Groggy Cablevision customers awoke yesterday to happily discover that their cable company and Viacom averted a New Year’s Day channel blackout after the two months of tough negotiations led to a new carriage deal.
The two parties issued a statement late Monday night saying they “reached a long-term agreement that ensures no disruption of Viacom programming for Cablevision customers.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
For parents looking to keep the kiddies quiet, an afternoon filled with “Fairly Odd Parents” and “SpongeBob SquarePants” on Viacom’s Nickelodeon is just what the doctor ordered.
That an agreement prior to the Dec. 31 deadline was reached between the two companies, both of which have subjected customers to blackouts on various occasions over the last 12 months, came as a surprise to some.
Late last week it looked as if the two parties might be headed for the exit doors.
In addition to Nick, the deal keeps Viacom’s MTV, BET and Comedy Central on the air in Cablevision’s 3 million households.
Meanwhile, Time Warner Cable confirmed last night that arts channel Ovation is off its cable system. Execs are continuing to talk to AMC Networks about continued carriage for that company’s IFC and WE as part of extended negotiations.
The current contract was due to expire Jan. 1 but was temporarily extended.