Independent Network Sues Comcast By R. Thomas Umstead MultiChannel News
7/7/2006 3:00:00 AM http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6350074.html?display=Breaking+News Atlanta-based Southern Entertainment Television filed suit against Comcast Thursday, alleging that the MSO reneged on a deal to provide distribution for SET's gospel-music service. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, claimed that Comcast failed to distribute the network as part of a legacy carriage agreement in 1997 between SET -- then SGM Television -- and Satellite Services, which eventually transferred the agreement to Tele-Communications Inc. TCI sold out to AT&T, which later sold its cable holdings to Comcast. According to the suit, AT&T Broadband was set to launch the network as per the agreement, but Comcast never added the network to its lineup. SET is seeking at least $149 million in damages as part of the lawsuit. The suit also claimed that Comcast violated antitrust laws by claiming that it had limited channel capacity to launch SET but finding space to launch African-American-targeted TV One, which it co-owns with Radio One. "Comcast used and continues to use its immense size to prevent independent program providers from access to its systems so that it may preferentially promote programming in which it has an ownership position," the lawsuit said. SET owner Harold Brown as early as last December threatened to sue Comcast if the MSO did not add SET to its channel lineups. "I have been run over a few times in my life and, after the tire tracks healed on my backside, I promised myself that the next time that appears to be happening, whoever tries -- in this case, Comcast -- better pack their lunch because it will take them all day or longer," the colorful entrepreneur said. Comcast executives would not comment. ================================================= George Antunes Voice (713) 743-3923 Associate Professor Fax (713) 743-3927 Political Science Internet: antunes at uh dot edu University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-3011 Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
