360AM: Eight Operators Sign On for VOD Measurement
More deals for Rentrak's OnDemand Essentials, John Malone squares off against Barry Diller, writers will work on Grammys show.
By Steve Goldstein
Cable360AM — News briefing for Tuesday, Jan. 29 »
The Cable360 newsroom has devised a drinking game based on HBO's new show, In Treatment. Good morning.
Rentrak announced that BendBroadband, Blue Ridge Cable, Buckeye CableSystem, Massillon Cable TV and MetroCast are among eight cable operators that have recently agreed to use its OnDemand Essentials video-on-demand usage measurement system. The company says that all but four of the top 25 U.S. cable operators with video-on-demand platforms are using OnDemand Essentials, which analyzes on-demand viewing data to help operators' content partners better understand viewer preferences. [CNNMoney]
John Malone’s Liberty Media is attempting to wrest control of IAC/InterActiveCorp from Barry Diller, IAC’s chairman and CEO. Malone wants to replace seven IAC board members and prevent the company from splitting off into five separate entities. Among IAC’s holdings are home shopping network HSN, Ask.com, Match.com, Citysearch and Ticketmaster. [New York Times | Wall Street Journal]
The striking Writers Guild of America made an interm agreement with producers of the Grammy Awards to allow writers to work on the Feb. 10 CBS telecast, Reuters reports. [Reuters]
Current TV parent Current Media filed for an initial public offering yesterday, CableFAX Daily reports. The company, co-founded by former vice president Al Gore, will sell up to $100 million in Class A common stock and use the proceeds to repay debt.
Total bidding in the FCC’s wireless spectrum auction reached $6.1 billion on Monday, the third day of the auction, Computerworld reports. Bidding resumes today. [Computerworld]
Cable operator Mediacom is launching its HD Family Basic package in southwest Minnesota. The package, free to digital customers, will include TNT HD, TBS HD, CNN HD and Fox Sports Net North. [Worthington Daily Globe]
XM Satellite Radio is launching its ESPN Xtra radio channel next week. ESPN Xtra will feature ESPN Radio talk programs and content produced by ESPN exclusively for XM.
The writers’ strike has sent Kansas City Star readers to Turner Classic Movies, and one of them has learned that movies can be good even if they’re in black-and-white. [Kansas City Star]
In CableFAX Daily: A closer look at Verizon's fourth-quarter earnings report.
Help CableFAX: The Magazine decide by nominating the executives you think should be included in our annual list of the Most Powerful Women in Cable. We will rank the top 50 most powerful women, and run a list of the second 50, in the November issue of CableFAX: The Magazine. Nominations are open to all cable operators, programmers, vendors and trade associations. Click here for nomination form. Deadline for nominations: Sept. 19.
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CABLEFAX: THE MAGAZINE
THE 100 POWER LIST It's time to get in your nominations for the CableFAX 100, version 2008. Nominate here. Deadline for nominations: Sept. 19.
Cable's stars turned out for the first annual CableFAX 100 luncheon at New York's Grand Hyatt last December. Catch Mad Men's Jon Hamm, Cash Cab's Ben Bailey as well as Sundance Channel's Larry Aidem and Cable Pioneer Bill Bresnan and others in our video from the wintertime event.
Going Green: How to Do It, Communicate It and Sell It Thurs, Sept. 25
1:30-3:00pm est
[Register Now]
MER and BER Fundamentals Free 2-part Series Thurs, Sept. 4 &
Thurs, Sept. 11
1:00-2:30pm est
[Register Now]
Who are cable's most powerful women executives?
Help CableFAX: The Magazine decide by nominating the executives you think should be included in our annual list of the Most Powerful Women in Cable. We will rank the top 50 most powerful women, and run a list of the second 50, in the November issue of CableFAX: The Magazine. Nominations are open to all cable operators, programmers, vendors and trade associations. Click here for nomination form. Extended deadline for nominations: Sept. 19.
CableFAX announces the launch of CableFAX Content Business, an online premium service featuring proprietary coverage of cable content, ratings, programming and advertising trends, new technologies and distribution channels.
Get a trial subscription to Content Business here. Read the press release.
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