In a "sudden blow to local Mets fans enjoying a pennant
race for the first time in seven years, SportsChannel
yesterday said it will black out 14 upcoming games" to more
than 1 million homes in Time Warner Cable systems in New
York City, according to Steve Zipay of NEWSDAY. Time Warner
and SportsChannel "have been feuding for months over a fee
Time Warner owes SportsChannel for an additional 25 Mets
regular-season telecasts. The negotiations broke down and
the dispute became public yesterday." Time Warner has
"already televised 11 of the 25 extra games -- and sold some
ad spots -- without paying SportsChannel the extra money."
Barry Rosenblum, president of Time Warner Cable New York
City, said the increased fee translates to "about $3 a
customer over the course of 12 months, but there are other
issues that would run costs in the tens of millions."
Michael Bair, Exec VP/Rainbow Media, SportsChannel's parent,
said, "We thought things were getting done, but Time Warner
hasn't been negotiating in good faith" (NEWSDAY, 8/15).
SC's charge for the 25 games is $3.4M (N.Y. TIMES, 8/15).
BIG PICTURE: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Scott Hettrick
writes the "stalemate could soon lead to a larger problem
for New York cable customers since" Rainbow Programming now
owns MSG and the fact that Time Warner's Rosenblum said
Rainbow is asking for "tens of millions of dollars" in
additional fees for the renewal of rights to carry both
networks (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/15). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick
wonders if these "latest disputes represent the anticipated
-- a move by Cablevision to hike the cost of MSG and SC
programming as a means of financing Cablevision's purchase
of the Garden and all its parts? Could be" (N.Y. POST,
8/15). NEWSDAY's Zipay adds that the "biggest winner in the
blackout" will be radio carrier WFAN (NEWSDAY, 8/15).
