Cable TV provider Cox Communications released a statement today indicating that the rift between it and Santa Barbara’s ABC affiliate, KEYT, seems to be mended. A contract dispute had resulted in a lack of a high-definition broadcast of KEYT and the ABC network programming it features, even though the San Luis Obispo-based NBC affiliate KSBY and the Santa Maria-based CBS affiliate KCOY already had hi-def broadcasts in Santa Barbara. Today, the two entities announced that they had reached an agreement and that Cox’s Channel 703, as of today, will air a visually clearer version of the ABC shows that air on Channel 3.

“We have made it a priority to provide our viewers with high definition programming. We are thrilled to reach this agreement with Cox Communications in our mutual quest to provide our viewers with the best programming available, now in the highest standard possible,” said KEYT Vice President and General Manager Cathy Jacquemin in a press release.

The specifics of the disagreement between KEYT and Cox have never been explained by officials from either entity. David Edelman, Cox’s director of public affairs, decline to discuss the subject today but instead stressed the fact that an agreement had been reached. “As part of the contract renewal, we’re not talking about it,” Edelman said. However, some speculate that it may have stemmed in part from an agreement that Cox made with Los Angeles ABC affiliate KABC to air the 2006 Super Bowl while KEYT readied the equipment necessary to broadcast a hi-def signal. When KEYT was ready to go, however, the deal didn’t happen. Now that the problems that KEYT and Cox chose not to discuss with the public have apparently been put to rest, Santa Barbara residents can look forward to seeing favorites like Lost and Grey’s Anatomy more clearly than they could before.

For more information on high-definition service from Cox, visit Cox’s website or call them at (805) 683-6651.

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