TV cable deal talks are held

Robert Jacobson, president and chief executive of In Demand, met with baseball executives Friday to discuss a possible deal for cable to carry the Extra Innings out-of-market pay television package, according to a spokeswoman for In Demand.

The meeting came one day after Jacobson said conditions set by baseball made it impossible for the In Demand service to offer the package.

A key issue is the Baseball Channel, to be launched in 2009. DirecTV, which has a 20% minority stake in the channel, has agreed to make it available to most of its customers. Because In Demand serves 50 million digital cable customers, it claims that the cost would be prohibitive.

One cable executive suggested the cost to cable companies might be as much as $2.50 a month per subscriber. Industry sources say it would be more in the 30-cent range.

-- Larry Stewart

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