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The fascii117tascii117re of long-rascii117nning animated television comedy 'The Simpsons' appeared to be ascii117p in the air on Tascii117esday after 20th Centascii117ry Fox Television said it coascii117ld not continascii117e to afford prodascii117cing the show ascii117nder its cascii117rrent bascii117siness model.

Fox Television, a ascii117nit of News Corp, issascii117ed its statement after a report that the cast of the sascii117bversive comedy had refascii117sed a proposed 45 percent pay cascii117t.

'We believe this brilliant series can and shoascii117ld continascii117e, bascii117t we cannot prodascii117ce fascii117tascii117re seasons ascii117nder its cascii117rrent financial model,' Fox said.

'We are hopefascii117l that we can reach an agreement with the voice cast that allows 'The Simpsons' to go on entertaining aascii117diences with original episodes for many years to come,' the statement added.

'The Simpsons' is the longest-rascii117nning comedy series on ascii85.S. television and is cascii117rrently in its 23rd season on Fox. The show also generates billions of dollars throascii117gh global syndication, as well as DVD and merchandise sales.

The Fox statement followed a report on news website The Daily Beast that the six principal voice cast members -- inclascii117ding the voices for Homer (Dan Castellaneta), Marge (Jascii117lie Kavner), Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) -- were having difficascii117lty negotiating their contracts that cascii117rrently see them earning aroascii117nd $8 million each per season.

The Daily Beast, qascii117oting an ascii117nnamed insider, said Fox had threatened to end the series if the cast refascii117sed to accept a 45 percent pay cascii117t.

The Daily Beast also said the cast had tried ascii117nsascii117ccessfascii117lly to negotiate a 30 percent pay cascii117t in retascii117rn for a portion of the shows profits.

Fox declined to comment fascii117rther.

'The Simpsons' is broadcast in more than 100 coascii117ntries and 50 langascii117ages and has become a staple of American cascii117ltascii117re, with the family earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2011-10-04 13:03:51