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BRIEFS

Lifetime, which has dropped from its position as the top-rated cable network in prime time, said it was increasing programming spending to a record $800 million over the next two years. The women's channel is planning to launch a second night of original programming - probably on Saturday night - and has several shows in development for both a new night and Sunday.

COURT FAVORS MSOs

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled last week that cable operators can pass 100% of their franchise fees to customers. MSOs generally pay cities 5% of their total gross revenue for the right to offer service in the area. Congress allowed operators to pass their franchise fees along to customers as part of the 1992 Cable Act. Operators generally passed on only those fees that were subscription-generated. In 1999, some operators began including revenue like advertising and home shopping sales in franchise fee calculations, increasing the fees consumers paid each month. The National Association of Telecom-munications Officers and Advisors and the Texas Coalition for Cities for Utility Issues argued customers should only have to pay for fees relating to their subscriptions.

NCUBE WINS SUIT

A judge has awarded nCube double damages and two-thirds of attorney fees in its patent case against SeaChange International. In a filing obtained by Cable World, Joseph J. Farnan, chief judge of the Federal District of Delaware, awarded damages of about $4.1 million, plus $1.8 million in legal fees.

AL JAZEERA ON CABLE

Al Jazeera has inked its first deal for U.S. cable carriage. The news network is now available via SCOLA, a not-for-profit organization that distributes foreign-language television programming for educational purposes. SCOLA's 59 cable affiliates can pick up Al Jazeera's unedited half-hour newscasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. EST.

COURT WON'T BLOCK AZTECA AMERICA

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied EchoStar's injunction to block TV Azteca's U.S. cable network Azteca America from being delivered via cable and satellite in the U.S. EchoStar claims Azteca America's delivery in the U.S. violates its exclusive deal for the satellite TV rights of flagship Mexican network Channel 13.

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BRIEFS

Cable World, April 7, 2003

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