Luken Communications launches The Family Channel
Luken said it will feature family-friendly and faith-based programming. Launching this month, it replaces My Family TV, a JV between Luken and ValCom, Inc....
Fox sells out Super Bowl XLVIII
Fox is telling advertisers that Super Bowl XLVIII inventory for the 2/2 game is sold out. Neil Mulcahy, EVP/Sales at Fox Sports, part of 21st Century Fox, told The NY Times that all of the automakers are back, including GM. The automaker had said said in August that it would return as a sponsor after taking a break in Super Bowl XLVII.
Aereo sets Baltimore launch date
The company announced it will be available to residents in the Baltimore metro area on 12/16. Consumers
Moody’s assigns B1 rating to Ion Media credit
Moody's Investors Service assigned a B1 rating to the proposed first lien credit facility of ION Media Networks. ION plans to use proceeds of...
ACA asks FCC to block Sinclair retrans “collusion”
The American Cable Association says it wants the Commission to stop Sinclair Broadcasting from colluding in the negotiation of retransmission consent with a “sidecar” license holder that’s separate from Sinclair in name. ACA’s fear, of course is that the practice will can drive up prices to MVPD providers.
Charter CEO plays down TWC buy
While Charter Communications last month was working on submitting formal a bid for Time Warner Cable before 2014, “trying to devise a deal structure...
ATSC elects board members
Members of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) have elected three industry execs to serve on the Board of Directors for three-year terms beginning...
Time Warner Cable offering low-cost HBO bundle
TWC has just launched “Starter TV with HBO” bundle that includes access to 20 channels, including local broadcasters in HD, as well as HBO...
What a split deal for TWC might look like
The possibility exists that cable companies Comcast and Charter might make a joint bid for Time Warner Cable – and according to Wells Fargo, that actually might make a lot of sense.
CRE to study ethnography of viewing habits
The Council for Research Excellence has hired GfK for two ethnographic studies to understand the impact of internet technology and video platform proliferation on...
TWC said to have high asking price for Dodgers net
Time Warner Cable is one of the fiercest MVPDs when it comes to hardball negotiations to keep the retransmission consent price of local broadcast television in check. But when it’s asking for fees for its own programming, such as its Los Angeles Dodgers regional sports channel, the sky appears to be the limit.
Sinclair won’t renew with Granite in two markets
Late last month, the FCC approved the $370 million buy for Sinclair Broadcast Group to close on 18 Barrington Broadcasting Group stations, including WSTM-TV (NBC) and WSTQ-TV (CW) in Syracuse. Sinclair is also operating or providing sales services for six Granite Broadcasting stations, including its WTVH-TV (CBS) Syracuse. However, the shared services agreement (SSA) that brought WTVH under the same facility as WSTM and WSTQ could be ending in 2017.
Alas, poor Couric! I knew her!
OK, OK, our headline is way over the top –we just couldn’t resist. But when Katie Couric accepted the job as global anchor of Yahoo News, internet portal The Daily Beast wondered if it signaled “the end of old media dominance.” Count us among the skeptical.
Big Wheel keeps on rolling
Wheel of Fortune kept its place on top of the syndie total viewers chart during the week of 11/11/13, and Judge Judy once again...
CBS on top in tight three-way race
Three networks had a 7 share, but CBS prevailed in a ratings contest that went 2.5-2.4-2.3, beating ABC and NBC. Fox was ahead of...