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News Corp. Details Program Arbitration Disputes
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Without airing any opinions on the matter, News Corp. responded to a request from the Federal Communications Commission that sought information on the number of program access arbitrations the company faces from pay-TV providers.
The request was made by the FCC as part of its review of News Corp.'s push to end conditions placed on its acquisition of a controlling stake in DIRECTV. News Corp. sold that stake to Liberty Media in February, and now wants the commission to eliminate the conditions, some of which govern access to News Corp. controlled programming by pay-TV competitors.
In its filing at the FCC, News Corp. didn't reiterate its stand on the DIRECTV conditions. But the media giant offered the following details on its programming arbitration disputes:
*Fox Sports Net Ohio has asked the commission to reverse an arbitration award and dismiss Massillon's arbitration claim, arguing that the arbitrator lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and because the award granted to Massillon unreasonably assessed fees and costs against the regional sports network. The petition is pending at the FCC.
*In November, the National Cable Television Cooperative filed a petition seeking a review and reversal of a previous decision concerning carriage of Fox regional sports networks by the cooperative's members. That decision was in favor of the News Corp.-controlled networks.
*Also, in December 2007, NCTC sent Fox Cable Networks a Notice of Intent to Arbitrate relating to carriage of various regional sports networks by the cooperative's members that had carriage agreements expire at the close of last year. Eventually, NCTC informed Fox Cable Networks and the arbitrator that the cooperative would not pursue the 2007 arbitration.
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Without airing any opinions on the matter, News Corp. responded to a request from the Federal Communications Commission that sought information on the number of program access arbitrations the company faces from pay-TV providers.
The request was made by the FCC as part of its review of News Corp.'s push to end conditions placed on its acquisition of a controlling stake in DIRECTV. News Corp. sold that stake to Liberty Media in February, and now wants the commission to eliminate the conditions, some of which govern access to News Corp. controlled programming by pay-TV competitors.
In its filing at the FCC, News Corp. didn't reiterate its stand on the DIRECTV conditions. But the media giant offered the following details on its programming arbitration disputes:
*Fox Sports Net Ohio has asked the commission to reverse an arbitration award and dismiss Massillon's arbitration claim, arguing that the arbitrator lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and because the award granted to Massillon unreasonably assessed fees and costs against the regional sports network. The petition is pending at the FCC.
*In November, the National Cable Television Cooperative filed a petition seeking a review and reversal of a previous decision concerning carriage of Fox regional sports networks by the cooperative's members. That decision was in favor of the News Corp.-controlled networks.
*Also, in December 2007, NCTC sent Fox Cable Networks a Notice of Intent to Arbitrate relating to carriage of various regional sports networks by the cooperative's members that had carriage agreements expire at the close of last year. Eventually, NCTC informed Fox Cable Networks and the arbitrator that the cooperative would not pursue the 2007 arbitration.