Tuning in to TV: CW looks to stop ratings slide with wholesale changes

Viacom Inc., the parent of pay TV networks MTV and Comedy Central, has settled a dispute with Time Warner Cable Inc. over whether the cable company’s subscribers can watch shows such as “Jersey Shore” on mobile devices while at home.

The settlement means that over the next few weeks, shows from Viacom networks will be available for viewing on iPads, iPhones and Android devices for people who pay for a Time Warner Cable video package of “expanded basic” or better. The shows are watchable through the TWC TV app.

The settlement won’t make such shows available when customers are outside the range of their home Wi-Fi networks. That means it’s not technically “TV Everywhere,” a term that describes a push by media companies and TV signal providers to give subscribers access to shows on mobile devices to entice them to keep paying for television.

The companies sued each other in April 2011 over whether Time Warner Cable, the nation’s fourth-largest pay TV signal provider, had to pay more for in-home viewing rights on devices other than the television. The suits were filed after Time Warner included Viacom shows in its TWC TV app in March of last year.

Terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed.

Both sides stuck to their initial positions, which means Viacom believes the rights must be negotiated for a price and Time Warner believes them to be part of its regular TV deal.

Viacom spokesman Mark Jafar said in a blog post that the settlement was “very good news for consumers.”

Time Warner Cable spokesman Jeff Simmermon blogged, “watching TV in bed instead of communicating with your spouse is about to get a whole, whole lot better.”

Tia Mowry, Pooch Hall won’t return to 'The Game' next season

The game is over for Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall: The stars of the hit BET series “The Game” won’t appear in the show’s sixth season.

Miss Mowry’s representative confirmed the news Wednesday. No details were provided. BET announced Mr. Hall’s departure Thursday.

Season five of “The Game” is currently airing on BET. Miss Mowry stars as Melanie Barnett-Davis, a medical school graduate and wife of football star Derwin Davis, played by Mr. Hall.

BET said it “is in the process of reworking the casting and storyline” and hopes Hall and Mowry “will make several guest appearances.”

The first three seasons originally aired on the CW from 2006 to 2009. After nearly two years off the air, BET picked up the show and it became a ratings success.

Miss Mowry and her identical twin sister, Tamera, starred in the 1990s hit show “Sister, Sister.” The second season of their Style Network reality show, “Tia & Tamera,” premieres next month.

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