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Archive for the 'Viacom' Tag

Cox getting EPIX movie channel in April

January 13th, 2010, 11:27 am by

Epix HD, a new movie channelNoted: Cox Communications is the latest to sign up to get EPIX, a newish HD network featuring movies from Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer STudios and Lionsgate. Cox plans to offer the channel as a movie tier to customers nationwide beginning in April 2010.

Cox customers in Orange County should get the channel at the same time as the rest of the nation, according to the local Cox folks.

A few EPIX movies coming in April include Star Trek, GI Joe, Paranormal Activity and the Tyler Perry film franchise.

EPIX launched in 2008 and signed up its first customer, Verizon FiOS, in July 2009. FiOS TV customers began receiving the channel in the fall. The three studios launched EPIX in early 2008 after pulling its movies from CBS-owned Showtime. Showtime wanted to cut the fees it paid to broadcast their movies.

Terms of the Cox deal were not disclosed.

Update, Jan. 14, 2010: EPIX also signs cable provider Mediacom (Paid Content)

Latest news on Cox:

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Verizon adding new HD movie channel from MGM, Paramount

July 28th, 2009, 2:35 pm by

Epix HD, a new movie channelSince when does the Wall Street Journal report on new channels heading to Verizon FiOS? Ahh… when that channel happens to be Epix HD, a 15-month-old venture owned by Viacom (Paramount Pictures), Lions Gate Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

The three studios launched Epic in early 2008 after pulling its movies from CBS-owned Showtime. Showtime wanted to cut the fees it paid to broadcast their movies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Verizon confirmed the rumor today in the Verizon At Home blog penned by its media relations senior vice president, Eric Rabe. He said the new Epix channel — a FiOS exclusive — will launch in October. Movies by the studios include Paramount’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, MGM’s Pink Panther 2 and Liongate’s My Bloody Valentine 3-D.

Rabe also points out that this isn’t just for FiOS TV subscribers. He specifically points out that the contract includes Verizon’s right to offer movies to its Internet and mobile-phone customers. However, he didn’t say whether this will include on-demand access to the studios’ movie library.

The Hollywood Reporter, which details Epix’s morning conference call with analysts, adds that Epix signed a 5-year contract and more distribution deals expected “in the near future.”

While this is a big deal for Epix, it’s really just a start. FiOS TV has about 2.5 million subscribers. Cable companies have 66 million. If the movie studios expect to recapture any of the revenues lost after pulling out of Showtime — a reported $300 million — Epic must attract more subscribers. That means charging TV providers like Verizon or the cable companies a per-subscriber fee. Unfortunately for consumers, “Cable operators, like Comcast Corp., the largest by subscribers in the U.S., have been cool to the idea of carrying Epix,” reports the Wall Street Journal.

Cable companies could sure use another HD movie channel even if it means it would join a paid-tier of channels. Remember, Time Warner axed HDNet and its movie channel in May.

Separately, Epix will put 300 hours of movie content online but available only to subscribers, writes the Hollywood Reporter.

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Verizon FiOS adds 6 HD channels, says it’s not really slowing down in SoCal

July 2nd, 2009, 7:37 am by

Verizon FiOSVerizon FiOS snuck in six more HD channels recently, all from Viacom:

  1. MTV
  2. VH1
  3. CMT (Country Music Television
  4. Nickelodeon
  5. Spike TV
  6. Comedy Central

The channels were chosen because they are “some of the most watched channels on FiOS,” said Jon Davies, a FiOS spokesman.  That brings Verizon’s HD count to 127, making it Orange County’s TV service with the most HD channels.  Here’s my chart:

TV company Jul-09
Verizon FiOS 127
DirecTV 124
AT&T U-verse 112
Dish Networks 93
Cox Cable 62
Time Warner 55

Not sure when FiOS started offering the channels, but according to a FiOS forum board, some subscribers spotted them this week, although some folks had problems tuning in.

The new Viacom channels also are showing up nearly one month ahead of the rollout by Cox Communications, which plans to add nine new HD channels on July 28 (Read: “Cox Cable adding 9 HD channels in Orange County“). Now that I’m typing this up, I noticed that two channels Cox plans to offer aren’t available to FiOS users — Viacom’s BET HD and Time Warner’s Cartoon Network HD. The third channel, News Corp.’s FX HD, is already offered by FiOS. I’ll have to get an explanation on this.

Of course, Verizon isn’t available in most cities in Orange County. But Davies, with FiOS, wanted to clarify to readers that the fiber-based TV and Internet service isn’t really slowing down, as I’ve reported in the past (read: “Verizon’s FiOS TV rollout slows in So Cal.”) Read the rest of this entry »

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Cox Cable adding 9 HD channels in Orange County

July 1st, 2009, 7:21 am by

UPDATE, July 30, 2009: Astute Cox customers noticed that these 9 new HD channels did not show up on July 28 as expected. Cox’s O.C. office says the new channels have been delayed until August 4 due to “trouble getting the feeds from our corporate office in Atlanta,” said Lana Ong, a Cox O.C. spokeswoman.
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Cox CommunicationsOrange County’s Cable TV companies slowly plod along in the high-definition race. Cox Communications in Rancho Santa Margarita plans to add nine new high-definition channels beginning July 28. The new HD channels will be available to customers with digital cable and HDTV service.

 This brings the number of Cox’s HD channels to 62, by my count, which is still above Time Warner’s approximately 55 HD channels (a number that is higher or lower depending on what city you live in).

Overall, Verizon FiOS still ranks at the top of the HD heap with 127 HD channels. DirecTV is a close second with124 HD channels (DirecTV’s number includes 20 “regional sports channels”). Anyway, here’s the latest tally, according to my research: 

 

TV company Jul-09
Verizon FiOS 127
DirecTV 124
AT&T U-verse 112
Dish Networks 93
Cox Cable 62
Time Warner 55

For Cox customers, the new channels come from Viacom, which were also recently introduced to FiOS customers (and I haven’t mentioned yet). The new channels are: Read the rest of this entry »

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Time Warner Cable and Viacom reach deal

December 31st, 2008, 9:54 pm by

**UPDATE, 1/1/09, 12:10 a.m.** Time Warner Cable releases official statement. See below in bold.

Phew! Miley Cyrus can ring in the 2009 without being shut-off at midnight, thanks to an agreement reached by Time Warner Cable and Viacom Inc., reports the Associated Press.

The MTV special — and programming on Viacom’s 18 other channels — was in danger of getting pulled at midnight for Time Warner’s 13 million customers because earlier negotiations on fee hikes had come to a halt.  

With a few hours to spare, the two companies agreed on a contract, thus avoiding Viacom’s threatened blackout. Details of the new contract were not available.

**UPDATE** Just after midnight during the first minutes of the new year, Time Warner notified reporters of the agreement. In a press release, it said that the two companies are still finalizing the details, which could take several days.

Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s president and CEO said, “We are pleased that our customers will continue to be able to watch the programming they enjoy on MTV Networks. We are sorry they had to endure a day of public disagreement as we worked through this negotiation.”

In the same release, Philippe Dauman, President Viacom’s president and CEO said, “We’ve been partners with Time Warner Cable for a long time, and we’re happy to be renewing that partnership for the benefit of their customers and our loyal viewers.  It’s gratifying that we could reach an agreement that benefits not only our audiences but that is also in the best interest of both of our companies.”

No further details were offered.

According to the Associated Press report, the two sides first agreed to extend the deadline one hour past midnight before agreeing to a new contract.

Viacom had earlier asked for rate hikes between 22 to 36 percent for various channels. While the increase amounted to 23 cents per month per Time Warner subscriber, the nation’s second largest cable company said the higher fees were outrageous, especially in a down economy. It said it didn’t want to pass the added costs on to customers. Time Warner is already hikng prices in Orange County and Los Angeles in January.

Viacom then launched a very public fight against Time Warner, urging viewers to call the cable company and demand it keep the TV shows on the air. After bitter words between the two companies all day, the two finally came to an agreement. 

Earlier:

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If MTV goes dark at midnight, will Viacom offer $819,178 refund?

December 31st, 2008, 6:15 pm by

The clock ticks and the dispute between Time Warner Cable and Viacom over increased fees shows no signs of resolving by midnight. Viacom has threatened to pull Comedy Central, MTV and 17 other channels on Thursday.

So, what is Viacom really asking for? It wants more money from Time Warner — approximately 23 cents more per subscriber each month.  Multiply that with Time Warner’s 13 million subscribers (not all are affected) and the total comes out to an extra $35.9 million a year. 

That’s 12 percent increase, which means that Time Warner is already paying Viacom $299 million a year, or $23 per subscriber a year. Essentially, the minimal effect on a customer’s bill is $1.92 per month — or $2.05 if Viacom gets the increase.

If Viacom does pull its channels tonight, I wonder if it will refund Time Warner any bit of the $299 million, which comes out to about $819,178 a day. And then there’s the issue of advertising. This will certainly upset all the advertisers who paid to run commercials in front of millions of Time Warner subscribers.

Of course, nothing is as simple as adding straight numbers. As Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s CEO, said in a statement, 

If every channel demanded huge, double-digit increases like what Viacom is trying to force our customers to pay, it would be impossible to keep the price of cable reasonable for our customers.

Whether or not Time Warner is sincerely looking out for its customers, as it claims, is arguable.

But a reason why the Time Warner customers don’t get the NFL network is the NFL wants at least $0.70 per subscriber and to make it available to all cable customers — not just those who pay extra for a sports tier, at least in this 2006 story by Multichannel News. Time Warner has balked at this request, saying that if it offered the NFL Network to all customers it would have to raise rates. That saga continues.

As of 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve, the Viacom-Time Warner dispute shows no signs of resolving. 

As a Time Warner customer myself, what I want to know is if Viacom pulls its 19 channels, will I get my $1.92/month reimbursed?

Earlier: 

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No Dora, SpongeBob or Jon Stewart? AT&T U-verse has ‘em

December 31st, 2008, 2:28 pm by


If you’re a Time Warner Cable customer facing the looming midnight loss of Comedy Central, MTV and 17 other Viacom-owned TV channels, AT&T wants your ear.

AT&T’s U-verse, the Internet-based TV service, just completed a “new, multi-year, multifaceted agreement with Viacom,” says Deborah Lieberman, an AT&T spokesperson who jumped on the very-public dispute between the nation’s second largest cable TV company and Viacom.

“The good news for displaced cable subscribers looking for their favorite Viacom channels is that they have an alternative with AT&T U-verse TV,” she said.

Viacom and Time Warner are at odds over increased fees Viacom wants Time Warner to pay to get its selection of channels and TV shows, which include “SpongeBob Squarepants,” “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart,” “South Park,” “The Hills,” and several others. 

Viacom said it was asking for what amounted to a penny per day per cable subcriber. Time Warner balked, saying the increase was 22 percent to 36 percent per channel for a total of $39 million more. Viacom now plans to let its channels go dark after midnight tonight if an agreement is not reached.

AT&T, which offers its U-verse TV service in limited areas of Orange County, said that in addition to offering the channels in dispute, U-verse plans to add 7 Viacom high-definition channels in 2009.

Earlier:

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Time Warner Cable may lose Jon Stewart, MTV, more

December 30th, 2008, 10:59 pm by

**UPDATE: Dec. 31, 10 p.m.: Blackout averted. Time Warner Cable and Viacom reach deal

**UPDATE, Dec. 31, 6 p.m.** Still no resolution. A look at the math behind the Viacom/Time Warner dispute: “If MTV goes dark at midnight, will Viacom offer $819,178 refund?”

**UPDATE, Dec. 31, 11:21 a.m.**  Time Warner just issued a new statement calling Viacom’s tactics extortion. Looks like the two companies aren’t anywhere close to resolving this issue and anyone watching tonight’s Miley Cyrus’ New Year’s Eve special on MTV will see a dark screen after midnight. Read the full memo from the cable company’s CEO. 

**UPDATE, Dec. 31, 10:32 a.m.** Bloomberg News is reporting that Viacom rejected Time Warner Cable’s request to extend discussions after January 1. Story also mentions that in total, Viacom is asking for a 15 percent increase in fees. 

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Cable TV ain’t cheap. And if the owner of Comedy Central, MTV and 17 other channels doesn’t get more, it will stop broadcasting those channels to Time Warner Cable customers on January 1. If the two companies don’t resolve the issue, their viewers will ring in the new year staring at a blank screen. 

Viacom Inc. is asking for 25 cents more per month per Time Warner subscriber, which the company says is less than one penny a day per subscriber (the Associated Press reports the per-subscriber fees come out to 23 cents more a month). If an agreement on what is known as “carriage fees” is not made by midnight Wednesday, Viacom will pull those channels.

Do we really want our MTV?

 ”I really hope they don’t pull them but what they are asking for is outrageous,” Fred Stefany, Time Warner Cable’s president of Los Angeles South and Orange County, said in an e-mail to me Wednesday morning.

In a statement late Tuesday, Viacom socks it to Time Warner in an attempt to win consumer sympathy. It mentions the upcoming cable TV price hike that Time Warner customers in Orange County will feel in 2009.

“Time Warner Cable subscribers who are being handed a January 1st $3 monthly increase in Raleigh, Orange County, Los Angeles, and New York City are simultaneously facing the removal of beloved shows across 19 channels.”

Viacom, which started to appeal to viewers and fans online and on TV Tuesday night, goes on to say that Time Warner “has so greatly undervalued our channels for so long” and that the increased fees are “reasonable and modest relative to the profits TWC enjoys from our networks.”

(For the first nine months this year, Time Warner reported a 3 percent increase in video subscriber revenuesto $7.9 billion, compared to same period last year. Viacom, meanwhile, reported $6.3 billion in revenues from its ‘media networks,’ which was an 11percent increase from the prior year. Viacom’s media networks include cable channels and the ‘Rock Band’ game franchise, but not its films. )  

Update 12/31: In a statement just before noon on Wednesday, Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt called Viacom’s tactics extortion and rejected the notion that this is just a few pennies per customer. In a lengthy retort, Britt says Viacom wants an extra $39 million a year, which is on top of the “hundreds of millions of dollars our customers already pay to Viacom each year. That doesn’t sound like pennies to us,” Britt said. Read the rest of this entry »

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