cable

A judge has scheduled a major defamation case against right-wing cable channel Newsmax to go to trial in late September, putting the battle over 2020 election lies front-and-center at the peak of the 2024 campaign. Newsmax and the voting technology company Smartmatic could still reach an out-of-court settlement, and further delays are possible. But if the Sept. 24 trial date holds, the fallout from former President Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election will be on full display as he tries to return to the White House.

Bravo and the producers of shows such as Real Housewives face a slew of allegations and lawsuits claiming bullying, harassment and unfair labor practices.

AXS TV said it will be running a new series from Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship starting April 4 at 11 p.m. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship will continue to appear in that time slot until April 18, which it will move to 10 p.m. With 13 hour-long episodes, the series will debut  with a review of top matches from BKFC 38 and feature fighters including Dat Nguyen, Daniel Straus, Bostwick and Isaac Doolittle.

DirecTV, on a Sunday of all things, decided to announce its “No Locals” plan that allows satellite subscribers to drop local TV stations and save $12 monthly or $140 annually. Dish and DirecTV have must-carry and retransmission consent obligations like cable. But satellite TV providers are not required to make their subscribers buy local TV stations before buying the tier with all the cable channels. Could cable adopt Dish’s Flex Pack or DirecTV’s No Locals approach? Since it involves regulation, it’s complicated.

Cable TV’s collapse is forcing the Disney property out of its comfort zone, from hiring risky talent to a streaming gambit that ticked off the NFL.

HBO has picked up two more seasons of Real Time With Bill Maher, which will take the weekly talk show through its 24th season in 2026. The show’s current order was due to expire at the end of this year.

The FCC will decide on a set of proposed rules that, if passed, will require satellite and cable TV providers to clarify “all-in” prices clearly so consumers can make informed decisions when signing up for services. This Thursday, March 14, the FCC will vote on “all-in” pricing for cable TV companies.

Hudock will supervise the communications strategy and media outreach for the entire MSNBC portfolio, including Morning Joe, the network’s daytime MSNBC Reports programs, primetime shows and talent, weekend coverage and longform productions, as well as non-linear content and live events. He will also serve as the principal communications lead for MSNBC President Rashida Jones. Hudock will continue to report to Stephen Labaton, EVP of communications for NBCUniversal News Group.

Dennis Mathew’s investor conference appearance coincides with M&A chatter that Charter Communications is eyeing an acquisition of the cable TV rival.

While the rate of cord cutting predictably continued to accelerate for most operators, Charter became the top dog … and Google seriously started to take over the linear bundling business.

Mortensen announced in 2016 that he he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. Even while undergoing treatment, he was the first to confirm the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.

Cable-affiliated internet service providers (ISPs) are challenging new federal digital discrimination rules in federal court in Washington, the second major legal case to target the rules. The suit was filed Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by NCTA – The Internet & Television Association and ACA Connects, which combined represent hundreds of broadband ISPs, the vast majority of them small.

Cable’s largest trade association is issuing a new reminder that cities can’t impose fees on cable operators’ broadband revenue. NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, in a Feb. 7 letter to the FCC, cited federal law that requires cable to pay local franchise fees based on a percentage of gross revenue derived from cable service. Broadband is not a cable service but rather an information service.

The cable and broadband lobby is blasting the Federal Trade Commission’s proposal to outlaw junk fees, arguing the potential rules are not only unconstitutional but would also disrupt ad practices throughout the country.

FX revealed its spring slate of new and returning series, including the second half of American Horror Story: Delicate, Welcome to Wrexham‘s third season, the new Elisabeth Moss-led spy thriller The Veil, the documentary feature The New York Times Presents: Broken Horses and the limited series Clipped (formerly The Sterling Affairs).

Stewart, who walked away from The Daily Show to much fanfare, returns to his old perch Monday night. He’s agreed to host each Monday through the election, and to executive produce the weeknight show for Comedy Central into next year to help it through another transition.

AMC Networks said it will hold its upfront event in person on April 11 at Chelsea Factory in New York. In the spotlight will be programming, including its Anne Rice Immortal Universe; its WEtv reality franchise; crime drama Dark Winds; and The Walking Dead Universe. The event will also feature interactive experiences, talent integrations and ad tech advancements, including addressable ads and programmatic buying. Pictured: Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in AMC’s The Walking Dead: Dead City.

The programmer orders 278 new episodes of shows from Free Food Studios.

Charter Communications said today it will use Sensormatic’s in-store traffic analytics to boost product sales and optimize staffing at its 700 retail locations. Charter ran a pilot program using Sensormatic in 50 of its stores lat year.

Neither the FCC nor FTC has a particularly good track record of standing up to broadband and cable giants when it comes to their longstanding track record of anticompetitive behavior, price gouging or nickel-and-diming their often captive customers with bogus, hidden fees. Though occasionally one of the two agencies does step in to try make a bare minimum effort to rein in the industry’s worst impulses, such as the FTC’s attempt, unveiled last March, to force companies to stop making canceling service a pain in the ass. But the cable and broadband industry, which has a long and proud tradition of whining about every last consumer protection requirement (no matter how basic), is kicking back at that requirement.

Flexibility was key to the deal for the star host as Comedy Central hopes to reenergize its flagship show.

Comedy Central on Wednesday said Stewart will host the topical TV show, the perch he ruled for 16 years starting in 1999, every Monday starting Feb. 12. A rotating lineup of show regulars are on tap for the rest of the week.

After holding a year-long bake-off among various celebrities to find the next host of its signature The Daily Show, Comedy Central is going to try a new recipe. When the program returns from a hiatus, it is expected to rely heavily on a team of correspondents to lead each night, according to three people familiar with the matter, though it is not clear if the network has struck upon its final assemblage of talent.

The media conglomerate said Thursday that it plans to hold a presentation for advertisers at 10 a.m. ET on May 15 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, where it will call attention to media brands such as Max, Food Network, CNN, HGTV, TBS, Discovery, TLC, Bleacher Report and Discovery+. The ranks look to be heavier with streaming properties than traditional linear ones.