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Fox, Dish play the blame game over disappearing FX, sports networks
The latest carriage dispute is already a few days old and shows no signs of breaking yet, as Fox and Dish Network square off. Naturally both have issued the usual press releases and promotional websites blaming the other but at the moment, the only thing to know is for Dish customers, Fox regional sports networks, National Geographic Channel and FX are off the air. For its part, Dish is throwing in CBS College Sports, NBA TV, NHL Network, NBig Ten Network and a few others for affected customers. Of course, that doesn't do much for missing the conclusion of pennant races in baseball or preseason NBA games hitting many of those RSNs, though Fox claims things could get worse -- November 1 Fox and MyNetworkTV could be next to go.
DirecTV will have ESPN 3D at launch, next to its own N3D channel
Not that we ever doubted they would, but DirecTV and ESPN have made official plans to make ESPN 3D available to the satellite broadcaster's millions of customers as soon as it launches June 11 with the South Africa / Mexico World Cup game. Better news? There's no additional charge for ESPN 3D, at least for now, though of course you will need a 3DTV to make any use of the signal. The only other new news is a name for DirecTV's native Panasonic-sponsored linear 3D network, now dubbed N3D (Get it? In 3D? ...Yeah, we didn't either.) Now the only wait is to see if DirecTV can shove its own 3D exclusive in the competition's face (doubtful) or if we hear about any other carriage announcements between now and NAB 2010.
WABC-7 comes back on Cablevision, return to Oscar watching at DEFCON 4
Just that fast, the situation has been defused, as ABC-7 has suddenly reappeared on the screens of Cablevision viewers. It's been off for less than a day but despite missing a great Magic/Lakers matchup earlier in the day it's on just in time to see if Avatar actually takes the Best Picture trophy home for the 3D camp. The statement from WABC-TV president Rebecca Campbell: "We've made significant progress, and have reached an agreement in principle that recognizes the fair value of ABC7, with deal points that we expect to finalize with Cablevision. Given this movement, we're pleased to announce that ABC7 will return to Cablevision households while we work to complete our negotiations." No word on what those "deal points" are, but as long as our friend @Gartenberg gets to watch his Castle it's probably all for the best.
WABC-7 pulled from Cablevision on the eve of the Oscars or two days before Lost
Depending on your personal calendar, the removal of WABC-7's signal from Cablevision in New York is potentially tragic for different reasons but all in all it's a very familiar scene. Fresh off its standoff with Scripps over Food Network and HGTV, Cablevision is rumbling with Disney over the same issue that nearly caused Time Warner customers to miss Fox-broadcasted bowl games around New Years Day (and yes, Senator John Kerry is involved, again) -- will the cable company pay to carry what's available free OTA? With both sides firmly dug in slinging accusations back and forth via screen crawls and press releases (propaganda from both sides embedded after the break) the most interesting wrinkle is Cablevision's suggestion that users just go online and check out primetime programming via ABC.com or Hulu (or grab an antenna for some digital TV love, whatever works.) These things can turn at a moments notice so we'll wait see if the fighting is resolved in time for an afternoon NBA Finals flashback as the Lakers take on the Magic, or for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards at 8:30 p.m. No matter what happens, if things aren't back to normal by Tuesday we'd evacuate the city, a Lostie without their fix is a dangerous thing.
Food Network, HGTV are back on Cablevision
It took three weeks, but Scripps & Cablevision have settled their differences, allowing Food Network and HGTV to return to New York area cable customers this afternoon. Both sides had plenty of tough talk New Year's Day when the channels disappeared, but all that's faded into the general "we're glad to be back on" PR-speak. Terms of the agreement weren't disclosed but we hear Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri will be suiting up for the Knicks tonight, which could explain the lengthy negotiations.
It's 2010 - Fox is still on TWC (for now) but Food & HGTV are off Cablevision
As two digits flipped over last night we waited to see if Fox and Time Warner Cable would work out their differences or turn channels dark.... and waited... and waited until we finally dozed off. As it stands, thanks to a series of extensions and ongoing negotiations, the channels are still on, but there's no new deal. As long as that remains to be the case, many football fans and several members of the government should be quite pleased, but in a New Year's Day surprise, Cablevision has rid itself of two networks on its service - Food Network and HGTV. While we've been upset by reports of some odd aspect ratio stretching on HGTV, these channels have their own fans that are upset to see them missing. Cablevision's posture seems to be that they won't be coming back, but parent company Scripps has already launched campaigns at ILoveHGTV.com and ILoveFoodNetwork.com for viewers to appeal for their return. We'll keep an eye on the ongoing Fox/TWC spat, though we're sure they wouldn't suddenly let channels go dark right before the Sugar Bowl tonight, would they?
Senator Kerry asks Fox & Time Warner to keep the Bowl Games on
As the New Year's Day deadline closes in, the Time Warner Cable - Fox standoff has gained another participant, Senator John Kerry. He's sent a letter to executives at both companies in hopes to avoid a New Year's Day blackout that could pull the network's Bowl Games (Cotton, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange) from sports loving cable subscribers. This is a bit of a habit for the senator, who has previously put his two cents in on the Comcast/TWC & NFL Network dispute. What he's asking for from the two is that if an agreement isn't reached, they continue transmitting at least through the College Bowl season under the current terms. Some may question such a letter on the grounds that this doesn't deserve such attention, or whether it will have any effect, but we're happy someone is standing up for viewers stuck in the middle and only have one question: Can we push that extension out to cover the season premiere of 24?
Time Warner, Fox trade shots on who to blame when you can't see the bowl games
Time Warner didn't say who it was targeting with the heavily-slanted RollOverorGetTough (Spanish language version available at www.cederoponersefirme.com) website recently, but now that Fox has yelped like a hit dog and launched its own campaign at KeepFoxOn.com we can see where this is going. While Time Warner's latest press release claims victory from over 400,000 visitors overwhelmingly voting in favor of Getting Tough on price gouging programmers, Fox is claiming it seeks only "fair compensation" and is fulfilling its "responsibility" to prepare viewers for losing their channels. The Fox website hypes up switching to satellite and all the programming that could be lost if Time Warner does not opt to continue its agreement to carry Fox networks, and pointing out everything that's at stake: House, 24, several BCS games and more. The only ones we truly have sympathy for are the customers in the middle, hopefully this slapfight ends in time for them to avoid missing even a second of precious TV, just like the great Viacom near-miss of '08 - '09.
NFL Network & Comcast could be close to a deal, moving channel to digital basic
Not that we usually put much stock in Peter King's NFL rumors, but word is the NFL Network and Comcast are close to working out a deal that will put the channel right where the NFL wanted it all along, on the regular digital cable package instead of the added-price sports tier. Since the channel didn't disappear May 1 as threatened, it would seem an agreement on pricing has been reached and according to King things were nearly finished on Thursday and Friday but the two have been hammering out final details even today. We'll see if this really happens, and not a moment too soon negotiations also under way with Fox, CBS and NBC and labor talks due to get under way with the Players Association.
NFL Network remaining on Comcast, for the time being
As you already know, the NFL Network's contract with Comcast expires tonight, and while the two fight it out over where the channel belongs, on basic cable or a sports tier, it's been threatening to leave the cable company's lineup altogether. Not quite at the 11th hour however, comes word from the Comcast Voices blog that the two are still trying to work things our and due to currently "productive discussions" NFL Network will stay on Comcast systems for now. It'll still be some time be some time before their court case has a ruling, but we're sure your voice on the matter has already been heard.
Poll: Who is right in the NFL Network / Comcast battle?
The hearing is over and both sides have presented their cases to the judge, but it could be up to a month before there's a ruling on the NFL Network vs. Comcast case, and with the channel due to disappear in just a few more days we're leaving the decision up to you. Who do you roll with, the sports channel arguing the cable giant won't open up its lucrative massive subscriber base while keeping them tied to its own useless channels, or the cable company protesting too high subscriber fees for a niche product? Submit your amius briefs in the comments.%Poll-29301%
DISH & NFL work out a new multiyear agreement
Things haven't all been sweet between DISH Network and NFL Network, wrangling over details of their agreement since '06, but a new deal should keep the channel on the Classic Silver 200 package for years to come. Combined with DirecTV's new Sunday Ticket deal satellite dish owning football fans can rest easy, but it still looks like Comcast subs will be sweating it out 'til the end of the month.[Via USA Today]
Epix (and it's Hollywood backers) looking to shake up premium cable
Now that it finally has a name, the Viacom / Lionsgate / MGM backed Epix can finally be a bit more forthcoming about its plans as a premium movie channel to rival HBO, Starz and Showtime. Now the question is whether the new channel will get the $1.50 per subscriber fee it's asking from potential cable and satellite providers, which could make that planned fourth quarter launch dicier than first imagined. Still, the studios seem entrenched behind the idea of improving their prospects for profiting from their newest, hottest movies like Cloverfield, even in these economic times, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a very Big Ten Network-style standoff in the making.
Sunflower Broadband subs say goodbye to Kansas City's KMBC-ABC and KCWE-CW
Time Warner Cable subscribers managed to avert a crisis early this morning, but it seems that Sunflower Broadband customers aren't so lucky. As it stands, KMBC-ABC and KCWE-CW -- both owned by Kansas City's Hearst-Argyle Television -- are being dropped from the provider. Both channels were being transmitted to customers in SD and HD, and until an agreement can be worked out, Sunflower has arranged to retransmit ABC Topeka affiliate KTKA in SD / HD so that customers can at least view ABC material. The good (or better, we should say) news? The carrier has vowed to "work around the clock with Hearst-Argyle to restore KMBC and KCWE under terms that are fair to its customers." And now, we wait.
American Cable Association calls out Viacom's annoying crawl
We're not sure how this demand will be received, but the American Cable Association's argument is simple: if only Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subs are in danger of losing MTV Networks channels at the stroke of midnight, why are we all bothered with an annoying crawl message? Of course, that plea is couched by statements backing TWC and BHN's reluctance to agree to new higher programming fees, but those of us eagerly anticipating a Miley-Sized surprise during tonight's NYE celebration that have a different provider could do without the interruptions.
Time Warner Cable threatens Viacom with the ghosts of Christmas past
Time Warner Cable CEO & President Glenn Britt says don't blame him, blame sliding advertising and falling ratings for Viacom's lost revenue and subsequent Scrooge-style "extortion" of TWC customers to keep MTV Networks on after the ball drops tonight. Beyond the outrageous claim that viewers might be tuning away from My Super Sweet 16 marathons, Britt claims that "penny per subscriber per day" adds up to an unreasonable $39 million, while TWC nobly attempts to keep negotiations going on behalf of its customers. Oddly we find it hard to view either side as thinking of the customer first in this slapfight, but if we miss a single episode of Bromance before things are resolved, there will be hell to pay. [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Viacom stations to go dark on Time Warner Cable
Bad news, Time Warner Cable subscribers. The cable carrier notorious for resisting HD expansion until a competitor rolls into town is getting ready to pull all 19 MTV Networks channels (MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central just to name a few, presumably including the HD versions). Viacom has just unleashed a scathing announcement that calls the carrier's refusal to pony up "outrageous," and publicly pleads for its bigwigs to reconsider and open up the checkbook. In essence, Viacom is asking for a fee increase of just under $0.25 per month, per subscriber -- which, admittedly, sounds rather high given the lack of MTV-related content that's a) watchable and b) in high-definition -- but TWC is straight-up refusing. Now, we've no qualms with a provider balking at price increases, but while it's planning to let content vanish from lineups, it's also raising monthly rates by $3 in Raleigh, Orange County, Los Angeles and New York City. Ahem, TWC -- could you bother justifying these hikes by allowing us to keep our content? And don't even come at us with the "we just added more HD!" comment -- after all, you blast us everyday with ads proclaiming that your HD "is free." [Disclosure: Engadget is part of the Time Warner family]
Portland, Oregon's KATU booted from DISH Network
Oh, geez. Yet another cat fight akin to something you'd see on a third-grade playground between a greedy broadcast station and a greedy carrier. Portland, Oregon's KATU -- which can be received for free over-the-air -- has been dropped from DISH Network. A message on the station's website informs citizens that it had "been in negotiations with DISH in an attempt to reach a new agreement," but sadly, "those negotiations have not yet been successful." You now the story by now -- said station asserts that the carrier charges users a fee for access, and so rightfully, some of that fee should trickle back to the channel. The carrier, on the other hand, reckons that carriage should be free since it can easily be obtained by locals via an OTA antenna. We'll keep you posted on any developments, but until then, it's OTA or bust (or DirecTV / cable, to be honest) for resident DISH customers.[Thanks, Lance and Jonny]
The Sportsman Channel coming to DirecTV, HD not far behind?
In case the likes of RFD HD and World Fishing Network HD weren't enough to keep you planted in your overalls, The Sportsman Channel is gearing up to give DirecTV viewers some of that tasty outdoor goodness. The network has just recently inked a distribution deal that will see it added to the satcaster's CHOICE XTRA package in January 2009. Best of all, we're also hearing that TSC will be developing content in HD and will transition to a high-def channel in due time -- of course, there's no telling when that will happen, but if DirecTV is serious about maintain its clout in the HD quantity department, it'll be reeling it in just as soon as it's available.[Thanks, Vanbrothers]
LIN TV and Time Warner Cable strike a retransmission deal
This is one of those rare cases where the headline tells all: TWC and LIN TV have finally agreed to put their differences aside and strike a retransmission deal. In other words, those 17 LIN TV-owned local stations that have been dark for the past few weeks should be back online at any moment. LIN TV's President and Chief Executive Officer Vincent L. Sadusky was quoted as saying that it was "pleased to have reached a fair market agreement with Time Warner Cable," and he continued by calling the deal "a mutually acceptable economic agreement." While we can't imagine he said that with a straight face, we're just glad you folks won't have to rely on any more EPG trickery to watch the (possible) final game of the World Series tonight. Or tomorrow. Or whenever Philadelphia decides to stop acting like Siberia.[Image courtesy of Britannica, thanks Dayton Guy and Brian]