Time Warner Cable pulls channels from iPad app

Time Warner Cable Inc. has pulled several channels from its iPad app following complaints from Viacom Inc., Discovery Communications Inc. and News Corp. The battle highlights the seemingly never-ending war over what licensing rights are afforded to cable providers when they ink deals to carry programming on their set-top boxes. Some major media companies continue to argue that their TV deals with cable companies don’t extend to mobile devices. Time Warner disagrees, of course.
“We believe we have every right to carry the programming on our iPad app. But, for the time being, we have decided to focus our iPad efforts on those enlightened programmers who understand the benefit and importance of allowing our subscribers — and their viewers — to watch their programming on any screen in their homes,” the company wrote on its website.
“In the meantime, we will pursue all of our legal rights against the programmers who don’t share our vision. The enthusiasm of our customers and the programming partners who have embraced the app, rather than those who are solely focused on finding additional ways to reach into wallets of their own viewers, has convinced us more than ever that we are on the right path. We will continue to fight to ensure that our customers have access to the content they pay for, no matter which screen in their home they choose to view it on,” it continued.