Disney, Time Warner report 'progress' in fee talks

Walt Disney Co. and Time Warner Cable Inc. said yesterday they have made "significant progress" in resolving issues over programming fees with less than a week left to renew a pact that feeds TV channels such as ESPN into U.S. households. They expect to reach a deal without "blacking out any TV networks," the Wall Street Journal reported online Sunday.

The feud is the latest between subscription TV providers and companies that own networks distributed into homes. As the recession forced cuts in TV advertising, networks asked for a higher fee per subscriber. Cable companies have resisted. - AP