Southern_Yankee
Full Access Member
DirectTV...here I come.... 
Cable-TV viewers nationwide could start a new year without channels such as FX, Fuel, Speed TV and Fox Soccer.
Media giants News Corp. and Time Warner Cable are fighting over money, and the dispute could lead to some Fox channels going dark on Jan. 1. The two companies are still in negotiations and their current contract expires Dec. 31.
News Corp. today began warning Time Warner Cable customers about the "very likely possibility" that they will lose access to Fox programming.
In some markets where News Corp. owns the local Fox stations, the dispute could affect Fox's flagship channel, home to popular shows such as "Glee," "House" and "American Idol."
The bickering could lead to local cable customers losing other channels owned by News Corp., including FX, home to shows such as "Nip/Tuck" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Other channels include Fuel, Speed TV, Fox Reality and Fox Sports World Espanol.
"We're hoping Fox will allow us to carry the programming even if negotiations continue past Dec. 31," Buscher said. "It's our hope that Fox won't punish our customers while they try to reach an agreement."
Time Warner Cable will look for replacement programming for the channels if they are pulled, Buscher said. And the company will "educate" viewers about other ways to see shows, such as online streaming.
The company, one of the country's largest cable-TV providers, recently started its own marketing campaign where it asked customers to vote whether it should "roll over or get tough" with broadcasters and programmers that are demanding more money. Those higher fees would result in costs passed on to customers, Time Warner argues.
News Corp. contends in a prepared statement it is "simply asking for fair compensation for the impressive value our Fox programming offers."
Last year, Time Warner Cable had a public spat with Viacom that nearly resulted in local customers losing access to channels such as MTV and Nickelodeon on Jan. 1. That deal was resolved at the last minute.
Cable-TV viewers nationwide could start a new year without channels such as FX, Fuel, Speed TV and Fox Soccer.
Media giants News Corp. and Time Warner Cable are fighting over money, and the dispute could lead to some Fox channels going dark on Jan. 1. The two companies are still in negotiations and their current contract expires Dec. 31.
News Corp. today began warning Time Warner Cable customers about the "very likely possibility" that they will lose access to Fox programming.
In some markets where News Corp. owns the local Fox stations, the dispute could affect Fox's flagship channel, home to popular shows such as "Glee," "House" and "American Idol."
The bickering could lead to local cable customers losing other channels owned by News Corp., including FX, home to shows such as "Nip/Tuck" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Other channels include Fuel, Speed TV, Fox Reality and Fox Sports World Espanol.
"We're hoping Fox will allow us to carry the programming even if negotiations continue past Dec. 31," Buscher said. "It's our hope that Fox won't punish our customers while they try to reach an agreement."
Time Warner Cable will look for replacement programming for the channels if they are pulled, Buscher said. And the company will "educate" viewers about other ways to see shows, such as online streaming.
The company, one of the country's largest cable-TV providers, recently started its own marketing campaign where it asked customers to vote whether it should "roll over or get tough" with broadcasters and programmers that are demanding more money. Those higher fees would result in costs passed on to customers, Time Warner argues.
News Corp. contends in a prepared statement it is "simply asking for fair compensation for the impressive value our Fox programming offers."
Last year, Time Warner Cable had a public spat with Viacom that nearly resulted in local customers losing access to channels such as MTV and Nickelodeon on Jan. 1. That deal was resolved at the last minute.
