American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding Tribune Co.'s blackout of 50,000 Cablevision System Corp. subscribers in Connecticut, who missed Game 1 of the World Series. Tribune lifted the blackout on October 26 after more than two months.

"This year, we have seen a record number of broadcaster signal blackouts against pay-TV providers and their customers, fueled by years of creeping media consolidation, collusive bargaining tactics by TV station owners and programmers' tying-and-bundling schemes designed to deny choice while driving up monthly bills," Polka said.

"When 50,000 Connecticut households with cable service can't see baseball's World Series because of Tribune's blackout that began Aug. 24, the market is not working, regulation has failed and the time for change has arrived.  ACA urges Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to reject broadcasters' ‘market-is-working' chant and seek to craft solutions that will address the concerns of millions of broadcaster-abused consumers in a direct and material way," he added.