Scripps, Cablevision Resolve Dispute

BETHPAGE/CINCINNATI: Food Network and HGTV are back on Cablevision, after being pulled by Scripps Networks Interactive in a carriage dispute.

The two parties have been embroiled in a very public feud since the end of 2009 over how much the cable platform should pay Scripps to deliver HGTV and Food Network to its more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. Terms of the new carriage agreement were not disclosed. 

“This is great news for all those television viewers in the New York Tri-State region who enjoy Food Network and HGTV,” said John Lansing, the executive VP of Scripps Networks Interactive and president of the company’s Scripps Networks operating division. “This is the resolution everyone wanted and to have achieved anything less would have been a profound disappointment. Cablevision has been a valued distribution partner and we’re gratified that together we were able to reach a successful conclusion that will benefit their customers and viewers of our networks.”

“We’d like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we worked with Scripps to reach an agreement that is fair,” added John Bickham, Cablevision’s president of cable and communications. “Food Network and HGTV have strong and loyal followings and we are pleased that both channels are back where they belong on Cablevision and available to our customers in both standard-definition and free HD.”