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Food Network and HGTV pulled off Cablevision in Northeast
by Allison Waldman, posted Jan 2nd 2010 10:31AM
Repeat after me, "I want my Food Network, I want my HGTV!" That's what the disgruntled Cablevision subscribers might be shouting soon if Scripps Networks and Cablevision don't reach a deal on fees. As of 12:01 on New Year's Day, three million TV subscribers in suburban New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were shocked that Food Network and DIY and HGTV and all the Scripps networks were off Cablevision.
I don't know how the corporate folks feel about this kind of negotiation, but as a TV viewer I think it sucks. I used to live in that market and if I was expecting to watch Food Network, I would expect to see it.
I don't want to hear about how my cable operator couldn't work out a deal involving how many cents per household is charged for the networks. I just want my programs. I pay my cable bill so that I can get all those channels.
Scripps seems to have a good fight here; reportedly, they're getting 9 cents per subscriber for Food Network, while HGTV gets 12 cents. That's not a lot of revenue when you consider how much it costs to pay for the star power coming out of Scripps these days, especially Food Network. In the cable industry, these are considered some of the lowest rates out there.
Interestingly, Scripps has gotten its stars involved in the battle. If you're a Cablevision customer you might receive a call from Guy Fieri and Vern Yip asking you to call Cablevision and say, "I want my Food Network! I want my HGTV!" I'm ready to make the call now and I don't even live there anymore.
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