SpongeBob and Dora The Explorer Saved from Blackout
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Kids are sure to be relieved that favorite cartoon characters SpongeBob Square Pants and Dora the Explorer will continue to grace their TV sets as a last minute deal regarding the fees for the airing of these popular shows was finally settled. There was a dispute over fees for the airing of some shows by Viacom and Time Warner and a potential blackout would have resulted if not for the last-minute deal that happened earlier this morning.
Among the shows that would have been affected included:
1. SpongeBob SquarePants
2. Dora the Explorer
3. The Colbert Report
4. The Daily Show
5. MTV
6. Nickelodeon
7. Comedy Central
The impasse would have meant Viacom’s channels would be cut off to 13 million subscribers, said Alex Dudley, a Time Warner Cable vice president. The nation’s second-largest cable operator primarily serves people in the Carolinas, New York, Ohio, Southern California and Texas.
Time Warner chief executive Glenn Britt had earlier called Viacom’s demand for a 12 percent increase in fees – an extra $39 million on top of the estimated $300 million it pays Viacom annually – extortion and outrageous given the recession.
(Source) Charlotte Observer
