Networks

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.

WFN Signs On With Rentrak

Measurement Company Will Provide Ratings, Audience Information to Fishing Channel
By: Mike Farrell Mar 18 2013 - 11:31am
Measurement Company Will Provide Ratings, Audience Information to Fishing Channel

Just days after its parent Kroenke Sports & Entertainment agreed to purchase The Outdoor Channel in a deal valued at $227 million,  KSE’s other hunting and fishing channel – the World Fishing Network, said it has engaged measurement company Rentrak  to provide TV ratings and audience measurement information in the U.S. market.

TWC Plans NY1 Rebrand

MSO Has Not Decided on Final Name, Which Will Apply to Local News Channels in All Markets
By: MCN Staff Mar 16 2013 - 7:56am
MSO Has Not Decided on Final Name, Which Will Apply to Local News Channels in All Markets

Time Warner Cable wants to change the name of its 20-year-old NY1 news channel in the Big Apple to clearly signal that it’s available only to cable subscribers.

Cable One Reaches Carriage Deal with AMC Networks

Multiyear Deal Includes AMC, WeTV
By: Mike Farrell Mar 15 2013 - 7:58pm
Multiyear Deal Includes AMC, WeTV

Cable One announced late Friday that it has reached a multiyear agreement with AMC Networks for continued carriage of AMC and WeTV.

The contract was set to expire at the end of March 15, so there was never any disruption in service as the parties negotiated over an increase in subscriber fees for the programmer. Financial terms were not disclosed. Phoenix-headquartered Cable One counts 730,000 subscribers in 19 states

FiOS Slots Four More NBCU Nets Into TV Everywhere Site

Verizon Portal Now Offers Online Access to Content from 42 Networks
By: MCN Staff Mar 14 2013 - 4:17pm
Verizon Portal Now Offers Online Access to Content from 42 Networks

Verizon FiOS TV subs now have online access to programming from 42 networks, after the telco added NBCUniversal’s Golf Channel, E!, Style and Sprout to its TV Everywhere website.

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