Comcast drops Jennifer Lopez’s Fuse channel

NEW YORK (UPI) — Comcast has decided to drop the Fuse network, owned in part by Jennifer Lopez, from its lineup of cable channels. “We regularly evaluate our channel lineups and sometimes make changes to ensure we’re offering customers a wide variety of the content that they want to see at the best value,” Comcast said in a statement. “In this case, much of the content carried by Fuse is similar to content that is also available on other networks. We understand that some customers may find Fuse’s programming of interest, and we will work with them to find options that will help them continue to watch other content like this programming,” the company continued. Fuse is known for featuring multicultural programming and featured shows such as T-Pain’s School of Business and The Hollywood Puppet Show from executive producer Wilmer Valderrama. Lopez’s NuvoTV channel bought Fuse for $226 million in 2014, merging the companies under the Fuse banner in the process. “Despite Comcast’s publicly-stated commitment to support diverse and independently operated networks, Comcast has elected to drop Fuse, a multicultural-focused television network, on December 31, after more than a decade of carriage,” president and CEO of Fuse Media Michael Schwimmer said in a statement. “This decision is both surprising and troubling considering that Fuse met Comcast’s financial demands and no other requirements were ever communicated to us,” he continued before highlighting Fuse’s commitment to diversity. Fuse reached 60 million cable households as of February. Comcast has 22 million video subscribers.