Food TV, Fox, 28 other channels about to expire on Time Warner
December 10th, 2009, 12:51 pm · 21 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress
An interesting warning note popped up on Time Warner Cable’s programming alerts page for the Orange County/Los Angeles area: Contracts with several channels are about to expire and could be discontinued.
Time Warner Cable Los Angeles’ agreements with programmers to carry their services routinely expire from time to time. We are usually able to obtain renewals or extensions of such agreements, and carriage of programming services is discontinued only in rare circumstances. The following agreements with programmers are due to expire soon, and we may be required to cease carriage of one or more of these services in the near future [see list below right]
| Expiring: |
|---|
| KTLA |
| KTTV |
| KCOP |
| E! |
| Style |
| Inspiration Network |
| Encore |
| Encore (East) |
| Encore Drama |
| Encore Love |
| Encore Mystery |
| Encore WAM |
| Encore Action |
| Encore Westerns |
| Penthouse |
| TEN |
| Food Network |
| Fox Reality |
| Fox Soccer |
| FOX Sports West |
| Prime Ticket |
| FOX Sports ESPANOL |
| Fuel |
| FX |
| Speed |
| STARZ! |
| truTV |
| TV Japan |
| Great American Country |
| Lifetime |
Chances of this happening? Not much. Time Warner says “only in rare circumstances.”
Still, it’s an interesting note because of the company’s latest marketing campaign to make customers aware of why prices go up every year. It’s the TV networks who demand more money, some up to 300 percent more than last year, according to Time Warner.
I just interviewed the folks behind HowCableShouldBe.com, which has a nifty chart detailing how much the average consumer pays monthly to get ESPN ($3.80), the Disney Channel ($0.95) and several other channels. The information is two years old and prices are probably higher by now, said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council, which started the site. The group is pushing the a la carte option in which consumers only pay for the channels they want.
“The need for the American public to understand more about this issue is paramount to breaking the logjam,” Winter said. “When more Americans are made aware of how they’re getting fleeced, I think they’re going to be angry and will have very powerful leverage. … The programmers really hold the cards. If you want to get the Fox Broadcasting Network, Fox is going to force you to take FX and Fox Sports.”
More on my interview with Winter later so check back soon.
Programming agreements tend to expire at the year’s end. The public doesn’t hear about this unless negotiations get messy, like last year’s New Year’s Eve battle between Time Warner and Viacom, which provides 19 channels to Time Warner.
Speaking of prices, I hear that Time Warner has begun sending out notices that rates are rising next year. This doesn’t affect all customers but if you get the letter, let me know so I can determine price increases. Feel free to comment below or send me an e-mail: thegadgetress@ocregister.com. Thanks!
Recent Time Warner Cable news:
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Does that mean my bill will go down since I can do without those channels?
Oh wait! they still need to pay the CEO and his stooges their bloated wages and retirement
Also how much losses from AOL will I have to pay for!
My goodness there are some ill-informed people on this site. Time Warner Cable is an independent company and has nothing to do with AOL whatsoever.
Here is what is really messed up! I am moving and I currently pay $130 for cable TV with HBO, Cinimax, and Showtime, and internet. When I transfer my service my bill will drop to $89 with the added bonus of Starz. So to be a continuous customer you go charged more and more, but to be a new customer you get more for less. I should have cancled and rejoined a LONG time ago.
Its time for Cable Companies to offer À la carte programming. I’m tired of paying for a bunch of worthless unwatchable channels, and this method can also help the CCs discontinue the unpopular channels saving them and the customers $.
Plus how greedy of the channel operators charging a fee for their channel access by CCs. Stations are suppose to get their revenue from COMMERCIAL Advertising.
But yes, TW will still charge us MORE and get less in the long run.
Time Warner raises there rate every year. EVERY YEAR!!!! I agree with Billy Bob, I am tired of having 50 spanish programming channels, I am also tired of trying to watch channels only to find that I have to subscribe to their package to reiceve them. When I had Dish Network I paid $110 a month for America’s Everything package. I had 2 HD boxes, 1 of which had a DVR. I had thousands of channels, I just wish when I moved I knew the association I now live in does not allow dish. BTW, when I had dish I never experienced pixels and sounds delays.
I agree with Mark
I had to pay more just to get the channels I already had.
They installed 2 boxes 1TV is not HD it is older.
now if I’m watching something on lifetime in the front room,
and go in the bedroom to finish watching the same movie,
It’s not on in the bed room? It starts 3 hours later, in the other room.
The sound & picture from Time Warner is awful, pic turns green,sound is strange sometime. Wish I could change companys.
Do you live in a HOA or apartment? They have to allow it. Federal Law. You have the right to install satellite TV instead of watching cable.
BillyBob & Mark are spot on.
Okay. Here is how we would PREFER that TW handle the negotiations on these renewals. Because of tough times, we seek a 10% reduction in the fees for the contract, during a shorter contract period so that we can monitor economic conditions. As they improve, we can go back to the table and consider a resumption of current rates.
Many of your loyal cable customers will do without these channels if necessary. It is also an opportunity for other media outlets offer competitive content at lower costs. The biggest mistake these folks can make is for them to think they have the monopoly and can do what they want. That goes for you too, Time Warner Entertainment!
I don’t know about anyone else but since Time Warner upgraded the software on their cable boxes mine randomly reboot about once a week now. And they take *forever* to reboot. So if it reboot’s while you are taping something on the DVR you lose about an 8 minute chunk. I can’t be the only one experiencing this.
If these channels expire, so will my video service with TWC. I’ll just keep the Internet service, use the money I save to up my bandwidth and download what I want to watch from iTunes, Pandora and other online sources.
These people seem to forget that they’re not the only game in town anymore.
A la carte pricing is the way to go.
tvs lame. end of story.,.
My only concerns are KTTV, FOX Sports West and Prime Ticket. Get rid of the rest and reduce my monthly fee.
Thanks!
Please. please let those channels expire so we can finally see time warner lose all of its customers and go BK. Raise the rates, cancel channels, no NFL network. How long can the theives stay in business. I am waiting for the ATT installer to show up today. I got tired of their threats over the last month and decided to give the boot.
How about true a la carte?
When you join, you get to pick the channels you want. Those you pick, you are charged for. Those you do not want, you do not get charged for. Every month, you are allowed to change your personal channel line up.
For example, I do not watch the Oxygen channel. So, I can save $.40 a month. Add it up, and your bill could be less per month.. or more. Off all the channels on TWC, I watch problem 10 on a regular basis.
Also, if you have Verizon FIOS in your area, call TWC. You will get your bill reduced to match Verizon FIOS, which is cheaper in my area.
You could do what I did and tell them all where they can go. No reception in my home since 1994 and frankly there’s a whole world out there when you turn off the idiot box.
Don’t let this story make you think all will be fine! A couple of years ago my family in Ohio had to get Dish Network because they DID drop Fox and Big Ten Network during the college and NFL football season. Time Warner will drop all you listed and not give a crap. They finally did capitulate only after a mass exodus to satellite TV.
If they drop Fox and KTLA what happens? I turn to chanel 11 and get a blank screen?
…don’t be so naive to think that if you choose 25 A la carte stations they will cost less than the 500 you are paying for now.
Time Warner is the worst cable company in the U.S. Everyone I know has already switched to AT&T. It is cheaper and you get much more. The days of cable monopolizing our homes are far gone. This company won’t be around another couple years.