Cablevision Industries

Cablevision Industries, which provides cable television service to 93,000 subscribers in the west San Fernando Valley, said it is raising its charge for basic service by 9%, to $24.70 per month. The $1.95-per-month increase will be effective with customers' next billing statements, Cablevision said. However, it said some customers will see a drop of up to 18% in their monthly bills because certain programs that previously cost extra, such as "Bravo," will now be part of the basic package.

A week of brinkmanship ended Sunday when Walt Disney Co. and Cablevision Systems Corp. settled their dispute over a new contract, a breakthrough that allowed viewers in 3.1 million homes in the New York area to watch the Academy Awards -- starting 13 minutes into the telecast. The post-deadline tentative accord came after the two companies spent a week exchanging barbs that led to Disney stripping its ABC signal from Cablevision's systems early Sunday. Many Cablevision customers spent the day trekking to electronics stores to buy digital rabbit ears so they wouldn't miss the Oscars.

Cable TV Partnership: Buyout specialists Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Cablevision Industries Corp. have formed a partnership that hopes to spend more than $700 million buying cable TV systems. Liberty, N.Y.-based Cablevision Industries is the country's 10th-largest cable system operator, with about 1.1 million subscribers, including West Valley Cable Industries in the San Fernando Valley.

Talks between Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Cablevision on a possible alliance involving MGM's library of more than 5,000 films have stumbled, sources said. New York-based Cablevision, which controls Radio City Entertainment and Madison Square Garden, had been among the three most active bidders for Livent in a process that stretched for months.

Fireworks weren't the only thing generating surprise on July Fourth. . . . A technical failure at Cablevision Industries in Chatsworth accidentally sent the Playboy Channel to about 50,000 West Valley homes for 15 minutes Tuesday afternoon. Cable service spokesman Tom Schaeffer called the first-ever glitch "very much of a concern." But there were very few complaints.

Time Warner Board Expected to Discuss Cable Purchases: Directors are expected today to also talk about restructuring Time Warner Entertainment in addition to possible acquisitions of Cablevision Industries and the cable properties of Houston Industries. The cable acquisitions have become linked with the restructuring of Time Warner's 63%-owned sister company, Time Warner Entertainment.

To promote the use of cable television in classrooms, Cablevision Industries is holding a free conference for educators next month that will feature shows from cable channels such as CNN and the Learning Channel. Cablevision education coordinator Gloria Pollack said the Valley Cable in the Classroom Conference will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. March 16 at Millikan Middle School in Sherman Oaks. "To begin with, students are already accustomed to watching TV. So why not let it work for you?"

Six former and current Cablevision Industries employees were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of grand theft. Police are seeking two others in connection with an alleged scheme to steal and resell more than $800,000 worth of converter boxes and cable television equipment, authorities said.

As it unveiled its second $2-billion-plus cable acquisition in two weeks, Time Warner Inc.--seeking to ease investor fears that it is taking on too much debt--told analysts Tuesday that it aims to sell up to $3 billion in assets, including its 21% stake in Turner Broadcasting System Inc. A divestiture by the media giant of its Turner holdings would be an important step in helping Turner Chairman Ted Turner free himself to make a significant deal, such as buying a major television network.

Fireworks weren't the only thing generating surprise on July Fourth. . . . A technical failure at Cablevision Industries in Chatsworth accidentally sent the Playboy Channel to about 50,000 West Valley homes for 15 minutes Tuesday afternoon. Cable service spokesman Tom Schaeffer called the first-ever glitch "very much of a concern." But there were very few complaints.

To promote the use of cable television in classrooms, Cablevision Industries is holding a free conference for educators next month that will feature shows from cable channels such as CNN and the Learning Channel. Cablevision education coordinator Gloria Pollack said the Valley Cable in the Classroom Conference will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. March 16 at Millikan Middle School in Sherman Oaks. "To begin with, students are already accustomed to watching TV. So why not let it work for you?"

As it unveiled its second $2-billion-plus cable acquisition in two weeks, Time Warner Inc.--seeking to ease investor fears that it is taking on too much debt--told analysts Tuesday that it aims to sell up to $3 billion in assets, including its 21% stake in Turner Broadcasting System Inc. A divestiture by the media giant of its Turner holdings would be an important step in helping Turner Chairman Ted Turner free himself to make a significant deal, such as buying a major television network.

As it unveiled its second $2-billion-plus cable acquisition in two weeks, Time Warner Inc.--seeking to ease investor fears that it is taking on too much debt--told analysts Tuesday that it aims to sell up to $3 billion in assets, including its 21% stake in Turner Broadcasting System Inc. A divestiture by the media giant of its Turner holdings would be an important step in helping Turner Chairman Ted Turner free himself to make a significant deal, such as buying a major television network.

Cablevision of Orange has settled a long-running dispute with the city about adult programming by agreeing to revamp its technology. City Council members had taken a get-tough stance with Cablevision last month after hearing from angry parents during a series of meetings. Many residents complained that they receive the Playboy or Hot Choice channels, even though they did not subscribe to those stations.

A local cable television company is requiring customers found with illegal cable boxes to pay $2,500 or face a civil lawsuit. But customers of Chatsworth-based Cablevision Industries claim the company used improper tactics when it confiscated their electronic boxes. "Our sweeps have been very successful," Robert Thoreson, the company's security manager, who has organized the crackdown on customers who can use the boxes to unscramble premium cable channels without paying for them.

As it unveiled its second $2-billion-plus cable acquisition in two weeks, Time Warner Inc.--seeking to ease investor fears that it is taking on too much debt--told analysts Tuesday that it aims to sell up to $3 billion in assets, including its 21% stake in Turner Broadcasting System Inc. A divestiture by the media giant of its Turner holdings would be an important step in helping Turner Chairman Ted Turner free himself to make a significant deal, such as buying a major television network.