Networks

FCC Postpones Cablevision-GSN Hearing

Sets Mid-July Date to Hear Carriage Case
By: Mike Farrell & John Eggerton Apr 3 2013 - 10:42pm
Sets Mid-July Date to Hear Carriage Case

A Federal Communications Commission hearing in the years-long carriage dispute between Cablevision Systems and GSN has been pushed back until mid-July after the FCC administrative law judge and parties involved agreed to the delay in hopes of getting some guidance from the U.S. Court of Appeals in the Tennis Channel/Comcast suit.

A+E Networks Taps Stacy Green As H.R. Chief

Ex-NBCUniversal Exec Will Report To Abbe Raven
By: MCN Staff Apr 2 2013 - 5:32pm
Ex-NBCUniversal Exec Will Report To Abbe Raven
Stacy Green of A+E Networks

Stacy Green has been hired as senior vice president of human resources for A+E Networks from her post as VP, Human Resources, Advertising Sales, at NBCUniversal. She will oversee the human resources department for the entire A+E Networks portfolio, according to Abbe Raven, president and CEO of A+E Networks, to whom Green will report.

'MCN' Names 2013 '40 Under 40' Class

Execs To Be Profiled In April 22 Issue
By: MCN Staff Apr 2 2013 - 1:12pm
Execs To Be Profiled In April 22 Issue

Multichannel News has announced the members of the 2013 class of "40 Under 40."

A list of the 40 executives, listed alphabetically in PDF form, is behind this link. The PDF also contains more information about the upcoming April 22 report in the magazine, in which the class members will be profiled.

TBS Renews ‘Conan’ Through November 2015

Network Adds Another Year and a Half to O’Brien’s Contract
By: Andrea Morabito, Broadcasting & Cable Apr 1 2013 - 5:21pm
Network Adds Another Year and a Half to O’Brien’s Contract

TBS has renewed late night talker Conan through November 2015, the network announced Monday.

 A year ago, TBS renewed the series through April 2014; this extends the cabler’s relationship with Conan O’Brien for another year and a half.

Starz Goes Deluxe for 'TV Everywhere'

Premium Programmer Using Media-Services Firm to Deliver Branded Authentication Services
By: Todd Spangler Mar 27 2013 - 12:52pm
Premium Programmer Using Media-Services Firm to Deliver Branded Authentication Services

Starz is leaning heavily on media-services outfit Deluxe to power its Play-branded suite of TV Everywhere online services and apps.

Deluxe Digital Distribution provides processing, protection and encoding systems for multiscreen access and delivery of Starz’s entire video library. Deluxe also is handling software and services for integration with the programmer’s distributors.

Report: CBS Close to Deal To Acquire Half of TV Guide

Broadcaster Will Partner With Current Owner Lions Gate
By: MIke Farrell Mar 22 2013 - 6:05pm
Broadcaster Will Partner With Current Owner Lions Gate

CBS Corp. is close to a deal that will bring it a 49% interest in TV Guide, including cable channel TV Guide Network, for an estimated $122 million, according to reports.

According to an item in Deadline Hollywood,  CBS will purchase the 49% interest from JP Morgan’s One Equity Partners.

Deadline said CBS would pay slightly less than the $122 million One Equity paid for the stake in 2009. CBS also would have the right to kick up its interest to 50%.

InterMedia Made Two Tries to Best Kroenke’s Outdoor Channel Offer

But Tweaked Deals Couldn’t Beat Sports Giant’s All-Cash Proposal
By: Mike Farrell Mar 22 2013 - 1:25pm
But Tweaked Deals Couldn’t Beat Sports Giant’s All-Cash Proposal

InterMedia Partners went back to the negotiating table twice to try to salvage its deal to merge with Outdoor Channel earlier this month, but according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Thursday could not best the $227 million all-cash offer from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

Court Allows Lifetime To Air Murder Movie

By: Jon Lafayette/B&C Mar 21 2013 - 4:49pm

An appeals court has overturned an injunction that would have prevented Lifetime for airing a TV movie based on a real-life case of a college student who attacked his parents, killing his father.

The convicted killer, Chris Porco, sued to stop the movie from appearing, claiming that his rights to publicity had been violated. He won an injunction but Lifetime won on appeal in the New York State Appellate Division.

Romeo Killer: The Chris Porco Story will air March 23 on Lifetime. Actor Matt Barr plays Porco. Eric McCormack and Lolita Davidovich also star.

Upfronts: Hallmark Channels Tout Investment In Originals

By: Kent Gibbons Mar 21 2013 - 3:22pm
Andie MacDowell in Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove

Hallmark Channel renewed freshman daytime series Home & Family, announced two new original primetime series in development, acquired off-network rights to sitcom Home Improvement and said sister network Hallmark Movie Channel is producing its first original holiday movie, all at an upfront luncheon in New York.

Hallmark Channel, premiering its first homegrown original scripted series, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, this July 20, said the plan is to have four new original scripted dramas on the schedule on Saturday nights by 2014.

Outdoor Has Mixed Q4

Revenue Up 8%, Cash Flow Dips 19% As Advertising Expense Triples
By: Mike Farrell Mar 18 2013 - 3:46pm
Revenue Up 8%, Cash Flow Dips 19% As Advertising Expense Triples

Revenue at Outdoor Channel rose 8% in the fourth quarter to $25.4 million, but increased advertising expenses to promote new shows helped drive cash flow down 19% in the period to $6.1 million.

Total operating expenses were up 26% in the quarter, driven primarily by a $2.3 million rise in advertising costs to promote its new programming slate launched in December and the network itself to new subscribers. Advertising expense for the quarter was about $3.3 million, triple the nearly $1 million Outdoor spent on advertising in the same period of 2011.

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