types of negotiations. You can experience a threat of a blackout with any TV provider. In fact, the American Television Alliance reports that in the last five years, 80% of TV markets in the U.S. have experienced at least one local broadcast blackout. 

What are my options to watch local programming during a blackout?

If a blackout of the KHON2 (FOX) does occur, you can find award winning news and compelling programming on other local stations like Hawaii News Now or KITV. 

Is it true that Hawaiian Telcom is not agreeing to fair market rates?

You may hear false claims from Nexstar that we aren’t agreeing to fair market rates, but that simply isn’t true. We know you value KHON2 (FOX) programming and local news but we are fighting to keep your costs at a reasonable rate. Nexstar is asking for outrageous rate increases which translates to higher costs to our customers.  We are fighting to get fair rates for you.  

What is the rate increase that Nexstar is demanding from Hawaiian Telcom?

Nexstar is asking for an 70% increase over today's rate by the end of their proposed contract and are trying to leverage their market power to force higher rates. In the last 5 years, their rates have increased nearly 5 times more than the rate of inflation and they continue to demand outrageous increases which translate to higher costs to you. We believe that Nexstar is trying to squeeze every penny from you to increase their already record-breaking profits. As of May 9, 2023, Nexstar reported record revenue for Q1 2023 of $1.257 billion dollars. It is clear that our customers will be significantly impacted by their demands.   

What are retransmission consent fees?

Retransmission (or retrans) consent fees are the payments that Pay TV providers, like Hawaiian Telcom, make to broadcasters to carry their signals, even though their signals are available for free with an antenna. Near the end of a contract, Pay TV providers will enter negotiations with broadcasters to reach an agreement on new rates to carry their channels. If we do not agree to the rates proposed, the broadcaster can pull their signals, resulting in a channel blackout.
 
Consumers should be aware that:  

  • The rules governing retrans fees are part of the 1992 Cable Act.  
  • These rules were written at a time when most of us had only one choice for pay TV service and the Internet was still in its infancy.
Today, we have a variety of ways to watch programming, but these rules are still based on the old model of only one Pay TV provider.  

Why do retrans negotiations lead to blackouts?

Hawaiian Telcom is committed to providing our customers with the programming they enjoy at a fair rate. If an agreement is not reached, this results in a temporary blackout of the broadcaster's channels.

Has Nexstar ever had a blackout with a TV provider?

Nexstar has a history of forcing blackouts with TV providers. Since 2018, they have had blackouts with numerous TV providers in over 200 markets across the nation due to retransmission negotiations. They use this tactic to force higher rates on providers and ultimately you, the customer.

Who are the big broadcasters?

Broadcasters that are considered part of the “Big 4” networks including ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. They provide programming, such as morning and nightly national news shows, some daytime dramas, prime time programming, and late-night shows. The programming is then shown by their owned and operated (“O&O”) stations or their local affiliated stations, like Nexstar Broadcasting Group (KHON2), Allen Media Broadcasting (KITV) and Gray (KHNL & KGMB) here in Hawaii.

Has Hawaiian Telcom ever had to blackout a local broadcaster?

This is the first time Hawaiian Telcom has had to do this with a local broadcaster. We share your frustrations but we’re committed to fighting for lower rates for you.

Where can I call to receive daily updates on this negotiation?

To receive daily updates on the negotiation status, please call (808) 643-7300.

Channels in your TV lineup that could be impacted: 

KFVE Ch. 6 / Ch. 1006
CBS (KGMB) Ch. 7 / Ch. 1007
NBC (KHNL) Ch. 8 / Ch. 1008
Telemundo Hawaii Ch. 13 / Ch. 1013
AntennaTV Ch. 18 
Bounce Ch. 43
Circle TV Ch. 45
BARK TV Ch. 46

Make your voice heard.

Call KGMB at (808) 643-4377 to voice your concerns.

For daily updates on the negotiation, call (808) 643-7300.

Contact us to receive your credit

We know losing access to your favorite channels is frustrating. We appreciate your patience as we worked through negotiations. Please click the button below to fill out a form and to receive a credit for time without service. Credit not available to customers with bulk contract agreements.