“News nets could be next players in carriage wars” is the headline on this Variety story about the high-stakes game between networks and operators.

“CNN, hammered in the Nielsens by Fox News over the past few years, will face some stiff resistance from operators when the current deal expires because the ops are resigning themselves to gigantic increases from Fox.”

FNC’s 10-year contracts with operators start expiring in October. The “feisty network is preparing to demand a record increase that could quadruple the monthly price to $1 a sub, with the option of a lower fee (80 cents plus) if the operator agrees to take a business channel that Fox News is developing.”

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