Combined Broadcasting, a company consisting of executives from the program distributors that Grant owed, took over WBFS and its sister stations.

And as a cable programmer, it must offer CNN to other program distributors, like telephone companies or satellite broadcasters.

Opposition to a la carte programming has come from programmers, program distributors and consumer groups, centering largely on program diversity.

In this practice, a program distributor makes programs available to stations at reduced cost or no cost in exchange for advertising time, which the distributor then sells.

Infinity will buy a 25% stake in Westwood One, linking its radio stations with the largest radio program distributor.

Time Warner pledged not to discriminate against rival program distributors like phone companies or satellite broadcasters by inflating the price of popular Turner cable networks.

The local stations then contract with program distributors and also provide some programming themselves.

The most immediate changes, many executives believe, will take place in the relationships between program producers and program distributors.

Until it folded in 1981, NAEB was public broadcasting's primary voice, forum and program distributor.

From 1975 to 1979 he was senior vice president of the Public Broadcasting Service in Washington, the national program distributor for United States public television.