Time Warner Cable Dropping HDNet Channels Nationwide May 31

[mitchflorida]

Time Warner Cable confirmed Monday it will stop offering HDNet and HDNet Movies across all of its systems effective May 31.

The move by Time Warner Cable, which has 8.7 million digital cable subscribers, is a blow to the Mark Cuban-backed HDNet, which was among the first HD services available to cable and satellite operators.

Asked why the company was dropping HDNet's services, Time Warner Cable director of corporate public relations Robyn Watson said, "There's a limited appeal for the programming. In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough. We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice."

I bet Charlie read this and is thinking of doing the same. He usually follows the competition's lead. Would anyone particularly care if HDNet goes away? I would like to get Smithsonian Channel back, which was just signed to a long term deal with TW Cable.

 

[ShadowInc]

All the MMA fans would triangle choke Charlie if he murdered HDNet.

 

[Derwin0]

All the MMA fans would triangle choke Charlie if he murdered HDNet.

Not to mention the Torchwood fans.

 

[fbbonline]

HDNET is one of my favorite channels mainly for all the MMA product, HD reruns of Arrested Development and ROH.

So much better than 70% of the niche HD channels that are out there.

 

[ShadowInc]

I would be pretty mad if I was a Time Warner sub. Imagine all the Japanese MMA and K-1 I would miss, not to mention they have the best MMA recap show Inside MMA on friday nights. HDNet is a must have in our house.

 

[ShadowInc]

I am pretty shocked Time Warner would kill a good channel like this. For what, some non-HD HD channel?

 

[dijohn76]

Not to mention the Torchwood fans.

:up+1 and the Star Trek Enterprise fans. I also watch alot of the movies on HDNET movies. I would really hate to lose it

 

[abisdabis]

I am a big fan of HDNET and love the MMA coverage. The PQ is great for Inside MMA and the fights.

 

[ShadowInc]

This may just be some "hardball" negotiating tactics being played by TW. From what I've read Cuban says there may still be a chance things will work out. Hopefully so, because TW dropping it would be a big hit to the HDNet channels I would think

 

[mike123abc]

I wonder if it just a negotiating ploy...

 

[yaz96]

"There's a limited appeal for the programming. In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough. We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice."

Idiots. What do they know? They are taking away choice....

I vote for the negotiating ploy.

 

[8arrett]

I wonder if it just a negotiating ploy...

We can only hope! I do like the HDNet channels. --Grin&Barrett




Remember: DON'T BE A BONEHEAD!!

 

[mitchflorida]

This may just be some "hardball" negotiating tactics being played by TW. From what I've read Cuban says there may still be a chance things will work out. Hopefully so, because TW dropping it would be a big hit to the HDNet channels I would think

I tend to doubt that. If it were a negotiating ploy, they would just quietly keep negotiating until the May 31st deadline and not alarm subscribers who may like the content. You don't trash something that you ultimately want to keep.

Is there a shortage of wrestling and martial arts on HD these days?

 

[dmendenjr]

I am pretty shocked Time Warner would kill a good channel like this. For what, some non-HD HD channel?

I'm sure that it makes PERFECT sense to kill HDNet for the Time Warner-owned "Cartoon Network HD(ish)" or maybe they are getting ready to launch "Boomerang HD(ish)" then again, perhaps a "Headline News +" is in the pipeline. The cable division and the cable channel division are not the same entity, but I'm sure they are close enough...

 

[jerrya72]

I would definately miss that channel. I watch Enterprise, a ton of movies, the concerts, NASA on HDNet ...

 

[harshness]

Don't forget HD Net Concerts.

The fact that Robyn Watson wasn't more specific about limited appeal suggests that this isn't about programming.

 

[mdonnelly]

Cox Cable doesn't carry HDNET or HDNET Movies either. It's one of the things I miss most from leaving Dish.

 

[StonesCat]

I tend to doubt that. If it were a negotiating ploy, they would just quietly keep negotiating until the May 31st deadline and not alarm subscribers who may like the content. You don't trash something that you ultimately want to keep.

Is there a shortage of wrestling and martial arts on HD these days?

Maybe, maybe not, but there is a shortage of the type of concerts they show on Sunday nights, as well as a shortage of movie channels that show classic films in OAR.

 

[Sammy033]

I watch HDNET movies all the time. Only one of the two HD movie channels I like because they are uncut and no commercials... without having to get HNO.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I don't watch HDNet a lot, but I find this quote to be FASCINATING..

Asked why the company was dropping HDNet's services, Time Warner Cable director of corporate public relations Robyn Watson said, "There's a limited appeal for the programming. In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough. We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice."

If you want to give your customers more choice, then why are you REMOVING channels!? And if I was HDNet, I'd be very insulted. If I was HDNet I'd start a big campaign to keep networking on. I mean, who are the Cable providers to decide what WE WANT to watch?