News Corp. and Cox Communications are "locked in a
bitter battle that is blocking Cox's cable-TV subscribers
from seeing programming on Fox-owned TV stations," according
to Joe Flint of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Cox "dropped"
Fox's outlets on Saturday in "several large markets,"
including suburban DC, Dallas and Cleveland. The move left
37,000 Cox subscribers in Dallas "unable to watch" Sunday's
Giants-Cowboys game. Flint writes that Fox is "demanding
that Cox systems agree to carry two Fox cable channels,
including Fox Sports World, as Cox converts "all of its
cable systems to digital technology with more channel
capacity." Cox says it "isn't willing to commit to carrying
the two cable channels on all its systems where Fox stations
are located." Flint noted that the "battle" between Cox and
Fox is "limited to markets served by Cox's cable systems
where Fox owns" a TV station (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/3). In
DC, Michael Shear wrote that the dispute left 260,000 local
households "without a way to watch the Cotton Bowl [or]
upcoming Redskins playoff games" on local WTTG-Fox.
Officials for both companies said that negotiations "have
been suspended" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/2). Also in DC,
Branigin & Pae write that "angry cable subscribers" in
Fairfax County are "swamping stores with inquiries about
satellite dishes" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/4). Cox CEO James
Robbins: "We just didn't feel it was appropriate to subject
our customers to the additional costs on a national basis
for the extension of the playing on the three markets. ...
We will continue to explore options" (CNBC, 1/3).
TIME WARNER DEAL: Meanwhile, Fox Sports World and Fox
Sports World Espanol have signed an agreement that will give
the both networks immediate access to all Time Warner
digital subscribers (Fox Sports World).
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