No, really, I want my MTV. Time Warner Cable is about to yank MTV, and 19 other Viacom channels off the air over a few cents.
Viacom just issued a statement saying that Time Warner Cable is going to pull Nickelodeon, COMEDY CENTRAL, VH1, MTV - all of the Viacom networks, off the air, because they refuse to pay a 25 cent per month per subscriber fee increase. They're gonna take away The Daily Show with Jon Steward because of less than a penny a day?
In a statement, Viacom has said, "We make this request because TWC has so greatly undervalued our
channels for so long. Americans spend more than 20% of their TV viewing
time watching our networks, yet our fees amount to less than 2.5% of
what Time Warner generates from their average customer.
Throughout the country, we have negotiated equitable license
agreement renewals, or are in the final stages of renewals, with
virtually every cable and satellite carrier. Nevertheless, Time Warner
Cable has dismissed our efforts at a fair compromise and has
effectively chosen to deny its customers some of the most popular TV
shows on the air."
If this isn't resolved, Viacom's networks will shut off . . .
at 12:01am, January 1st. Happy New Years Eve!
What makes this even more ironic is that in many areas of the country, Time Warner Cable subscribers will be getting a $3.00 per month increase. So, they're paying more, and getting less. Nice. — Leslie Shapiro
