Cablevision’s Newsday rebuffs Verizon ads

Despite the tough economic conditions, Cablevision-owned Newsday has recently decided to turn down newspaper ads from Verizon.

According to The New York Times, Verizon was buying full-page ads in Newsday several times a month as recently as a few months ago in order to promote its FiOS Internet and TV services.

The story quoted a Verizon executive who said Newsday “made it clear we didn’t need to keep calling” to try to place the ads.

Cablevision competes against Verizon throughout its New York metropolitan footprint. Cablevision, the nation’s fifth-largest MSO, bought Newsday last year, as well as a local Long Island news station.

Earlier this month, Newsday turned down an ad from the Tennis Channel that was critical in Cablevision’s decision not to carry the channel. The Tennis Channel ad pointed to competing services from FiOS, Dish Network and DirecTV that carry it, according to the story.

Newsday said it rejected the Tennis Channel ad because it was unfair, but declined to comment on Verizon’s ads.

Earlier this year, three of Newsday’s top editors weren’t at work for a few days, allegedly over a dispute with Cablevision about the paper’s coverage of the New York Knicks, which is also owned by Cablevision. The editors returned to their jobs, but no explanation for their absence was given, according to the Times story.