BIG 10 NETWORK

Q: Does Bright House Networks carry the Big Ten Network?

A: We are currently in negotiations with the Big Ten Network. We know that these games are very important to a select segment of our customers loyal to these teams.

Q: Will the Big Ten Network be part of Bright House Networks’ basic cable programming or will it be placed on a tier?

A: We believe that the best place for this network is on a sports tier, so that customers who choose to pay more for this highly priced niche sports programming have access to it.

Q: What games does the Big Ten Network air?

A: In the first half of the college football season, games aired on the Big Ten Network that did not involve a match-up between Big Ten opponents.

The Big Ten Network will only carry second, third or fourth choice games. In fact, for half of the season, the Big Ten Network will only get the games that ABC, ESPN and ESPNU (all networks available to our subscribers) do not choose to carry. At most, fans of one university will miss a few games that ABC and ESPN do not consider key match-ups. Yet they are seeking a price that is in-line with other Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) who carry more compelling content generally, and certainly more locally compelling content.

While Big Ten says that they are carrying 35 football games this season, the reality is that in any one market they will only carry approximately half that number.

Q: How would pricing change if Bright House Networks carried Big Ten Network?

A: We believe that many Big Ten fans are primarily interested in watching one team, and they will only carry a few games per team. So they are demanding that fans pay for less than 35 games, including many games they don’t care about, and that non-fans pay for programming they’ll never watch.

The Big Ten Network is demanding this cost from virtually every subscriber in any state where a Big Ten school exists. For example, if you went to the University of Cincinnati or Iowa State or Notre Dame, and you are a fan of your alma mater’s football team, as a cable subscriber, they still want you to pay for games you will not watch and help fund their schools.

Q: Why can’t we just watch the games on basic cable?

A: These games were available last year locally without the Big Ten seeking an additional fee from viewers. This year, the Big Ten Conference wants fans to pay not only for access to these local games, but other games that hold little or no local interest. The Big Ten Conference says it wants to offer these games to hometown fans for free, but it knows better since it is demanding a large premium from cable companies before it will give them carriage rights to deliver this programming. High wholesale fees get absorbed in retail rates one way or the other.

Q: Why hasn’t Bright House Networks been able to come to an agreement with the Big Ten Network?

A: As a network focused on college sports programming, they are seeking a price far in excess of the market value for such programming in Bright House Networks markets.

Q: What options are being explored by Bright House Networks?

A: As we negotiate, we’re trying to look at different ways to make this work. For example, we have a compelling video on demand (VOD) platform, and we would be willing todiscuss working with the universities to provide this programming on demand (not just football, but arts and educational programming as well).

As Joe Nocera wrote recently in the New York Times: “I’m a big sports fan myself, but it is easy enough to see the Big Ten Network and NFL Network for what they are: attempts to extract maximum dollar for not very much in return. If, as a result, they turn out to be the test case for whether a sports tier even becomes a part of the television landscape, then so much the better. A sports tier may not be what works for them, but it sure makes sense for the rest of us.”

FSN/MAGIC

Q: Why can’t I watch the Magic games I was able to watch on Bright House Networks last season?

A: Because the Magic moved them from Fox-owned WRBW, where they have been shown last year, to FOX Sports Net (FSN), which Bright House Networks has never carried, just before their season began. We understand the frustration some of our customers are feeling; we are frustrated as well. We would very much like to find a resolution with FSN. In the meantime, please know that we will continue to televise more than half of the Magic’s 82 regular season games on Sun Sports, ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV.

We are currently having discussions with FOX and hope the outcome will enable us to deliver the majority of Magic games to our customers soon.

Q: Since the Magic is our hometown NBA team, shouldn’t I be able to watch these games for free?

A: FSN could air these games on their sister station Sun Sports right now if they wanted to, since they are owned by the same company; FOX, while all parties involved continue conversations. WRBW, the over-the-air broadcast channel where the Magic games have aired in the past, is also a FOX company. Placing the Orlando Magic on multiple sports channels such as FOX Sun Sports and FSN and then asking customers to pay twice sets a dangerous precedent that will further contribute to already spiraling sports programming costs. What is to prevent FOX from asking for more channels and splitting the game coverage to three channels or four channels and making customers pay a third time and a fourth time? Only FOX sports has control over which programming they determine to place on which if the networks that they own. The Tampa Bay Division does not carry the 35 Magic games, which were subject to an additional charge even for those providers already offering FSN.

Q: Will I be able to watch any of the Magic games this season?

A: Bright House Networks will carry hundreds of NBA games this season on a variety of networks, including more than half the Orlando Magic’s 82 regular-season gamesIn Central Florida, FSN is seeking an additional fee from viewers that does not reflect its market value, especially when FOX could have put the games on one of its other channels. Forty-two Magic games will be televised in Central Florida on Sun Sports, Bright House Networks channel 31. And up to 12 Magic games will be carried on other channels such as ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV.

Q: Why does Bright House Networks not carry FSN?

A: We have not been able to work out an acceptable arrangement with FSN. We are always considering new programming. Our goal is to serve the entire family with diverse programming – that includes sports for some, education, entertainment, movies and news for others.

Q: What are the negotiations about – money or channel placement?

A: FSN seeks to have their programming placed on the Standard Cable TV tier, which will require all of our customers to pay for it, whether they are sports fans or not. We are working hard to control cable rates, which are directly affected by the significantly higher costs of sports programming. FSN’s rigid insistence for placement on Standard Cable TV tier and the exorbitant asking financial demand from Fox would require us to pass on the cost of FSN to all our customers, both sports and non-sports fans.

Q: Your Tampa Bay division carries FOX Sports Net and you don’t. Why is that?

A: Carriage agreements are always negotiated market-by-market because of blackout considerations and other factors. That is why our Tampa Bay Division carries the channel, and Central Florida does not.

Q: I contacted FOX Sports Net Florida and they told me you are one of the few cable providers in the state that still does not offer FOX Sports Net Florida. Is that true?

A: Bright House Networks is not the only cable provider that does not carry FSN in Florida. But we are currently having discussions with Fox and hope the outcome will enable us to deliver the Magic games to our customers soon.

Q: What can I do to help in the effort to make FSN become part of your channel lineup?

A: We would be happy to televise all the Magic games as we had planned on WRBW, UPN-65 and Sun Sports. You can call Fox at 407-648-1150 and ask them to move the games back on WRBW, UPN-65 or to put them on Sun Sports.

Q: If Bright House Networks agrees to carry FSN, will my cable bill go up?

A: We can’t answer that question, as with any product or service, price reflects cost. Our prices are tied to many factors that support the current evolution of the telecommunications industry (programming, engineering, technology and operational costs) as well as to what customers have come to expect from Bright House Networks.

NFL NETWORK

Q: Why doesn’t Bright House Networks carry the NFL Network (NFLN)?

A: In this situation, the NFL is denying the public access to games that were once available on broadcast or other more widely distributed networks on the Digital Sports Pack.

This is no different than when the NFL entered into an arrangement to offer out-of-market games exclusively over DirecTV on NFL Sunday Ticket. This is just one more step in the ongoing efforts of the NFL to take games away from the public in order to maximize the money generated from distribution rights.

Q: What has Bright House Networks proposed to the NFLN?

A: To put the interests of fans first, we have submitted a new proposal, which is in addition to our prior proposals to carry the NFL Network on a sports tier or premium basis and which still stands. Bright House Networks would be willing to make the NFL Network games available to our customers on a per-game basis, at a retail price set by the NFL, with 100% of the revenue collected for this programming going to the NFL. While carriage with no mark-up to us is far from ideal from our point of view, we are willing to take this step to make sure no interested fan is unable to watch these games on our systems.

Q: How would Bright House Networks carry the NFLN if an agreement is met?

A: NFLN appeals to only a small segment of our customers on a year-round basis and it is highly priced. For these reasons, we still believe that the most appropriate place for NFLN is on a sports tier. Carriage in this manner permits customers who want to watch NFLN to do so, but those who do not, won’t be forced to bear the costs associated with NFLN.

Q: What NFL games will Bright House Networks carry this season on its basic cable?

A: All of the NFLN’s eight regular season games will be available on local broadcast television. It will only be in those areas where games are out of market that the NFL has given itself exclusive rights so that interested viewers won’t be able to see games except on NFLN.

Without the NFLN, our customers will enjoy more than 100 live NFL games, playoff and championship games in addition to countless hours of NFL-related programming on Bright House Networks.

Q: Why can’t we watch all the NFL games on our basic cable package?

A: We are not denying, blocking or blacking out these games – the NFL chose to do that. The NFL is denying the public access to games that were once available on broadcast or other more widely distributed networks. We have made a number of proposals to the NFL that would result in Bright House Networks putting the programming on, but the NFL has rejected each proposal to date.

It is the NFL that wants to force fans to pay more for these games. Until the NFL pulled these games off broadcast and/or ESPN and put them on their expensive and proprietary network, these games were available to everyone.

Q: How and why would pricing change if Bright House Networks added the NFLN?

A: As with any product or service, price reflects cost. Our prices are tied to many factors that support the current evolution of the telecommunications industry (programming, engineering, technology and operational costs) as well as to what customers have come to expect from Bright House Networks.

Q: How is Bright House Networks planning to carry the NFLN if an agreement is met?

A: The NFLN is already being carried on other cable companies’ sports tier which is exactly how we propose to carry the channel. Nevertheless, we have come to the table with an open mind and given them several options with the hope that we could find value for Bright House Networks, NFLN and our customers.

Q: What is the difference between carrying NFLN versus another network?

A: Networks such as TNT and TBS are general entertainment networks that have a broad appeal to customers across all demographics through all day parts throughout the year. CNN and Cartoon Network are long-established networks that command high ratings through all day parts throughout the year. HBO is carried in a manner whereby customers are afforded the choice of paying more for this expensive programming, similar to a sports tier model.

While these eight games might garner good ratings, it’s important to remember that this programming comprises less than 30 hours out of the NFL Networks’ 8,760 programming hours per year. Also, the games are only available for six weeks a year; yet the NFL is seeking carriage through out the year.

NHL NETWORK

Q: As a Bright House Networks customer, do I get the NHL Network?

A: Yes – Bright House Networks is proud to announce it has added the NHL Network to its cable lineup for the 2007-08 hockey season.

Q: What grames and programming does the NHL Network air?

A: The NHL Network offers a package of 50 games this season as well as classic games, documentaries, instructional shows and highlights. See the NHL Network’s full broadcast schedule available on Bright House Networks at http://www.tsn.ca/nhl_network/feature/?fid=10435.

The following featured programs are aired on the NHL Network: NHL 'All Access':NHL Network takes viewers behind the scenes of the NHL with an all-access pass to exclusive game coverage, player interviews and footage.

Relive the Magic: NHL Network invites viewers to relive some of the greatest games in Stanley Cup history. Each 60-minute episode includes commentary from both an NHL legend that played in the featured game and an NHL fan that was in attendance.

Frozen In Time: Frozen In Time looks back at some of hockey’s most memorable on- and off-ice moments.

Classic NHL Playoff Series: These NHL Network exclusive presentations summarize an entire NHL Stanley Cup Playoff series, up to seven games, in one 60-minute show.

Top 10: Top 10 counts down a list of 10 NHL milestones or accomplishments. The 30-minute show airs nightly at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Q: Are you losing Bright House Networks customers to the satellite companies as a result of this issue?

A: We understand that some customers may be frustrated by this issue. However, because we offer such a robust variety of sports programming in addition to the majority of the season’s Magic games, we are not seeing any significant customer shift.

Q: How can I get NHL Network?

A: Call your local Bright House Networks’ customer service representative to hear how you can access NHL Network.

ESPU

Q: As a Bright House Networks customer, do I get ESPNU?

A: Yes – Bright House Networks carries ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network that launched in 2005.

Q: Which games and other programming can I see on ESPNU?

A: ESPNU televises more than 400 live collegiate football and basketball games, as well as Olympic sports competition from more than 20 Division 1 conferences, including the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Big East, MAC, Sec and Sun Belt conferences. Later this year, ESPNU is scheduled to air more than 150 men’s college basketball games and 40 women’s games featuring Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Syracuse and Texas teams. During the 2006-07 season, ESPNU aired more than 70 exclusive college football match-ups. The network has a wide-ranging, long-term agreement with the NCAA to enhance coverage of 22 NCAA championships and also has exclusive rights to re-broadcast games from ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Regional TV programming.

Q: How can I get ESPNU?

A: ESPNU is available in all of Bright House Networks’ service areas. Select “SPORTS IN YOUR AREA” and enter you zip code for a complete channel line-up.