More News from the Western Show

FX Tops 65M

Rounding out its distribution roster with the major MSOs, FX has reached a new long-term affiliation agreement with Comcast Cable. The agreement pushes carriage commitments for the general entertainment network past the 65 million mark.

Lindsay Gardner, EVP of affiliate sales and marketing for for Fox Cable Networks Group, says that FX will air on 80% of Comcast’s system within 24 months. Currently, FX is in about 1.5 million Comcast homes, largely in systems the MSO took over via acquisitions. Like the balance of the network’s carriage, the Comcast agreement will put FX on expanded basic. Gardner says all of FX’s carriage and commitments to same are on basic or expanded basic.

“We have had talks that have been continuing for years. This is the culmination of a lot of discussions and hard work,” says Gardner, adding that FX’s coverage of NASCAR was a real driver for the deal. “Comcast has a strong presence in the southeast, where the sport is very popular. The Michigan 500 will be carried on FX and Detroit is another key market for Comcast.” NUE Gets Cox Deal

LOS ANGELES – New Urban Entertainment Television said Wednesday it signed a carriage agreement with Cox Communications and acquired programming from Paramount.

The agreement, which goes into effect immediately, gives NUE-TV, an urban-oriented lifestyle channel, access to Cox’s 6.2 million customers.

Cox is the latest cable operator to carry the upstart network. AT&T and Time Warner have already sealed deals with NUE-TV. The network will offer Paramount movies and series, such as 48 Hours and Hoop Life. New Shows from Oxygen

Oxygen’s second programming season will feature five new original series, a biographical special and a pair of acquisitions.The new series include the stripped music show Daily Remix and Dot Comedy, a web-based skein that will also appear on ABC. Who Does She Think She is?! will feature five one-hour biographical specials on powerful women. On the acquisition side, Oxygen will air Xena: Warrior Princess and Pond Life, a British animated skein. Another Comcast-Disney Extension

Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. agreed to extend their retransmission consent standoff until New Year’s Eve. ABC owns stations in Comcast markets in New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toledo and Flint.