FCC calls back Time Warner punt
TEXT OF STORY
MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: After taking over Adelphia cable, Time Warner decided to punt NFL Network. Yesterday the FCC ordered the media company to put it back. The government says subscribers need at least a 30-day notice. We get more from Rachel Dornhelm.
RACHEL DORNHELM: Adelphia subscribers who got used to having the NFL Network on cable might have been surprised when it disappeared this week.
That’s when Time Warner officially merged with Adelphia and decided it wasn’t willing to offer the sports channel in its more basic packages.
One reason could be the league-owned channel is said be upping its carriage fee by 350 percent.
Sports media watcher John Ourand says this could upset a devoted following.
JOHN OURAND: NFL Network for somebody that does fantasy football is like nirvana. They provide statistics, analysis, game highlights.
Ourand says cable providers may be gambling that diehard fans are already signed on to satellite TV’s NFL Sunday Ticket.
That lets you watch up to six live NFL games at a time.
I’m Rachel Dornhelm for Marketplace.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
