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RCN may carry college games from an upstart network a la carte if...

RCN may carry college games from an upstart network a la carte if established regional sports networks (RSNs) make similar deals. RCN said it would be easier to sell channels individually with an FCC waiver of the CableCARD set-top…

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box integration ban. The company has a preliminary deal to carry America Channel linear programs and VoD content, the companies said Thurs., without disclosing terms. America Channel is among independent networks pushing the FCC to help them get carriage on large cable operators. The channel has deals with telco TV providers including AT&T and Verizon, but hasn’t begun programming. The America Channel plans to begin TV programming in the fall, CEO Doron Gorshein told us. “The agreement also contemplates provision of America Channel on a pure a la carte basis, should America Channel’s RSN competitors similarly agree to make their programming available,” said RCN. “We hope that this will set an example for the regional sports networks that are controlled by incumbent cable operators like Comcast and the large national sports networks so we can negotiate similarly flexible agreements with them,” RCN Senior Vp Richard Ramlall told us, saying the a la carte proposal is in line with what some FCC commissioners and legislators have urged. Comcast said the America Channel isn’t an RSN. Customers need a digital set- top to get a la carte cable, Ramlall said, calling it “one more reason why we need a limited waiver from the FCC to enable us to continue to offer them a low cost set top box.”