FearNet Gets New Head, Launching Cable

FEARnetLogoVariety reported on Thursday that FearNet, thus far just a Video On Demand and Website service, has landed a new President and General Manager to lead it into its debut as a full-time cable entity.
Peter Block, producer of the SAW franchise and former President of acquisitions and co-productions at Lionsgate, will take over from Diane Robina, who was running  FearNet while also serving as an Executive Vice President at the TV Guide Network. 
FearNet is poised to launch as a high-definition cable channel on October 1st of this year.  It’s co-owned by Sony Pictures TV, Lionsgate and Comcast.
The Comcast connection may have contributed the On-Demand service’s   disappearance in April of 2009  from many areas served by Time Warner Cable and Brighthouse Communications. This includes some major markets, including New York City.
According to their press, FearNet as an On-Demand Service is  “available in over 28 million homes on Comcast, Cox Communications, Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-Verse, Insight Communications, Bresnan and Guadalupe Valley Systems.” 
However, there have been as yet no deals announced regarding any cable companies signing up to carry FearNet as a “linear” cable station.
In many areas, Univeral’s CHILLER chanel is already established, which might make the new-comer a tough sell. Lionsgate’s library of newer horror films could be a sweetener, assuming the cable rights to the properties are not committed elsewhere.