• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 6, 2011

Scripps Interactive channels, such as the Food Network, continue to be available on the Time Warner Cable and Cablevision iPad apps, even as Scripps reiterated Thursday it has not granted either operator the rights to offer them on the platform.

"Currently, the agreement that we have for carriage is limited only to television sets wired to the cable boxes or satellite box and doesn't include the other devices," said CFO Joe NeCastro on an investor call.

Both Time Warner Cable and Cablevision believe they have the rights under existing contracts. In a sense, the iPad simply functions as another TV screen.

Discovery and Fox protested when their networks were on the Time Warner Cable app at first; they were removed before being restored. Viacom networks were removed, and the company and Time Warner Cable are in litigation.

The services simulcast networks on iPads, but only in the home.

NeCastro said Scripps is in favor of the offerings, but wants to be compensated for being a part of it. That could come through higher carriage affiliate fees or other benefits, which could be negotiated now and not when existing contracts expire.

"There's every reason from both sides to have those conversations as soon as possible to satisfy the consumer interest," he said.

NeCastro did say there have been talks with operators -- and there is some agreement there should be a "value exchange." It's just a question of what that might be.

"In my conversations with the majority of the people leading distribution companies, there's not a disagreement that there should be a meeting of the minds on the value proposition or a value exchange," he said. "It's really a question of a negotiation and arriving at something that both sides feel is fair. Currently, the tone of those discussions is very constructive, very positive."

He added that operators can benefit from the iPad apps through increasing the value of their broadband services. TWC requires customers to use its broadband service for access to the app. Cablevision does not.

NeCastro said Scripps wants to ensure that with added content distribution, "we have our fair share."