This Just In

Cox Secures TV Rights for NBA's Hornets

New Orleans — In a rare MSO local TV-sports deal, Cox Cable in New Orleans has obtained the broadcast and cable rights to the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets. The club will relocate to New Orleans

Cox plans to create its own local sports channel to televise up to 65 Hornets regular-season games, said network representatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The system has also agreed to a multi-year, multimillion-dollar sponsorship of the team, which includes signage rights, promotional opportunities and cooperative marketing efforts.

Galavisión GM Departs After Changes

New York — Lucia Ballas-Traynor — general manager of Galavisión, Univision Communications Inc.'s basic-cable network — left her job last week.

She will not be replaced in the immediate future, a spokeswoman said.

Ballas-Traynor's departure came after Galavisión recently switched its primetime format from a mix of Spanish-language and bilingual shows — many of which were U.S.-produced — to an all-Spanish schedule emphasizing programs from Televisa (Mexico) and Venevision (Venezuela). Galavisión will offer details on that lineup — and the philosophy behind it — to advertisers at its upfront event in New York on May 14.

Digital, Data Improved Insight's Results

New York — Fueled by strong digital and high-speed data growth, Insight Communications Co. reported revenue growth of 10.3 percent to $192 million and a 9.7 percent gain in operating cash flow to $81.7 million during the first quarter, ended March 31. Basic subscriber growth was 1 percent.

Although Insight had pre-released first-quarter financial numbers on May 2, investors were pleased that actual results mirrored the earlier predictions and drove the stock up $1.04 per share, to $16.65, on May 10.

E! Pulls Plug on 'Talk Soup'

Los Angeles —Talk Soup , E! Entertainment Television's nightly talk show clip fest that became a wicked satire on the genre — and the channel's first signature hit — spooned out its last episode May 10. E! ended Soup after 11 years on the channel, a run that shot original host Greg Kinnear to stardom elsewhere in TV and in the movies.

Other Soup hosts were John Henson, Hal Sparks (now a cast member on Showtime's Queer As Folk ) and Aisha Tyler. Tyler, the show's most recent host, continues on The 4th Wheel , a syndicated dating show.