Time-Warner to dump 19 channels. UPDATE: Blackout Averted!

[ifilus]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Media giant Viacom Inc. said its Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and 16 other channels will go dark on Time Warner Cable Inc. at 12:01 a.m. Thursday if a new carriage fee deal is not agreed upon by then.

The impasse over carriage fee hikes would mean "SpongeBob" and other shows like "The Daily Show" will be cut off to 13 million subscribers, said spokesman Alex Dudley, a vice president at Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable operator.

The channels that would be affected are: Comedy Central, CMT: Pure Country, Logo, Palladia, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, MTV Tr3s, Nickelodeon, Noggin, Nick 2, Nicktoons, Spike, The N, TV Land, VH1, VH1 Classic, and VH1 Soul.

http://www.courant.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-viacom-time-warner-cable,0,3722158.story

 

[slappy4428]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels.

Greed vs. Greed and everyone loses//.

 

[DanOregon]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

There's a lot of this going around, SAT and local cable tv systems in stalemates with broadcast stations forcing them off the air. A hell of a time for these issues to flare up with the upcoming analog/digital switch-over.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Who the **** needs all those stupid music channels? I get 17 music video channels on my cable, not to mention all those digital music channels in the 400s, and yet ESPN Classic and NFL Network, which WERE part of my package once upon a time, no longer are.

 

[BYH]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

If someone takes away my VH-1 Classic, you will know my name by the bloodshed.

 

[mike311gd]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

I had to find out about this on That '70s Show? Pure crap. If I get back to my house on Thursday, and I can't watch Scrubs at 7 p.m. on Comedy Central, I'm going to find make someone bleed.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Time Warner has the hand in this one.

Those channels offer very little.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Time Warner has the hand in this one.

Those channels offer very little.

Not with anyone who has kids. Without Nickelodeon, Nick 2 and Noggin they'll lose millions of families to satellite. They'll reach a deal, or Time-Warner is dead.

 

[DanOregon]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

I'm curious if we're going to see a shakeout on the video side in the coming years. Cable TV rates are already pricing themselves out of business, broadcast networks are moaning and groaning, and now SAT companies are dickering over carriage fees.

 

[Oz]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Time Warner has the hand in this one.

Those channels offer very little.

Uh, Comedy Central offers plenty to me. Plenty. Fortunately, I'm with Comcast so I'm OK.

 

[Trey Beamon]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Thank God I only have Time Warner internet service.

 

[DanOregon]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Here's an article on local stations efforts to get money from cable/SAT companies (apparently its to pay for the local station's tech upgrades). And if this goes down I imagine cable and SAT bill will go up at least 5 percent (its not like ESPN has saved up the $500 million its promised the BCS).

http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/71928

 

[KYSportsWriter]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

How long until this happens to Comcast?

 

[playthrough]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Time Warner has the hand in this one.

Those channels offer very little.

Not with anyone who has kids. Without Nickelodeon, Nick 2 and Noggin they'll lose millions of families to satellite. They'll reach a deal, or Time-Warner is dead.

No joke. The only reason I'm surfing sj at this moment is because the 3-year-old is occupied with Noggin. Thank you for keeping things simple, DirecTV.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Time Warner still doesn't have the NFL Network, right?

Glad I have DirecTV.

 

[slappy4428]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

If someone takes away my VH-1 Classic, you will know my name by the bloodshed.

Dickhead kills 40?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

If Time Warner or DirecTV or Comcast or Dish Network ever went to customers and said, "You can pick which channels you want."

They'd make a fortune.

 

[Diabeetus]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Totally agree, Mizzou. I think (hope) it may happen sometime in the near future with all the in-demand and other options people have now.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Other than the networks I need about 10 channels...

ESPN
ESPN News
Comedy Central
USA
TNT
Fox News
CNN
Disney Channel
Cartoon Network
NFL Network


If I feel like paying extra, I'll get HBO and Showtime. Give me those channels and the networks and I'm content.

 

[trifectarich]

Re: So long, Colbert & Stewart: Time-Warner to dump 19 channels 1/1/09.

Who the **** needs all those stupid music channels? I get 17 music video channels on my cable, not to mention all those digital music channels in the 400s, and yet ESPN Classic and NFL Network, which WERE part of my package once upon a time, no longer are.

Bingo. I don't watch any of these channels. I didn't care that anyone ever thought of the idea for them. If you want to take away the other 100 channels I don't watch, that's fine with me. Just give me the 25 I frequent the most.