EPIX Scores Cox Carriage

NEW YORK: EPIX, the premium channel operated by Viacom, Lionsgate and MGM, has secured a slot on the Cox Communications cable platform effective April 2010, adding to its existing carriage on Verizon’s FiOS TV service.

Cox is the third-largest cable TV system in the U.S. after Comcast and Time Warner, reaching 6.2 million customers. EPIX is drawing its content from the 15,000 films owned by its three parent studios, as well as delivering original programming and special comedy and concert events.

“The video business is evolving, especially the way in which customers consume movies, and the movie products they value,” said Bob Wilson, the senior VP of programming for Cox. “This agreement will allow Cox to work closely with EPIX and its studio partners to transform and enhance viewer access to movies across multiple availability windows and platforms—linear, transactional movies on demand, subscription video on demand and online. Our cross-platform distribution of EPIX will increase our customers’ anytime/anyplace access to content and increase their convenience and satisfaction. “

Mark Greenberg, the president of EPIX, added, “Cox is a widely respected and highly valued distribution partner for EPIX. They have a well-deserved reputation for excellence in marketing and providing quality products and services on television. EPIX is very pleased to have them as our distribution partner. Working together with Cox, EPIX will be able to reach more consumers with our premium movie entertainment offerings and showcase the tremendous quantity and range of film titles in our on-demand offering while providing consumers with access to some of the biggest Hollywood blockbuster films from the nation’s leading studios, all in SD and HD and on television, on demand and online.”