WABC-TV restored to 3.1M Cablevision customers in NY, NJ, Conn. shortly after start of Oscars

WABC-TV back on for 3.1M customers as Oscars begin

NEW YORK — Cablevision says WABC-TV’s signal has been switched back on for its 3.1 million subscribers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut shortly after the Academy Awards telecast got under way.

Cablevision spokesman Whit Clay says Channel 7’s signal was turned on at 8:43 p.m. Sunday. The awards show began at 8:30 p.m.

A spokeswoman for ABC did not immediately respond to phone or e-mail messages.

The cable operator’s subscribers had been scrambling to hook up antennas or find live TV on the Internet in order to watch the Academy Awards after ABC’s parent company Walt Disney Co. switched off its signal in a dispute over fees.