Business

AT&T signs accord with Rainbow Media to keep AMC, IFC

Posted July 15, 2010 11:00 pm

AT&T Inc. said its U-verse TV customers will continue to receive the AMC, IFC and WE tv channels after the company reached a new programming agreement with Cablevision System Corp.'s Rainbow Media.

AT&T, based in Dallas, announced the agreement today in a statement. Terms weren't disclosed. It came a day after the company accused Rainbow Media and Cablevision of failing to negotiate in good faith and trying to charge "significantly more" than what competitors pay on average. Rainbow Media didn't immediately respond to an e-mail request for comment.

The dispute between AT&T and Rainbow Media, whose AMC channel airs the Emmy winning "Mad Men" series, marked the latest price skirmish in a battle between program suppliers and pay-TV systems. Content owners, including broadcasters, have been pressing pay-TV services for a greater share of their subscriber income.

AT&T gained 4 cents to $25 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have fallen 11 percent this year. Cablevision, based in Bethpage, New York, advanced 32 cents to $26.13 and has risen 23 percent.

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