In late February it became known that cable provider Cablevision was suing Viacom over alleged anti-competitive activities involving the bundling of television channels. Viacom blasted the lawsuit as little more than a “transparent attempt [...] to renegotiate our existing two month old agreement [with Cablevision].” Cablevision continues to pursue the lawsuit. Today its complaint against Viacom – a mildly redacted copy – was released. Viacom has several tiers of content, including the Tying Networks, the Core Networks, and the Suite Networks. The Tying channels are the largest, and most commercially critical. Think of Comedy Central, and so forth. All Tying channels are part of the Core channels. The Core channels are therefore must-carries for Cablevision. The Suite channels are lower-value, given their lesser viewership.
Cablevision Tells Viacom it Won’t Pay to Not Carry Bad Channels
on 3.8.13
Author: Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is Fox 5 New York's On-air Tech Expert (WNYW-TV) and the host of Fox Television's monthly show Shelly Palmer Digital Living. He also hosts United Stations Radio Network's, Shelly Palmer Digital Living Daily, a daily syndicated radio report that features insightful commentary and a unique insiders take on the biggest stories in technology, media, and entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group, LLC an industry-leading advisory and business development firm and a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards).
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