Turner Broadcasting is "expected to announce today"
plans for a new regional cable channel which will launch
this fall and feature 24 hours of movies, sitcoms, and
regional news and sports "geared toward a Southern
audience," according to Charles Haddad of the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION. The channel, called Turner South, will
feature Braves, Hawks and Thrashers games, and Haddad writes
that "part of the strategy" is to "recoup games" that "have
been lost to other channels over the years through changing
contracts with the leagues" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/24).
The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Brad Reagan writes that Turner
"faces several hurdles," one being "gaining access" on
crowded cable systems. But Turner execs "hope to draw on
their longstanding relationships with cable operators."
Another hurdle is "avoiding a legal battle" with News Corp.
over sports programming as some industry analysts feel that
Time Warner Vice Chair Ted Turner "may have signed a
noncompete agreement on sports programming" when he sold
SportsSouth to Liberty Media, which eventually merged with
Fox to become Fox Sports South. Turner Exec Bill Burke, who
will run the network, said, "We're not the kind of company
that hap-hazardly goes into business without believing we're
on solid ground" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/24).
FOX "SURPRISED": Fox Sports Senior VP/Media Relations
Vince Wladika told THE DAILY this morning: "We are surprised
to hear that Turner is seeking to launch a regional network
carrying sports programming. In connection with Turner's
sale to us of its ownership interest in Fox Sports South,
they entered into an agreement with Fox/Liberty in which
they would not do this for many years to come" (THE DAILY).
