Flying in the face of rampant dissent toward the deal among programmers, Ovation CEO Charles Segars blogged strident support for the merger of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC).
Writing for The Hill, Segars called the deal "an unequivocal win for anyone who values diversity and new perspectives on TV."
"First, the proposed deal will bring more quality options to more viewers, on better, faster networks," he added. "Our experience at Ovation shows why. Seven years ago, Comcast recognized that its channel lineup lacked programming focused on the arts. In the face of changing industry economics, regulatory pressures and a vast recession, the company took a chance and helped us launch Ovation. Since then, Comcast has added millions of homes to our overall distribution."
After trumpeting Comcast's TV Everywhere and on-demand platforms, Segars then patted the conglomerate on the back for being tough but fair.
"While Comcast is a tough negotiator who demands that anyone seeking carriage prove their value and present a workable business model that makes sense, it is also a fair partner, paying competitive rates and expanding distribution when warranted," Segars wrote. "And unlike other MPVD's,Comcast doesn't make a practice of dropping networks in carriage fee disputes."
For more:
- read this post from The Hill
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