Cox Communications Inc., the third-largest U.S. cable provider, has held talks about combining with Charter Communications Inc., according to two people with knowledge of the matter. Cox President Pat Esser has discussed a deal with representatives from Liberty Media Corp., which owns a 27% stake in Charter, said one of the sources. The structure of a potential deal hasn’t been determined, including which company might be the acquirer, the other source said.
Daily newspaper U-T San Diego is making an ambitious move into the video space with an all-news TV station — streaming online and running on cable — that will soon run original programming 24-hours per day. The newspaper is hoping its $3 million investment in equipment and personnel will pay off in a big way.
Cox Plans To Drop WPGA From Lineup
Cox Communications officials say they are set to move forward with plans to move ABC on its Macon, Ga., lineup chart from ch. 15 to ch. 6 after winning a legal victory over WPGA, the market’s former ABC affiliate.
Media General, Cox Reach Retrans Deal
Media General’s WSLS Roanoke, Va., will remain on Cox Communications cable after Cox reached an agreement late yesterday with the station’s corporate owner just hours before a retransmission contract was set to expire.
Media General, Cox In WSLS Retrans Tussle
Media General says that it will pull its Roanoke, Va., NBC affiliate WSLS from Cox Communications subscribers unless the MSO agrees to increased fees for retransmission consent. Cox’s contract with the station expires on May 31.
Cox Communications and LIN TV Corp. signed a retransmission consent agreement late Wednesday to keep LIN’s Hartford-New Haven, Conn., duopoly of WTNH (ABC) and WCTX (MNT) on Cox’s cable system. The previous deal was set to expire at midnight.
Exclusives
LIN Threatens To Pull Stations Off Cox
LIN TV is warning Cox Communications subscribers in Florida and Rhode Island that they may lose the signals for stations affiliated with Fox, CBS and The CW on March 1 if a retransmission consent agreement isn’t worked out.
The newly expanded Pac-12 Conference has partnered with cable operators Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks to create a national network and six regional networks.
After soft-launching some “TV Everywhere” services last year, Cox Communications has taken the wraps off TV Online, its authenticated online-video site with content from Turner Broadcasting System, HBO and Cinemax, Epix, Vutopia and Hulu.
Cox Communications avoided a protracted retransmission consent fight with broadcaster LIN TV Wednesday, reaching an agreement in principle for stations in five markets hours before they were set to go dark. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Nine stations in five markets in the Northeast and Southern portions of the U.S. could go dark on March 31.
LNC5, a joint television news venture in Norfolk, Va., begun in 1997 linking cable operator Cox Communications, The Virginian-Pilot and Belo’s ABC affiliate WVEC, is over. Cox said “the changing media landscape and shifting viewer needs have caused the partner organizations to reprioritize their efforts.”
Cox Communications lauches cellular service in Orange County, Calif., Omaha, Neb., and Hampton Roads, Va., today, with plans to expand in other areas of the U.S.
