Time Warner Cable is ready to blow a Fuse.
The New York cable giant dropped Madison Square Garden’s Fuse from its programming lineup last week in a broader battle over programming costs — a serious setback for the struggling music network.
MSG, controlled by the Dolan family, wants Time Warner Cable to pay more to carry its sports networks, MSG and MSG Plus, which are home to the Knicks and Rangers. New York Islanders’ and New Jersey Devils’ games are also featured.
The move leaves Fuse without 7.8 million subscribers and is the second time it’s been booted from a pay-TV company within the last twelve months. Satellite-TV provider Dish dropped Fuse last year.
Fuse, the baby of MSG’s executive chairman, James Dolan, was separated from Rainbow Media in 2008, where it benefited from being part of a group of entertainment channels including AMC, WE and IFC. Fuse was spun off with MSG in order to take advantage of The Garden’s live music concerts.
Time Warner Cable would not comment on whether Fuse would go back on the air if the MSG dispute is settled. Sources said Time Warner Cable was paying 8 cents per subscriber a month to Fuse.