Report: FCC May Hold Key To Imus TV Success

Don Imus

If RFD-TV, the start-up cable network focused on life in rural America, manages to get carried on systems like COMCAST or TIME WARNER CABLE, reports THE NEW YORK POST, it more likely will have FCC Chairman KEVIN MARTIN to thank rather than recently signed talk-show host DON IMUS (NET NEWS 11/14).

While RFD-TV boss PATRICK GOTTSCH hopes that the deal to syndicate the returning radio show to television will force COMCAST, TIME WARNER and CABLEVISION to carry his network, sources said MARTIN's push to get cable operators to give more access to independent networks will likely hold more sway.

GOTTSCH is banking on IMUS' political clout and loyal urban fan base to help get RFD-TV carriage in major markets like NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, D.C. That might be a tough sell, however, given that IMUS' TV ratings were even lower than his radio ratings, which didn't even rank in the top 10 in the NEW YORK market.

Reps for CABLEVISION, COMCAST and TIME WARNER declined to comment.

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