Time Warner rejected HDNet’s offer to lower fees, provide channels to all
May 28th, 2009, 2:46 pm · 13 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
As mentioned on this blog earlier, 
HDNet has officially been yanked from Time Warner Cable’s lineup in Orange County and the nation. And I’ve heard from a few unhappy readers who already miss the assortment of high-definition movies, mixed-martial arts coverage, news and other odd shows.
Time Warner confirmed two weeks ago that it is parting ways with the Dallas-based high-definition TV network because the two failed “to reach terms.” Time Warner wouldn’t elaborate on the loss of the channels, which were part of the $5/month “HD Tier.” In their place, Time Warner added the Smithsonian HD Channel and Crime & Investigation HD.
But according to HDNet owner Mark Cuban (yes, he’s also the owner of the Dallas Mavericks), the deal wasn’t about the usual increase in carriage fees, which is the money companies pay per subscriber to offer a network’s TV channels. (Remember the whole Viacom fiasco when Viacom’s fee increase nearly resulted in the loss of Jon Stewart, Sponge Bob and MTV?)
“No, the exact opposite. We cut the fees considerably,” said Cuban, via e-mail.
Interestingly, Cuban says he was trying to get HDNet to become part of Time Warner’s digital basic cable package so that all customers could access the channel. HDNet Movies would remain on the special HD tier. The new deal would be “considerably less than what they were paying to have both on the (HD) tier,” he said.
Cuban’s words: “So they could provide HDNet to all of their subscribers and keep HDNet Movies on the tier, for less than they are paying IN TOTAL today for their limited distribution HD Tier,” he wrote.
(I’m waiting for any further response from Time Warner, which I’ll insert here if they offer one up.)
That would certainly appease reader Lorna Fuhrman, from Huntington Beach, who wrote to me saying, “Time Warner likes to denigrate the content of HDNet. Just the opposite is true. HDNet offered extremely well-done programming…” and goes on to list her favorites.
“…My hope in sending this to you,” she continued, “is that you might either publish it or forward it to Time Warner programming management to learn how they can in good conscience or business practice charge $5 extra for the old programs on Crime & Investigation HD and the very limited subject matter on Smithsonian HD.”
Well… the loss of HDNet may not be final. Cuban encourages HDNet fans to contact the local Time Warner general manager.
For Orange County and Los Angeles, that person is Deborah Picciolo, who is president of residential services in Time Warner’s West Region. She is based in Chatsworth, CA. The best contact information for her is listed on Time Warner’s site, which I’ve pasted it below:
Deborah Picciolo
President, Residential Services
Time Warner Cable – West Region
Customer Care Communications
9260 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
E-mail: dl-los-otp-all@twcable.com
And if that doesn’t work, there are always cable alternatives, such as Dish, DirecTV, AT&T, Verizon and others, as at least one now ex-Time Warner customer discovered.
“Every contact in favor of HDNet helps!” Cuban wrote.
Recent Time Warner Cable news:
Check out the Gadgetress Guide to local TV services.
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Wow, Mark Cuban and HDnet try to do something thats good for the consumer, offer their HD channels to all, (they were willing to cut fees…WTF?, and of course Time Warner being the greedy, mildly retarded jerks they are (say goodbye AOL) says no. Thanks for wanting the best for your customer TW, hope that your downward spiral and loss of customers continues because you dont deserve their loyalty.
I kissed off cable TV years ago. Monopoly fools those companies are! Well another option came around and for good or worst I can feel happy to escape cable and find satelite!
I’m switching to Directv.
I have TimeWarner, but will now look closer at Satellite TV. I have NO interest in Smithsonian HD Channel or Crime & Investigation HD.
I have DISH, excellent.
I will be sure to use the contact information you provided. Time Warner is ridiculous for thinking we’re going to pay for those crap channels. When I called to find out what was going on, the customer service was AWFUL! I will definitely be shopping around!
1-800-DIRECT-TV
I’m just tired of losing channels. I am still wondering when they’ll get the NFL network back. I’m losing patience and thinking it’s time to make the switch to Direct TV!
I switched to Att U-verse 1 month ago. I had been with time warner for years. I love the U-verse. I was sceptical at first but I got over that quickly. U-verse will bargain with you if you play hardball. Lower rates and more channels. Insist on HBO and Cinemax for at least 6 months for free.
I see a lot of blame going toward TW Cable. But none of the pertinent questions seem to be asked of Mark Cuban and HD Net. Why is HD Net refusing to continue carriage on the HD premium tier they have been carried on since the beginning? I’m a TW Cable customer in Hawaii. I do not own an HD TV set have no plans to purchase one in the near future. There are a lot of others out there like me that are not aware of this dispute. I would be royally pissed off if TW started adding HD channels and their fees to my digital cable package. So why is does Mark Cuban think he knows what services I should be receiving? Yeah right, he offered a lower rate per subscriber but wants his channel placed in a tier that has 5 times more subscribers. So of course he would end up getting more money and thats why he refuses to continue a similar carriage agreement to what they have had.
Lyle wrote: “So why is does Mark Cuban think he knows what services I should be receiving? Yeah right, he offered a lower rate per subscriber…”
That’s not what the statement says–HDnet was offering a package that was a lower price *in total*, not just a lower price per subscriber.
I’ve had it with Time Warner. All of the other companies are adding tons of HD channels, have over 100 HD channels, and TWC doesn’t even have 80 channels yet. I’m going with ATT U-verse on Monday.
im pretty pissed off because im a huge mma fan ,and i have time warner cable as a cable provider.if i wasnt a superintendent,i would ve canceled my service the minute i heard hd net was pulled from twc.depsite there negotiating problems ,twc doesnt think about what the customer wants . i think instead of losing a million customers a year , its going to be 2 million a year .thanks time warner cable,for your bad service.