Football Network Rescues Arts Channel

A pay-TV service that has built its success on televising football and Hollywood movies, has bought a 50 percent stake in the UK Artsworld channel. Artsworld had been struggling financially for some time. “There is definitely room for growth. This deal will help us accelerate. We expect to go on to cable next year. We don’t propose to change the mix and we won’t dumb down. We retain editorial control, Rupert Murdoch won’t be ringing up demanding this or that ballet. In fact, so far our principal effect has been to spur the BBC into reviving its arts coverage.”