Fox, Time Warner Reach Deal to Keep Network On the Air

Fox and Time Warner Cable reached a deal that would keep the Fox network on the air.

More than 6 million viewers will be able to watch college football and NFL games, "American Idol," "The Simpsons" and other popular shows in markets such as New York, Los Angeles and Dallas.

Fox threatened to leave Time Warner Cable and Bright House unless Time Warner increased its payments to the News Corp. network. Fox would have pulled 14 of its television stations and six of its cable channels.

Time Warner is the second-largest cable provider in the United States behind Comcast.

On Friday, Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. pulled HGTV and Food Network from Cablevision after the cable company refused to pay a fee increase.

A 1994 law allows broadcasters to charge fees to cable company and satellite operators. Broadcast companies like Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS traditionally earned revenue from advertising and fees. A drop in advertising has required some broadcasters from demanding higher fees.