With
their contract covering AMC, We TV and IFC set to expire at midnight,
programmer Rainbow Media Holdings and distributor AT&T U-verse both
advanced their positions, if not a deal, through statements.
The contract was originally scheduled to conclude on July 1, before being
extended until tonight/tomorrow. Rainbow representatives said the parties
continue to negotiate.
Officials
at AT&T, which on
July 9 began informing its more than 2 million subscribers about the potential
disconnect through a set-top box message, would not comment about the
status of the talks.
"We
are making every effort to reach a fair agreement and continue providing these
channels to our customers. It's unfortunate that Rainbow Media, owned by
Cablevision, is clearly not negotiating in good faith, is trying to charge
significantly more than the average of what our TV competitors pay for these
channels, and is acting in a way that harms competition and limits consumer
choice," AT&T said in a statement.
