Zero Hour Approaches in Fox/Time Warner Cable Standoff

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Though year-end battles between Time Warner Cable and its high-profile constituents are no new ordeal, Fox's programming may be pulled from air beginning at midnight tonight thanks to a lack of resolution in their fight with the cable giant for "fair compensation." Again, this means: "Your cable bill is going up -- but the fun is figuring out how much. Blackout party!" The update arrives via a memo sent to employees Wednesday by News Corp. president Chase Carey.

Said Carey, as reported by THR:

"At this time, it looks like we will not reach an agreement and our channels may very well go off the air in Time Warner Cable systems at midnight tomorrow, Dec. 31," Carey wrote in the memo. "We deeply regret that millions of Fox customers will be deprived of our programming, but we need to receive fair compensation from Time Warner Cable to go forward with them."

Strong words for a Pringles mascot, but he's got leverage: Fox's top-shelf January programming includes season premieres of American Idol and 24, the NFL playoffs, the Bowl Championship Series, The Simpsons, FX shows, and essentially everything but Fox News (which is part of a separate agreement). The negotiations reportedly have been ongoing for nine months. As Fox president Scott Grogin notes, "We're going to continue to actively negotiate with Time Warner Cable. However, viewers should have alternative plans in place."

The last time a TWC standoff resulting in pulled programming occurred in 2000, when Disney's channels went black for a short period on Jan. 1. Tune in 12 hours from now to see if the ball in Times Square isn't the only thing dropping at midnight.

News Corp president: Fox likely going off the air [THR]



Comments

  • Old No.7 says:

    Yes Scott, I have alternate plans in place... I will push one extra button on my remote to switch my TV over to antenna input, to watch your shitty O&O in Austin when the need arises.
    Unless you actually plan to turn off your broadcast transmitter, I don't really think you dumbasses thought this plan all the way through.

  • TWCGreedFoxGreed says:

    Disgusting behavior from FOX & TWC, such greedy companies.
    They are holding the consumer to ransom and they should both be punished by the FCC with $1BN fines so this would never happen again.
    The fact that fox has the money to advertise, and the money to cry about it says a lot.
    Fact is FOX owns several dish networks and are squeezing there competition since the blackout of analog in the USA. They never invested in free OTA digital and instead want the consumers to be punished with higher cost.
    They are both crying wolf.
    What happened to the FCC, Whats happened to Jon Kerry.
    We the people made these companies rich and we are seeing the crap end of the stick.

  • SunnydaZe says:

    Yeah, worst bluff in the HISTORY of the game>
    "You know that thing you can get for free but instead you choose to pay for it? Well, we want more money for when you choose to pay for it... What? You realized you can get it for free plus in full resolution thanks to digital antenna input?
    F**K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

  • JM says:

    Good for Hulu at least.

  • FrancoisTrueFaux says:

    I don't know which is worse punishment: losing signals for almost all of the Fox networks, or keeping Fox News on the air.