Hallmark Ready To Resume Negotiations

AT&T spokesperson had no comment on offer

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/3/2010 2:20:37 PM

A Hallmark Channels spokeswoman said negotiations had not resumed with AT&T over carriage of its channels on U-verse, but that Hallmark was "ready and willing" to talk.

An AT&T spokesperson had no comment on the offer beyond citing AT&T's Sept. 1 statement, which included that its customers "had been denied a fair deal by Hallmark and Hallmark Movie Channel" and that U-verse no longer had the rights to carry the channels as of one minute after midnight on Aug. 31 after the two sides could not come to terms on a new carriage agreement.

Hallmark says AT&T sent it a termination notice, while AT&T says it offered to keep the channels on during the impasse, under existing terms, but Hallmark declined.

Both sides have declined to comment on the specifics of the impasse

Starz Kids and Turner Classic Movies programming replaced the channels on U-verse.