Verizon Lands Programming Deal with Starz Entertainment

Gearing up to deliver television service this year, Verizon Communications Inc. yesterday announced a long-term affiliation agreement with Starz Entertainment Group LLC that will allow the No. 1 phone company to carry 13 movie channels.

Verizon said it will be able to carry all 13 Starz Entertainment Group movie channels, including more than 100 movies-on-demand through Starz on Demand, as part of a package of hundreds of video channels.

Verizon also has secured content representing about 100 TV channels, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, saying the deals are expected to be announced in the next few months.

New York-based Verizon revealed plans last year to deliver video service to millions of homes over fiber networks in competition with Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable and other cable TV operators that are breaking into the phone business.

Verizon plans to deliver TV over a fiber network in parts of 14 states, including California, Florida, New York and Texas.

Verizon and SBC Communications Inc., the second largest local phone company, are spending billions of dollars to add video to their consumer product lines while leading efforts to consolidate the telecommunications industry through the planned acquisitions of MCI Inc. and AT&T Corp.