HorseRacing TV Adds Markets, Expands Another

HorseRacing TV has signed a multi-year agreement with Cox Communications that extends the network's viewership into Orange County, Calif., and expands its coverage in San Diego. In addition, HRTV, operated by Magna Entertainment, will add three markets in Pennsylvania.

Under the terms of the agreement, HRTV will be available to subscribers of Cox's Sports and Information digital tier as part of the company's Cox Digital Cable service. HRTV also plans to pursue carriage with other Cox systems nationwide. The conclusion of the Cox carriage arrangements lifts HRTV past the one million subscriber mark less than four months after the network's debut.

"We're delighted to be working with Cox to advance horse racing coverage in Southern California," HRTV president Bill Bridgen said, "and we're pleased with the milestone Cox has helped us achieve."

"Carriage of HRTV's live sports programming on Cox's Sports and Information digital tier enhances customer choice and the value associated with digital cable," said Andy Albert, executive director of programming for Cox Communications. "The video and Internet components of HorseRacing TV provide our California customers an exciting opportunity to combine the Cox Digital Cable experience with their Cox High Speed Internet connection."

HRTV is a 24-hour television network that provides wire-to-wire coverage of live horse racing from up to 70 Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse track in the United States and Canada for up to 15 hours per day. The network offers guaranteed per-subscriber carriage fees to operators in states where it views horse racing television coverage as strategically important.

Under the terms of its agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperatirve, HRTV will add more than 12,000 digital basic subscribers on Blue Ridge Communications' Stroudsburg, Lehighton, Ephrata, and Hawley systems in Pennsylvania; the Video Internet Broadcasting system in Ephrata, Wash.; and the Trinity Communications system in South Pittsburg, Tenn.