News Corp. Chair Rupert Murdoch appeared at the Nat'l
Cable Television Association convention in Atlanta and said
during his industry assessment speech that "the future is
cable," according to Charles Haddad of the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION. Murdoch said that there will "always be room
for broadcasters," who "advertisers will continue to look at
... as the best way to reach a mass audience." Murdoch
added that there is "perhaps a small corner" in the market
for "satellite broadcasters, but the challenge from the
telephone companies is doubtful" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION,
6/17). In Chicago, Tim Jones writes that Murdoch said that
while the cable industry "needs the sports and other
programming that broadcasters can provide through large
advertising sales," the networks "need cable operators to
carry their channels" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/17). Meanwhile,
Murdoch said that "he believed" Fox would "reach agreements
with cable operators to continue carrying their signals."
The DAILY VARIETY's Richard Katz writes that News Corp.
"will only raise" Fox Sports Net's carriage rates "by a
little more than the rate of inflation." Murdoch: "It won't
be 20% a year for the next five years" (DAILY VARIETY,
6/17). Murdoch said that News Corp. "is going to make bold
moves" on the Web, and "plans to create six to 12 major
sites" through the Fox brand (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/17).
