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Updated 01/01/2010 08:39 PM

Fox, Time Warner Cable Reach Agreement Over Carriage Fees

By: NY1 News

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Officials with Fox Networks and Time Warner Cable announced Friday evening an agreement over carriage fees.

Some 13 million households of Time Warner Cable subscribers can still receive programming from Fox Television Stations, Fox Broadcasting, Fox Cable Networks and Fox’s regional sports networks.

"We're pleased that, after months of negotiations, we were able to reach a fair agreement with Time Warner Cable -- one that recognizes the value of our programming,” said Chase Carey, the deputy chairman, president and COO of News Corporation, the parent company of Fox.

“We’re happy to have reached a reasonable deal with no disruption in programming for our customers,” said Glenn Britt, the chairman, president and CEO of Time Warner Cable.

Without an agreement, Time Warner Cable customers would have lost Fox programming, including Channels 5 and 9, at midnight Friday.

Fox had reportedly been seeking $1 per subscriber per month for its programming, which includes popular shows like "American Idol" and "The Simpsons" as well as NFL and college football.

But Time Warner Cable had described that amount as "unreasonable" for a free-to-air network that can be received at no charge in areas where reception allows it.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed by 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Time Warner Cable is the parent company of NY1 News.

Meanwhile, a similar dispute left Cablevision subscribers without two networks at midnight Friday.

Scripps Networks Interactive pulled the Food Network and HGTV from more than three million subscribers in the tri-state region.

Scripps was reportedly seeking significant increases in carriage fees for the two networks.

They said the distribution rates Cablevision pays for the networks are among the lowest in the industry.

Cablevision officials said Friday they were disappointed to not reach an agreement, and that they did not expect to carry the programming again, given the dramatic changes in their approach to working with distributors.