LEWISTON – Fans of popular Fox shows can keep watching their favorites on a cable station after Portland WPXT drops its affiliation with the Fox network.

The Portland television station is switching its affiliation to the WB network on Sunday. Adelphia and Time Warner cable customers will be able to view Fox shows such as “The X-Files” and “The Simpsons” on FoxNet. The network also will broadcast this year’s Major League Baseball playoffs and World Series, and about half the NFL football games.

FoxNet, which carries all the Fox Broadcasting Co. programs, is available by cable only. It is already offered in some communities in northern and Down East Maine.

Adelphia spokesman Michael Edgecomb said the cable carrier has realigned its satellites to pick up the feed for FoxNet. Other channels are being dropped or moved to accommodate FoxNet. The changes vary based on local head end, or satellite feed. Edgecomb said the new satellite link cost the company tens of thousands of dollars to secure but that customers wouldn’t see the costs on their cable bills.

Adelphia has 190,000 cable customers in northern and coastal Maine, including areas around Lewiston, Waterville, Bangor, Augusta, Calais and Madawaska.

Time Warner is the largest cable company in southern Maine, with more than 95,000 customers in 22 communities.