Affiliate Programs and Affiliate Reviews
An appeals court overturned a rule that said a cable TV company could not serve more than 30 percent of the nation’s subscribers. The verdict Friday was a victory for the largest cable company, Comcast, which has 25 percent share and sued to block the rule. It was an embarrassing decision for the Federal Communications Commission, which had already seen the cap rejected and imposed it again.
DirecTV Group is in talks with the TBS and TNT cable networks to offer their shows online, according to two people familiar with the discussions. If a deal is reached, DirecTV subscribers would be able to watch shows from those cable networks on the Internet, the people said on condition of anonymity because the talks still are ongoing.
Comcast, the nation’s biggest cable TV systems operator, posted a 53 percent increase in second-quarter profit on Thursday, helped by higher prices and increased customer spending on video and Internet services. However, subscriber growth markedly slowed as the recession’s grip remained tight. Comcast said it hasn’t seen much sign of an economic rebound, although July fared better than the second quarter.
Companies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed. It’s unclear how much of an effect the new policies will have. One consumer group said the changes don’t go far enough, and that extensive profiles of people still will be collected without their complete consent.
Cable TV operators won a key legal battle against Hollywood studios and television networks on Monday as the Supreme Court declined to block a new digital video recording system that could make it even easier for viewers to bypass commercials. The justices declined to hear arguments on whether Cablevision Systems’ remote-storage DVR system would violate copyright laws.