Update on Time Warner Cable-HDNet Situation
Posted by Larry Csonka on 05.21.2009
So long HDNet…
Multichannel News is currently running an article discussing the HDNet situation. Time Warner Cable confirmed to the trade Monday it will stop offering HDNet and HDNet Movies across all of its systems effective May 31. Time Warner Cable director of corporate public relations Robyn Watson stated the following…
"There's a limited appeal for the programming. In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough. We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice."
Mark Cuban emailed Multichannel News to say that they were still negotiating, and also stated…
"[T]here are millions of viewers who enjoy our unique and exclusive programming. We are not a cookie-cutter network like those from the big media conglomerates. HDNet's viewers do business with providers specifically to get our programming."
Personal Note: As a Time Warner customer as well as HDNet subscriber, I find it sad that I have not been notified of the change. I say this because other times, they notify you when they plan to sneeze at the main office. What is even sadder is that when I called Time Warner, they claimed to know nothing about the scheduled dropping of HDNet.
Posted By: Steve307 (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 10:53 AM
time warner: biggest heel in wrestling ever.......
Posted By: Guest#4854 (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM
A million LOLs to your personal note. HDNet doesnt even register...who cares?
RoH should just syndicate their shows like the old days. It wasn't worth it to get the cable show just for the 0.00001 rating.
Posted By: ODog (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:04 AM
I also called a local Time Warner office and was told they know nothing about HDNet being dropped.
Posted By: bigsexy (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:13 AM
I'm a Time Warner Cable employee Upstate, and I gotta say, management has not notified us of this yet. We offer HDNet in an HDTier so people pay extra for it, while most of our HD channels are free. They have not told us anything about this yet. Usually they give us as much notice as possible. But, the day Time Warner and the Nickelodeon channels had their public negotiation, we didn't know anything about it until that day. So sometimes we know, and sometimes we don't.
Posted By: MikeyB (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Yeah, with all the free HD channels out there, HDNet has the audacity to charge? Later, guys! Don't let the door hit you...
Posted By: Jamal (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:20 AM
I have Wide Open West which are like the most awesome cable provider ever. If I upgraded my plan I'd have HDNet, just don't have that much time to watch TV right now, and they recently added Sci Fi and USA in HD so i can watch all WWE shows in high def. No Spike in HD, when they add that, TBS, and Comedy Central HD they'll be damn near perfect in my eyes. The only problems I've ever had with them are technical issues with our cable box trying to watch WWE 24/7.
Posted By: Jared B (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Get Direct TV...they got it
Posted By: Ramsey (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Damn it, and I'm just about to move into an area with Time Warner and was looking forward to DVRing ROH.
Posted By: Sammy (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I guess ROH is kicking themselves in the ass now for not going with G4, after all.
Posted By: BJC (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Yeah, HD Net (along with 2 other channels) costs an extra 14.95 a month for Time Warner, it's not worth it at all anyway.
Posted By: Big Ell (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 01:12 PM
"I'm a Time Warner Cable employee Upstate, ... So sometimes we know, and sometimes we don't."
As someone who has been working with TWC across 5 major markets for almost 10 years, its more common than not that the front lines dont hear anything until a customer calls to ask.
In at least 3 major metros HDNet is being pulled from a 'free' tier (free in that its part of standard cable) and moved/replaced by channels in a HD tier which is an add'l charge (3.95-11.95 depending on area).
From what I've seen its no different than the dozens of other contract settlements and HDNet isn't pushing for a big raise. What is convenient though is that if you look at who owns what, well, lets just say that outside of its pretty weak original programming, HDNet offers mostly stuff that TW owned channels also offer... hmmmm
Posted By: Guest#1832 (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 01:56 PM
Ahhhh....finally. Done nailing that darn coffin shut.
DirecTV, here I come!
Posted By: Manu (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 03:06 PM
it's all HHHs fault
Posted By: josh (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 06:24 PM
time warner: biggest heel in wrestling ever.......
Posted By: Guest#4854 (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Posted By: Guest#8606 (Guest) on May 21, 2009 at 06:47 PM
