HDNet Changing

[EmpireWF]

From Meltzer

Variety just reported that Mark Cuban has sold a percentage of HDNet to AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media and CAA and the station will have its name changed to AXS TV starting this summer.

The station's penetration will increase to 31% of the country's homes due to a new deal with Dish Network. Neither terms nor percentages were released but the goal of the new station is to become the ESPN of Pop Culture.

The report stated that the MMA programming, which includes both live and taped events, as well as Inside MMA on Monday night, will remain on the station.

The Variety piece =

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118048827

[StealthShot]

Dear GOD I hope they don't get rid of Get Out and Art Mann. They already fucked me buy getting read of the Ultimate Movie Trailer show.

[Warner2BruceTD]

From everything i've been reading, it looks like the Cuban side will still run the network, and he was asked directly if the MMA content will stay and he said yes, because it fits the new directive of live entertainment. He said Dan Rather would be staying also for as long as he wants to continue working, but all of the late night "unrated" content will be eliminated (Art Mann, Svetlana, Girls Gone Wild, Get Out etc).

[SHOGUN]

Most of those late night shows are trash and won't really be missed anyway.

[Warner2BruceTD]

The other good news, is they just cleared with Dish Network and there will be a non HD version of the network available, so they are up to 31% of american households.

Hopefully this means that the ratings will start to be tracked by Neilson, so we can see how many people are actually watching the MMA events and Bas & Kenny.

[Kuzzy Powers]

They've completely removed HDNet from my cable provider.

[Bigpapa42]

Change is bad, m'kay.