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Suddenlink Has Raised $1.8 Billion in 14 Months

ST. LOUIS — Cequel Communications, parent of Suddenlink Communications,
said Thursday that it has closed a $625 million debt offering, bringing the
total raised by the nation’s seventh-largest MSO
in the past 14 months to more than $1.8 billion.

Cequel Communications Holdings and Cequel
Capital completed the sale of $625 million in
8.625% senior notes due 2017. The offering will
form a part of the same series as about $1.2
billion of 8.625% senior notes due in 2017 that
were issued on Nov. 4 and May 4, the company
said.

Cequel will use the proceeds from the latest
offering to fund its earlier announced purchase
of NPG Cable, the Missouri-based MSO with
about 83,000 subscribers; repay all of the
original capital contributions made by holders
of preferred interests of Cequel’s parent; repay
a portion of the capital contributions made by
holders of common interests of Cequel’s parent;
make certain payments to holders of options in
and restricted common units of Cequel’s parent;
and pay related costs, fees and expenses.

The proceeds of the earlier offerings were used to facilitate Suddenlink’s
$233 million rebuild program “Project Imagine” through 2012 to repay a portion
of its debt and for working capital and corporate purposes.

“I consider the fact that we’ve successfully gone to the capital markets for
more than $1.8 billion in 14 months to be quite an achievement, especially
given the larger economic conditions,” Suddenlink chairman and CEO Jerry
Kent said in a statement. “I further believe this achievement is a testament to
the value of our investments in customer service and the overall soundness
of our business strategy.”

In Demand, Pizza Hut Serve Up Promotion

NEW YORK — Consumers placing Pizza Hut orders online can view movie trailers
from films airing on-demand as part of a partnership between the fastfood
chain and In Demand.

The movies on demand (MOD)
promotional campaign, running
over the next several months, will
expose users of the Pizza Hut
order page at www.pizzahut.com
to movie trailers, video clips and
movie trivia — as well as a listing
of suggested movies available immediately
from their cable systems’
MOD lineups — while they wait for
their pizza delivery, according to
the on-demand company.

Pizza Hut averages more than 1
million online orders a month.

In Demand will feature family
entertainment-themed movies such as Alpha and Omega and Dinner for
Schmucks — all of which will be available to order immediately on cable — as
part of the promotion.

EWTN to Take Over ‘National Catholic Register’

IRONDALE, ALA. — Continuing its expansion into the news realm, EWTN Global
Catholic Network has signed a letter of intent to acquire the National Catholic
Register, the nation’s leading Catholic newspaper.

Under the terms of the transaction, no cash will be exchanged between
the parties, with EWTN taking over the ongoing operational expenses of the
National Catholic Register and the assumption of its future subscription liabilities.

The acquisition of the weekly follows the partnership EWTN entered into
with the Catholic News Agency last year, which has Catholic news media outlet
with bureaus in North and South America and Europe. Under that agreement,
EWTN and Denver-based CNA, which has news bureaus in North and
South America and Europe, are sharing news resources and have created a
joint news service found at ewtnnews.com. That arrangement was recently
expanded to include a new, original Spanish-language news service, EWTN Noticias,
which launched this month.

The National Catholic Register grew out of Denver’s Catholic Register, which
bowed Aug. 11, 1905.

Syfy Renews ‘Sanctuary’ for Fourth Season

NEW YORK — Syfy has commissioned a fourth season of scripted series
Sanctuary. Production of the new 13-episode season will begin this spring in
Vancouver, aiming for a fall 2011 premiere.

The show, starring Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis alum Amanda Tapping,
has continued to perform well at a time when some other high-profile
sci-fi series on
the network have
faltered. Syfy
canceled Caprica,
a spinoff of hit
drama Battlestar
Galactica, midway
through its freshman
run, and
denied Stargate
Universe a third
season, seemingly
ending the Stargate
franchise’s extended
run on the
network.

Sanctuary’s thirdseason
premiere
on Oct. 15 drew
nearly 1.8 million
total viewers on a
live-plus-same-day basis, according to Nielsen figures, and has been consistent
in drawing between 1.25 million and 1.5 million viewers to episode premieres
using that yardstick.

SCTE to Cut Board From 19 to 15 Members

EXTON, PA. — The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, in a move
aimed at increasing the involvement and support of cable operators, plans
to reduce the number of board members from 19 to 15 members starting in
November.

Under newly adopted bylaws, eight board members will be selected from
among the SCTE’s regional directors, and seven directors will be nominated
by the SCTE nominations subcommittee and approved by the board.

Currently, the SCTE’s board comprises 12 elected regional directors, five
elected directors-at-large and two appointed directors-at-large.

Until November 2011, the board will have 19 members. All current board
members and officers will finish out their terms during the transition, which
will be terminated when the new board is elected at the 2012 SCTE Cable-Tec
Expo in Orlando, Fla., set for the week of Oct. 14, 2012.

SCTE currently has about 13,000 members. The association has 68 chapters
and meeting groups, and more than 3,000 employees of the cable telecommunications
industry hold SCTE technical certifications.

Logo Orders Second Season of ‘A-List: New York’

NEW YORK — Logo has ordered a second season of The A-List: New York from
True Entertainment.

Production is scheduled to begin shortly on the docuseries’ sophomore
campaign, comprising 11 one-hour installments, according to Logo officials.
The series is slated for a fall return.

The second season again will feature the original cast: The Amazing Race
winner actor/model Reichen Lehmkuhl, his Brazilian model boyfriend Rodiney
Santiago, renowned celebrity photographer and RuPaul’s Drag Race and America’s
Next Top Model staple Mike Ruiz, international model Austin Armacost,
modeling agent Derek Lloyd Saathoff, and ultra-high-end salon owner Ryan
Nickulas and sidekick, TJ Kelly.

Additionally, there will be some fresh faces in the crowd as new storylines
and cast members are introduced throughout the season.

The new season will pick up where the rookie run left off, following storylines
like Reichen and Rodiney’s relationship, Austin’s attempts to stir the pot
and Ryan and partner struggles to adopt a child.

Hallmark Adds ‘Martha Bakes’ to Lineup

LOS ANGELES — Hallmark Channel on Jan. 31 is launching Martha Bakes, a new
original series based on a lifetime of research and baking techniques perfected
by Martha Stewart. The weekly program is the first to feature Stewart
demonstrating one specific culinary discipline.

The 13-episode series for the “Hallmark Channel Home” block will air Mondays
at 11 a.m.