No Food Network or HGTV for Cablevision Subscribers
Customers of Cablevision in New York won't be seeing any programming on the Food Network or HGTV. Scripps has pulled its channels from Cablevision in yet another cable channel/television channel fee dispute.
Cablevision's agreement to carry the Scripps channels expired at midnight Thursday, and Scripps warned subscribers Thursday that its Food Network and HGTV channels may be "dropped from your TV lineup," as another contentious negotiation over programming fees spilled into public view.
Scripps said in a statement that Cablevision is not properly compensating it for the networks, and it's launching a publicity campaign aimed at getting consumers to complain to Cablevision for not carrying them.
"The distribution rates Cablevision pays for Food and HGTV are among the lowest in the industry," said Scripps Chief Executive Kenneth Lowe.
"We are sorry that Scripps' current financial difficulties are making it impossible for them to continue our relationship on terms that are reasonable for Cablevision and our customers," said Cablevision in a statement. "We wish Scripps well and have no expectation of carrying their programming again, given the dramatic changes in their approach to working with distributors to reach television viewers."
Cablevision provides TV service to approximately 3.1 million people largely in the New York area.
Cable television subscribers across the nation are increasingly getting caught up in battles between networks and content providers that want cable companies to pay more for their content. Cable companies are balking at the rate hikes, which will be passed on to customers who already think their cable bills are too high.
