Time Warner on Lakers TV broadcast stalemate: ‘Negotiations ongoing'

Los Angeles Lakers fans in Southern California who are without Time Warner Cable's SportsNet channel, the exclusive broadcaster of Lakers games, got a glimmer of hope from the cable provider on Friday, according to the Long Bech Press-Telegram.

"Negotiations with TV providers to carry Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes are ongoing," Time Warner Cable Sports said in a written statement. "There is significant demand from Lakers fans for these two networks."

As it stands, cable and satellite subscribers in Southern California, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Tijuana are being left in the dark with respect to seeing their favorite team's games. Previously, KCAL 9 in Los Angeles broadcasted all Lakers' away games while Fox Sports West carried the home games.

A new television deal was struck roughly one year ago that gave the broadcasting rights exclusively to Time Warner. The company has an estimated 1.7 million of the 5 million television homes in Southern California as customers.

Negotiations are said to include DirecTV, Dish Network, AT&T U-Verse and Cox Communications, Verizon Fios and Charter Communications. Bright House Networks of Bakersfield, Calif. has already struck a deal to carry SportsNet and Deportes.