Negotiations continue between the cable provider Suddenlink and Meredith Corporation, which owns KCTV in Kansas City, but Suddenlink officials now say Meredith is asking for too much money.

Suddenlink’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Pete Abel says Meredith is asking for a 65% increase in what it receives to carry the station.

Abel says that’s not fair and not justified.

” If our customers are not getting a 65% raise, neither should Meredith and its stations,” he said in a news release.

“In the last two months we have completed new contracts with more than 60 other companies representing more than 100 other TV stations. They have not asked for increases on the scale that Meredith is demanding.”

Earlier, KCTV warned that Suddenlink can’t carry the station if the two sides fail to reach agreement by midnight Saturday.

The station noted that the Chiefs/Broncos season-ender is scheduled Sunday, January 1st, and some Chiefs fans could have trouble viewing the game.

Our radio coverage of the game will not be affected. You can tune in the game on Q Country 92.7 FM and 680 KFEQ AM. The pre-game show starts at 2 p.m. Central Time Sunday. The kickoff is scheduled at 3:15 p.m.

Abel says historically these negotiations can go right up to the last minute, but he was hopeful Meredith would agree to continue business under the old contract if they cross the deadline Saturday.

“If they extend the current contract, they continue to get paid, and our customers continue to have uninterrupted access to these stations,” Abel said.

Meredith Corporation owns several TV stations, including KCTV, KSMO, KPHO,  and WSMV.   

Suddenlink is now encouraging customers to contact Meredith and its TV stations “…and ask them, first, to be reasonable in their demands and, second, to consider extending their current contract with Suddenlink until a new one can be signed. “