NEWS CORP (FOX), DIRECTV MAKE PEACE

In a rerun of the ending of similar battles between broadcast networks and satellite and cable distributors, News Corp and DirecTV have reached an agreement that will keep Fox-owned networks on the satellite broadcaster without interruption. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but DirecTV has claimed that Fox had been demanding a 40 percent increase for its retransmission consent agreement, something that Fox had denied. As in similar disputes, the two sides had fought the battle with one another via their websites, social networks, billboards, newspaper advertisements, and their own programs. DirecTV had also filed a complaint with the FCC charging that Fox was not complying with the commission’s requirement that it serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity.