Trouble in TV land? Report: TNT May Withhold NASCAR Programming From Operators Who Don’t Pay More. Multichannel News reports that Turner Network Television is looking for at least a 2-cent-per-year increase over at least a five-year period — and it is threatening to withhold marquee programming if it doesnt get it — as part of an initial new rate-card pitch to operators, several executives have said. Operators are reporting that TNT, which currently costs around 70 cents per subscriber, is pitching a “TNT Plus” package: a five- to six-year agreement that calls for a rate increase of around 2 cents to 5 cents each year to help subsidize costs for recent, expensive and high-profile programming acquisitions. TNT’ current affiliate deal with several operators expires at year’ end. For operators with long-term carriage deals that extend beyond 2002, TNT hopes to renegotiate to reflect terms of the TNT Plus agreement. “Under the new deal, they would have the right to black out some TNT Plus programming without providing any substitute programming,” one MSO programming executive said. Although it’ unclear exactly what programs would be subject to blackout, some operators believe it will most likely include games from the network’ new six-year, $2.2 billion National Basketball Association deal. “TNT could also choose to withdraw its popular National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing programming,” says the report. TNT representatives would not comment on the network’ negotiations with cable operators.(MotorsportsTV)(6-24-2002)
