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Archive for the 'News Corp.' Tag

Time Warner and Fox settle differences

January 1st, 2010, 6:09 pm by

Time Warner Cable settles contract dispute with FoxAs of 4 p.m., Time Warner has settled its contract dispute with News Corp., allowing cable customers to continue watching Fox TV.

Terms were not disclosed. The New York Times reports that News Corp. wanted $1 per subscriber per month, whereas Time Warner wanted to pay much less:

“In tense negotiations with Time Warner Cable, Fox had demanded about a dollar a subscriber per month, far more than other stations have received. Time Warner Cable thought 30 cents was more reasonable, said people briefed on the talks who insisted on anonymity because the specifics of the talks were confidential. Most likely, the two companies reached a compromise on the price, but both refused to comment Friday on the figure.”

Read the New York Times story: “Time Warner and Fox Reach Deal for Cable Distribution.”

Both sides updated their web sites targeting consumers with the announcement:

Time Warner: RolloverorGetTough.com

Fox: KeepFoxOn.com

Read past coverage:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • | 22 Comments »

Time Warner prepares to lose Fox TV tonight

December 31st, 2009, 12:01 am by

I’m still on vacation but since Time Warner and Fox haven’t settled their differences, it’s looking like this will be another long New Year’s Eve. Here is the latest and I’ll offer updates when possible. ~ Tamara ‘Gadgetress’ Chuang

twcfox364

It’s now pretty difficult to ignore the TV commercials hoping to pit the public against Fox TV or Time Warner Cable. The cable provider and TV network’s parent News Corp. have spent the past two weeks soliciting our sympathy because of a disagreement over money.

News Corp. wants to be compensated for the Fox TV network, which unlike cable channels doesn’t get paid by cable providers to offer the channel to cable customers. Time Warner says that price — reportedly $1/month per subscriber — is too much.

Neither side appears to be budging as tonight’s midnight deadline approaches and Fox plans to make good on its threat to pull its shows off the air for millions of Time Warner customers. News Corp.’s President Chase Carey told employees in a memo on Wednesday, “At this time, it looks like we will not reach an agreement and our channels may very well go off the air,” reported the New York Times.

Meanwhile, Time Warner’s chief executive Glenn Britt made it clear in a letter to Senator John Kerry that steps are being taken by the company to prepare for the loss of Fox. Time Warner agreed to let a mediator decide the fate, as Kerry suggested.

“…Time Warner Cable will agree to whatever interim steps are necessary to preserve consumers’ uninterrupted access to FOX programming after our current agreement expires on December 31, including your suggestion to enter into binding arbitration.” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • | 65 Comments »

Time Warner could lose ‘Simpsons,’ ‘American Idol,’ more Fox shows

December 18th, 2009, 11:52 am by

Updated, 2:30 p.m. Consumer group says what this fight is all about: Money, not consumers. See below.

twcfox364News Corp. began its advertising blitz against Time Warner Cable today by appealing to viewers who are fans of “NFL on Fox,” “24,” “American Idol” and “The Simpsons.” The word-heavy commercial says:

“Time Warner Cable is using programming costs as an excuse to raise your bill while they continue to rake in billions in profits and even though they’ve just announced a 20% rate increase in some cities, they’re telling you they may have to increase your bill again to continue to offer the NFL on Fox, 24, American Idol, The Simpsons, Glee and more. Tell Time Warner Cable to stop making exucuses and continue to give you the programs you want at a price that is fair.”

The commercial then offers a phone to call in — 866-KEEP-FOX — and a Web site: Keepfoxon.com.

Time Warner, which has 14 million subscribers, says the opposite. A spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal, which is also owned by News Corp., “Negotiations are ongoing, but Fox’s current demands are unreasonable, especially in this economic climate,” said Maureen Huff, a Time Warner Cable spokeswoman.

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But wait. What’s really happening here?

For nine months, News Corp. and Time Warner have been negotiating over the price Time Warner must pay per subscriber in order to offer Fox and other channels to viewers.

If a deal isn’t reached by midnight Dec. 31, Time Warner subscribers in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Detroit, Orlando and Tampa could lose Fox TV and other News Corp.’s channels, which include FX, SPEED, FUEL TV, Fox Movie Channel, Fox Reality Channel, Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports en Español. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • • • • • • | 57 Comments »

Cable TV bills will go up if Fox, CBS get their way

October 28th, 2009, 7:57 am by

Cable TV The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Fox TV parent News Corp. and CBS Corp. are demanding that cable providers pay a monthly fee for the broadcast TV station.

News Corp. wants $1 per customer per month from Time Warner Cable Inc, reports the WSJ.  Traditionally, cable TV providers haven’t paid paid cash fees from over-the-air broadcast networks.

If News Corp. gets its way, that’s a minimum of $12 added to a customers bill. The Wall Street Journal didn’t report how much CBS is seeking.

The broadcasters say they need more money as advertising slumps and cable companies, like Time Warner and Comcast, start their new adventures in offering the same TV shows online (see earlier story on “Time Warner plans to offer popular shows online — to paying customers).

Time Warner Cable @GadgetressGot a question for Time Warner Cable? Here’s your chance to get it answered. Click HERE

News Corp’s contract with Time Warner expires at the end of the year, which means if a new contract isn’t signed, Fox could be pulled from Time Warner. This is definitely not unheard of. Remember last Christmas? Viacom, which owns Comedy Central and Nickalodeon, demanded more money per user from Time Warner. The battle over what is known as carriage fees grew so critical that Viacom ran a scrolling message below most programs telling fans to call their cable provider and demand to keep the channel. The two resolved the fee issue just hours before the New Year (see ““).

Read the Wall Street Journal story: Broadcasters Seek Cable-TV Fees

More TV news:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • | 49 Comments »

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