CIty Hopes to Sign New Contract With Insight Before Time Warner Sale

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer's office hopes to sign a new contract with Insight Communications before the company is purchased by Time Warner Cable.The three billion dollar sale won approval from the FCC last week and could close at any time. But Insight is still in talks over its contract to operate in Louisville. The talks have gone on for over a year, but stalled over whether Insight should be required to keep its call center in Louisville and provide free service to government buildings. Insight is currently operating on the terms of its previous contract. Time Warner would inherit all of Insight's contracts and operations after the sale.“I think it'd be premature to talk about what could happen. But we're pretty close to a deal. Both sides have been working in due diligence and I think we'll have a deal before the sale closes," says mayoral spokesman Chris Poynter. Poynter says the city is not concerned that negotiations would be more difficult with the much larger Time Warner than they are with Insight.“[Insight is] the one we've been dealing with," he says. "We have this relationship with them. Time Warner would be a whole new ballgame so to speak. Insight doesn't want that either. They need this wrapped up before the sale takes place as well.”Time Warner previously requested a temporary contract extension so the new owners could work on a renewal with the city.