In an effort to stave off any potential disruptions to their customers, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks reached an early renewal of their retransmission agreement with Discovery Communications.
Last month, Time Warner Cable conceded that its retransmission scrap with CBS, which included blackouts of video content in New York City, Los Angeles and Dallas, cost it video subscribers.
Multi-screen digital rights was purported to be a sticking point between CBS and Time Warner Cable, and on that note Time Warner Cable said today that it expected subscribers “to enjoy authenticated access to Discovery content in the near future.”
With the long-term agreement in hand, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, which are the nation’s second and sixth-largest cable operators, respectively, will be able to continue to provide their subscribers access to Discovery’s linear channels and VOD content, including: Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, Hub Network, Military Channel, Discovery Fit & Health, Discovery en Español, Discovery Familia, Velocity and Destination America.
“We’re pleased to have reached this long-term agreement with Discovery well in advance of our deadline,” said Andrew I. Rosenberg, senior vice president, content acquisition for Time Warner Cable. “Our customers will continue to enjoy Discovery’s networks, in addition to a robust VOD experience, and we look forward to continually working with Discovery to provide more expansive out of home access to their content.”
The length of the new agreement and financial terms weren’t released.
“Ensuring viewers’ access to and enjoyment of Discovery’s unparalleled family of networks is our top priority, and we are thrilled to have reached this agreement with Time Warner Cable,” said Eric Phillips, president, domestic distribution for Discovery Communications. “For nearly 30 years, Discovery has remained steadfastly committed to investing in and producing the highest-quality, original content to help viewers satisfy their curiosity about the world around them. This agreement reaffirms Time Warner Cable’s support of that commitment, and we look forward to building value for Time Warner Cable’s lineup and its customers for years to come.”
Former Bright House Networks chairman Bob Miron, along with TCI executives John Malone and John Sie, was an early investor in Discovery.
