Cable outlet RCN has "stopped carrying" MASN, which broadcasts Nationals and Orioles games, after the company and the RSN "could not reach a carriage agreement," according to Ben Strauss of the WASHINGTON POST. As of yesterday, MASN and MASN2 were "taken off the channel lineup for the 14,991 homes served by RCN in the DC area." That is the "fewest homes of the pay TV providers" in the market, and MASN "does not offer a streaming option for viewers." The deadlocked negotiations center around the concept of "penetration minimums." RCN customers can choose between a basic package or a more comprehensive cable package, and such deals "often call for a minimum percentage of a provider's customers to pay for a network." A source said that no "continuing negotiations are scheduled" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 7/1). There are some signs that this disagreement could be a long one. RCN seems ready for a long battle and has already set up a page on its website devoted to the dispute. Sources said that negotiations over the past month did not carry a sense of urgency. RCN is not one of MASN's bigger customers. MASN's other affiliate contracts with bigger distributions also are not up anytime soon (John Ourand, SBJ Media).
