Salem Cast - H 2015
WGN AmericaCable operator Cablevision Systems and Tribune Media on Thursday announced a broad-based, multiyear content carriage deal, which includes carriage of WGN America in Cablevision homes starting in 2016.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Cablevision also has acquired Tribune Media’s 2.8 percent stake in Newsday Holdings, making it fully owned by Cablevision. The Newsday group includes newspaper Newsday, amNewYork and Newsday Local Publishing, which operates weekly shopper publications.
Under the content agreement, Cablevision’s Optimum TV subscribers will continue to receive Tribune Media’s TV stations in New York (WPIX-TV), Hartford (WTIC-TV and WCCT-TV) and Philadelphia (WPHL-TV). In addition, Cablevision will launch Tribune Media’s general entertainment cable network, whose originals include Salem, to its New York, New Jersey and Connecticut video customers beginning in January.
As part of the deal, Cablevision also renewed its use of TV listings and movie data provided by Tribune Media’s Gracenote.
“Cablevision is a tremendous distribution partner, and we are looking forward to bringing WGN America’s new original dramas, such as Underground and Outsiders and exclusive syndicated programming like Elementary and Person of Interest, to new audiences in the nation’s #1 market,” said Dana Zimmer, president of distribution for Tribune Broadcasting. “In addition, reaching agreement to extend Cablevision’s retransmission of WPIX and our stations in Hartford and Philadelphia ensures that millions of people in the tri-state area will continue to enjoy Mets and Yankees baseball games alongside high-quality local news, sports and entertainment programming for years to come.”
The addition of Optimum TV customers in early 2016 will extend WGN America’s conversion to a basic cable channel to nearly 80 percent of the network’s footprint, expanding its reach to 76 million homes, Tribune Media said.
