The News Corp. (NWS-A) has planned a new business cable channel and has moved a step closer to reality by reaching a deal with Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), the nation's biggest operator of cable television systems, to carry it.
The new network will be a spin off of the Fox News Channel, although the final okay on whether to start the channel hasn't been made yet. Comcast's 12 million digital subscribers would get the channel as part of their service. News Corp.'s own DirecTV will add another 15.5 million subscribers.
Negotiations to carry the channel beyond Comcast and DirecTV maybe be hampered by talks to renew Fox News Channel's agreements with cable companies around the nation. Fox has sought substantial fee increases, which reflect the considerable growth they have achieved in the last 10 years, surpassing CNN and MSNBC in total viewers.
Read more in this NYTimes.com article.
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