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While Gemstar TV Guide is making progress on lining up MSOs for its interactive program guides, the company now finds it has to fight a rearguard attack on its core analog business as operators continue to seek leverage over the giant.
Following TV Guide's deals with Charter and Comcast in recent weeks, Time Warner Cable has fired a warning shot over Gemstar CEO Henry Yuen's bow with its deal to sign with Tribune Media Services' Zap2it passive program guide.
TMS is also in talks with Comcast, says John Kelleher, GM of electronic programming guide services.
Zap2it's scrolling guide -- already proven in two Time Warner beta tests -- offers cable operators attractions that the TV Guide Channel does not. The most important is MSO control over the window accompanying the guide. All ad revenue goes to the operator for at least the first 12 months, Kelleher says, and there are other advantages as well.
"It can save them an analog channel in terms of collapsing their current barker into the video window we're...