Could this article be a part of todays pop? AT&T to carry FOX for 10 years:
AT&T to carry digital signals from Fox
By Bloomberg News
Special to CNET News.com
September 3, 1999, 10:35 a.m. PT
NEW YORK--AT&T, soon to be the largest U.S. cable-television company, said it will carry digital TV signals from Fox Entertainment Group's 22 stations on its cable systems across the country for the next ten years.
The pact covers AT&T's 10 million-plus subscribers and Fox's stations, which reach 40 percent of U.S. homes. The companies also agreed to work together to provide Fox's high-resolution, or HDTV, programming to the cable customers with both traditional and digital TV sets. Financial terms weren't disclosed.
The agreement follows a similar one reached between AT&T and General Electric-owned NBC in June. It comes as broadcasters switch from analog to digital, which offers better pictures and sound and more channels. There had been concern that cable operators wouldn't reach agreements with broadcasters on carrying digital signals because it would force cable operators to give up valuable channel space to make way for digital services.
"Cable industry leaders and broadcasters are continually working together to reach agreement on vital developments such as high-definition television and retransmission consent," said Leo Hindery, president of AT&T Broadband & Internet Services.
About 70 percent of U.S. homes receive their TV signals over cable.
Most TV viewers don't yet have access to HDTV programming, which is one form of digital TV, because sets cost thousands of dollars. That's expected to change as the cost of the sets falls and more cable operators agree to carry the digital signals. In December, Time Warner agreed to carry the digital signals of CBS's 14 TV stations.
Converting to digital
All of Fox's stations in the top 10 markets already have converted to digital signals, and the company expects the rest of its stations to switch under the timetable set out by the government.
New York-based AT&T initially will make Fox's digital offerings available only on its cable systems that have been upgraded with new transmission equipment which offer more capacity to handle programming and data than older cable systems. AT&T will add the Fox digital signals to the rest of its systems as they are upgraded.
Copyright 1999, Bloomberg L.P. All Rights Reserved.
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