We have been informed that Charter/Spectrum has made the decision to drop WBTW’s out-of-market carriage on its systems serving Murrells Inlet, Pawleys Island and Georgetown and Cheraw in Chesterfield County. We believe Spectrum made this decision because the communities in Georgetown County are assigned by the Nielsen Company to the Charleston Designated Market Area and not the DMA that WBTW serves.
Therefore, despite WBTW’s proximity to these communities, Spectrum carriage of WBTW is optional. While we are constrained by the confidentiality provisions of our agreement with Spectrum from stating anything further, please be assured that Nexstar and Spectrum do have in place a retransmission consent agreement that allows Spectrum to carry WBTW on its out of market systems (as your system is), but the decision to do so is solely at Spectrum’s discretion.
Notwithstanding Spectrum’s decision to discontinue carriage of WBTW, WBTW remains available to viewers in the affected communities via the station’s over-the-air broadcast signal (available at no charge), and current news and weather information can be obtained via WBTW’s affiliated website – www.wbtw.com.
Because this decision was Charter’s, you can contact them at 877-566-4892 to let them know you would like them to resume carriage of WBTW on their system.
WBTW also streams all live newscasts on the News13 mobile app. The app is free to Apple and Android users.