Tweet
HORIZON SUES CHARTER
http://asbarez.com/108326/horizon-sues-charter/
Saturday, February 16th, 2013
by Ara Khachatourian
Horizon Television
GLENDALE-A legal complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court
Friday against Charter Communication by attorneys representing Horizon
Armenian Television's parent company the Armenian Media Network
challenging Charter's decision to arbitrarily yank Horizon Television
off its lineup in Glendale, Burbank and La Crescenta on February 19. A
hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, February 19 at 8:30 a.m. at LA
Superior Court.
The suit alleges that Charter is in breach of contract with Horizon,
which on December 3 signed a contract for carriage in 2013, even
agreeing to a 25 percent fee hike proposed to Charter. The latter,
without any explanation, informed Horizon on January 10 that it had
decided to discontinue Horizon from its lineup, and began informing
customers of its decision, which also includes the addition of another
Armenian channel to replace Horizon.
The complaint also emphasizes that Horizon viewers, and the community,
will be underserved by Charter's decision, given Horizon's
unparalleled record of election coverage. Since January, Horizon has
played host to a number of candidates vying for office in the upcoming
municipal elections in Glendale and Burbank and as part of its
commitment to covering the elections, it plans to continue its
programming to educate and empower Armenian voters to take part in the
elections. Charter's decision to discontinue carriage of Horizon will
deprive the community of crucial information.
Charter's decision has forced advertisers and producers to cancel
contracts with Horizon Television, causing severe financial damage to
Horizon, which has been serving and informing the Armenian community
since 1988. An estimated 10 to 15 people will lose their jobs on
Tuesday if Charter moves forward with its planned blackout of Horizon.
`Charter's actions constitute an egregious breach of the binding
agreement it has entered into with Horizon TV. Threats by Charter to
remove Horizon TV from the air have caused a chilling effect upon
fundamental rights of speech and political discourse,' said AMN
counsel Raymond Aghaian of the law firm McKenna, Long and Aldridge.
`We intend to pursue every legal avenue to right this wrong and
prevent Charter from perpetrating such injustice against Horizon TV
and the Armenian American community,' added Aghaian.
`Charter gave us no choice but to seek a legal resolution to this
matter,' said Avedik Izmirlian, chairman of the Armenian Media
Network. `We are confident that the court will see that Charter's
unilateral and arbitrary decision has disrupted the Armenian community
and Horizon's ability to carry out its mission to serve and inform our
community. We are certain that Charter's efforts to stifle our
community's voice will not come to fruition.'
The community responded to Charter's decision with anger and
unequivocal support for Horizon, Thousands have signed online and
paper petitions and hundreds protested Charter at three demonstrations
in front of its offices in Glendale during the past two weeks.
Horizon Television was the first Armenian-language channel to become
part of the Charter lineup with a 24-hour channel in 1999 and was
chosen by the corporation because of its deep roots and its
demonstrated service to the community. Horizon Television debuted in
May of 1989 with a mission to inform and serve the Armenian-American
community. In a short time, Horizon became a broadcast outlet for news
and information and evolved into a true voice for the ever-expanding
Armenian community. In 1999, Horizon expanded its programming to
become the first 24-hour television channel in the Armenian community
and since then, by partnering with organizations and businesses alike,
it has provided groundbreaking coverage of all things Armenian for its
viewers. Horizon is the Armenian language equivalent of the non-profit
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) network on mainstream television.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://asbarez.com/108326/horizon-sues-charter/
Saturday, February 16th, 2013
by Ara Khachatourian
Horizon Television
GLENDALE-A legal complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court
Friday against Charter Communication by attorneys representing Horizon
Armenian Television's parent company the Armenian Media Network
challenging Charter's decision to arbitrarily yank Horizon Television
off its lineup in Glendale, Burbank and La Crescenta on February 19. A
hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, February 19 at 8:30 a.m. at LA
Superior Court.
The suit alleges that Charter is in breach of contract with Horizon,
which on December 3 signed a contract for carriage in 2013, even
agreeing to a 25 percent fee hike proposed to Charter. The latter,
without any explanation, informed Horizon on January 10 that it had
decided to discontinue Horizon from its lineup, and began informing
customers of its decision, which also includes the addition of another
Armenian channel to replace Horizon.
The complaint also emphasizes that Horizon viewers, and the community,
will be underserved by Charter's decision, given Horizon's
unparalleled record of election coverage. Since January, Horizon has
played host to a number of candidates vying for office in the upcoming
municipal elections in Glendale and Burbank and as part of its
commitment to covering the elections, it plans to continue its
programming to educate and empower Armenian voters to take part in the
elections. Charter's decision to discontinue carriage of Horizon will
deprive the community of crucial information.
Charter's decision has forced advertisers and producers to cancel
contracts with Horizon Television, causing severe financial damage to
Horizon, which has been serving and informing the Armenian community
since 1988. An estimated 10 to 15 people will lose their jobs on
Tuesday if Charter moves forward with its planned blackout of Horizon.
`Charter's actions constitute an egregious breach of the binding
agreement it has entered into with Horizon TV. Threats by Charter to
remove Horizon TV from the air have caused a chilling effect upon
fundamental rights of speech and political discourse,' said AMN
counsel Raymond Aghaian of the law firm McKenna, Long and Aldridge.
`We intend to pursue every legal avenue to right this wrong and
prevent Charter from perpetrating such injustice against Horizon TV
and the Armenian American community,' added Aghaian.
`Charter gave us no choice but to seek a legal resolution to this
matter,' said Avedik Izmirlian, chairman of the Armenian Media
Network. `We are confident that the court will see that Charter's
unilateral and arbitrary decision has disrupted the Armenian community
and Horizon's ability to carry out its mission to serve and inform our
community. We are certain that Charter's efforts to stifle our
community's voice will not come to fruition.'
The community responded to Charter's decision with anger and
unequivocal support for Horizon, Thousands have signed online and
paper petitions and hundreds protested Charter at three demonstrations
in front of its offices in Glendale during the past two weeks.
Horizon Television was the first Armenian-language channel to become
part of the Charter lineup with a 24-hour channel in 1999 and was
chosen by the corporation because of its deep roots and its
demonstrated service to the community. Horizon Television debuted in
May of 1989 with a mission to inform and serve the Armenian-American
community. In a short time, Horizon became a broadcast outlet for news
and information and evolved into a true voice for the ever-expanding
Armenian community. In 1999, Horizon expanded its programming to
become the first 24-hour television channel in the Armenian community
and since then, by partnering with organizations and businesses alike,
it has provided groundbreaking coverage of all things Armenian for its
viewers. Horizon is the Armenian language equivalent of the non-profit
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) network on mainstream television.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress