New York Attorney General Letitia James has demanded that Altice USA, the owner of cable TV giant Optimum, refund customers who were impacted by recent blackouts of the MSG cable channels. James, along with the attorneys general of Connecticut and New Jersey, issued a letter to Altice USA chairman and CEO Dennis Matthew, calling for automatic refunds for customers denied access to MSG channels they paid for.
The blackouts occurred due to contract disputes between the network and provider, with many finger-pointing over fees. Optimum removed access to Nexstar channels, including WPIX local sports, The CW, and NewsNation, in early January 2025, after reaching a partnership agreement with the channel. However, MSG channels have been blacked out since Jan. 1.
James said local sports fans should not be penalized for paying for channels they couldn’t watch. “Optimum customers have paid for channels to watch their home sports teams, but their cable company is not offering these channels while charging them anyway,” James stated. The attorneys general are demanding that Altice USA provide refunds to customers for the period of time the MSG networks were blacked out.
Altice USA has not yet responded to James’ letter, but Optimum has provided assistance and alternative solutions to its customers. Some of these solutions include transitioning customers to new video offerings to save them an average of $25 a month. However, the company claims that MSG Networks has made no effort to make their content more affordable.
The dispute is causing frustration among local sports fans and Optimum subscribers, who have expressed their feelings on social media. The state attorneys’ involvement could help pressure Altice USA to reach a deal, bringing an end to the ongoing blackouts.
Source: https://www.amny.com/news