Cablevision & Viacom Settle Channel-Bundling Lawsuit

BETHPAGE/NEW YORK: Cablevision Systems Corporation and Viacom have resolved their legal case regarding a 2012 carriage agreement between the two companies.

Cablevision originally filed a complaint alleging that Viacom was forcing it to carry and pay for "lesser-watched ancillary networks" that its customers did not watch, citing Palladia and VH1 Classics, in order to assure carriage for "must-have networks" such as Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.

The companies said that they are "simultaneously entering into mutually beneficial business arrangements," though details of the settlement and arrangements were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to have put these matters behind us in ways that benefit both of our companies and look forward to working together to benefit Cablevision's customers," the companies said in a joint statement.