Big Easy Deal for Cox, Belo

WWL-TV, WUPL-TV and all-news network NewsWatch on Channel 15 will remain on Cox Communications’ system in New Orleans after the cable operator finalized a retransmission-consent agreement with station owner Belo late Friday.

The previous retrans deal between Cox and Belo was set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed by either party, but a Cox spokeswoman said the deal also covered Belo stations in other Cox markets, and further details will be announced Monday.

Cox and Belo reportedly had been at odds over compensation for the operator to carry WWL-TV’s HDTV signal.

The MSO has 184,000 subscribers in the Big Easy.

WWL-TV is a CBS affiliate, WUPL-TV is a MyNetwork TV affiliate and NewsWatch reairs newscasts from WWL-TV.