50 Cent Declares War on Verizon After STARZ Goes Dark, Urges ‘Power’ Fans to Ditch Provider
50 Cent has never been shy about taking a carriage dispute public. Back in 2015, when STARZ and AT&T U-verse were locked in negotiations that put 500,000 AT&T homes at risk of missing ‘Power’, he lashed out in a series of Instagram posts and urged fans to switch to any provider except AT&T. At the time, STARZ called ‘Power’ the biggest series in the network’s history.
It happened again in late 2017, when cable provider Optimum dropped STARZ and threatened ‘Power’ viewership in the New York region. He took to Instagram to urge fans to call Optimum and petition to bring the network back. Nearly a decade later, the same playbook is back in action.
T0 Cent is going to war with Verizon and telling ‘Power’ fans to dump the provider over its STARZ blackout. The rapper and TV mogul blasted the company and CEO Dan Schulman on Instagram after Fios customers lost access to STARZ programming amid a messy carriage dispute. He urged fans, particularly in New York and New Jersey, to switch providers, warning they could miss ‘Power’ and the network’s other hit shows.
He also accused Schulman of deciding there was no need for diversity and of claiming that no one watches STARZ in the region, as The Wrap reported. Verizon’s spokesperson told TMZ that STARZ’s claims are baseless and an attempt to distract from a fair contract negotiation.
The blackout began after the previous licensing deal expired at midnight Eastern on Wednesday. Fios customers woke up Thursday without STARZ’s linear channels, STARZ On Demand or the STARZ app. Viewers who want to keep watching can still sign up for the network separately through its streaming service.
The list of affected programming is long. STARZ says Fios customers lost the full ‘Power’ universe and the upcoming ‘Power: Origins’, along with the new drama ‘Fightland’, ‘Outlander’ and its prequel ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’, the upcoming season of ‘P-Valley’ and the current season of ‘S.W.A.T.: Exiles’. The upcoming premiere of ‘Tip Toe’ is also affected.
Each side is blaming the other. In a statement, STARZ Networks President Alison Hoffman said that Verizon “has mischaracterized our position,” according to the STARZ press release. She accused the provider of being unwilling to negotiate, and said the network remains ready to reach a fair agreement that restores service as quickly as possible.
Hoffman also criticized the blackout on broader grounds, saying the dispute could limit access to programming that serves women and underrepresented audiences. Verizon sees it differently. Ahead of the blackout, it said it was disappointed that STARZ had publicly signaled a possible removal while talks were ongoing, and it accused the network of using public pressure to force higher rates that would increase monthly bills.
The company also pointed to price. A Verizon spokesperson told TMZ that STARZ sells its service directly to consumers for as little as $2.50 a month, while demanding that Verizon customers pay double that amount for the same content.
His anger is personal. His G-Unit Film & Television banner produces ‘Power’, its spinoffs and ‘BMF’, all of which have helped make STARZ a major destination for programming with Black stars. His exclusive STARZ deal ended in 2022, but G-Unit still produces projects there, including ‘Fightland’ and continuing ‘Power’ installments.
That relationship has not always been smooth. AllHipHop notes that a year ago he condemned STARZ after a ‘BMF’ episode he directed appeared early online before the network removed it. Even so, he is once again the loudest advocate for the network when its distribution is on the line.
There is no word yet on when STARZ and Verizon could reach a new agreement. Until they do, the fight is likely to continue in public, with 50 Cent leading the charge for his fans. For Fios customers, the practical choice is between waiting it out, signing up through STARZ’s streaming service or doing what the ‘Power’ creator suggests and changing providers.
What would you do during the STARZ blackout?
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