AMC Channel Sues Time Warner Cable

AMC, the classic movie channel, said it sued Time Warner Inc.’s cable unit for $250 million for trying to terminate its contract.

The suit, filed in the state Supreme Court of New York, contends that Time Warner Cable had notified AMC it intends to end an earlier agreement with the channel in order to negotiate lower fees.

The legal salvo is the latest example of the escalating acrimony in boardroom negotiations between cable operators and programmers.

A Time Warner Cable spokesman said the company had not yet seen the complaint and declined to comment.

AMC, or American Movie Classics, was once primarily known for its trove of classic films but has been recast as a more contemporary channel in recent years.