About Those Time Warner Postcards

Did you receive a postcard from Time Warner saying it could drop Dayton’s WHIO-TV (Channel 7) or WSTR-TV (Channel 64) on Jan. 1? Don’t panic – yet. Here’s the deal: Yes, Time Warner’s contracts to carry Channels 64 and 7 are expiring at the end of the year. (Only the Channel 64 agreement for the old Adelphia systems -- Liberty and Delhi Townships, Amelia, Collinsville and Sardinia -- is up for renewal.)
But the station managers and Time Warner officials are confident the channels will remain on cable, with a new retransmission agreement or an extension. The postcards were mailed because the FCC requires cable companies to give customers 30 days notice before a change in service.
"We don’t want anyone to panic that we’re going to drop WHIO or WSTR. Quite the contrary. We are committed to carrying both these channels. We are optimistic that we will reach an agreement and there will be no interruption in programming. Time Warner Cable is doing everything we can to negotiate in good faith and we hope to reach agreements as soon as possible."
Stay tuned.

Midseason news
ABC finally has announced a date for Jim Belushi’s "According to Jim." It returns 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, as part of ABC’s new 8-10 p.m. comedy block. "Knights of Prosperity" by "Letterman" producer Rob Burnett – originally called "Let’s Rob Mick Jagger" and announced for the fall TV lineup – debuts 9 p.m. that night. It will be followed by "In Case of Emergency," another buddy comedy.
"Lost," which has been virtually tied by CBS’ "Criminal Minds," will return on Feb. 7 at 10 p.m., instead of 9 p.m. So "Lost" won’t air against the "American Idol" results show next year.
Speaking of "American Idol," it returns 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. That’s the same week that "24" debuts with four hours over two nights (8-10 p.m. Sunday-Monday, Jan. 14-15). Rick Schroder (“NYPD Blue”) joins the cast for season six.
Here is Fox’s announcement, in case you haven’t seen it:
"Schroder will play forceful CTU Operative MIKE DOYLE, who teams with JACK BAUER (Kiefer Sutherland) to execute crucial field operations. He joins a list of notable newcomers this season, including Chad Lowe (ER), Powers Boothe (Deadwood), Peter MacNicol (Ally McBeal), Regina King (Ray), James Cromwell (Babe), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar), Marisol Nichols (In Justice), Alexander Siddig (Syriana), David Hunt (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Harry Lennix (Commander in Chief).
"As previously announced, Emmy nominees Jean Smart and Gregory Itzin return for another day as FIRST LADY MARTHA LOGAN and PRESIDENT CHARLES LOGAN, while Eric Balfour and Carlo Rota reprise their respective roles as CTU contractors MILO PRESSMAN and MORRIS O’BRIAN.
"24’s Season Six will feature Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer; Sandra Palmer (Regina King), a determined and powerful advocacy lawyer; presidential advisor KAREN Hayes (Jayne Atkinson); and CTU colleagues CHLOE O’BRIAN (Mary Lynn Rajskub), CURTIS MANNING (Roger Cross) and BILL BUCHANAN (James Morrison)."
I can't wait!