360AM: Cablevision Reports Third-Quarter Earnings; The Telcos Hit Cable Where It Hurts
Cable360AM — News briefing for Thursday, Nov. 8 »
We’ve got Baruir’s dark roast in the percolator today in the Cable360 newsroom. Good morning.
Cablevision’s third-quarter consolidated net revenue grew 9.4% to $1.512 billion compared to the prior year period, according to the company. Cablevision reported cable television net revenue growth of 9.7% compared to the third quarter of 2006, and quarterly RGU growth of 161,000, offset by a loss of 16,000 basic video subscribers.
Verizon and AT&T’s video offerings have put cable on the defensive and have given investors’ reason to have dimmer view of Comcast’s stock. [Wall Street Journal]
The Wall Street Journal also reports that News Corp.’s profit “fell 13% in its fiscal first quarter after a gain on a sale in the year-earlier period, but operating income rose 23% on strong box-office results for films such as The Simpsons Movie and Live Free or Die Hard, as well as higher earnings from cable-TV networks.” [Wall Street Journal]
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones asks football fans who subscribe to Comcast and Time Warner Cable to switch allegiances. [The Consumerist]
The screenwriters’ strike continues; so far American TV watchers and filmgoers refuse to show support by turning to books for their nightly entertainment. [New York Times]
Talks have broken down between Rosie O’Donnell and NBC about the former daytime TV talk-show host getting a show on MSNBC. [New York Times]
The New York Times’ Alessandra Stanley deems HBO’s TV movie about the power struggle between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, The Deal, a “safe but unexciting offering.” [New York Times]
TiVo will soon be offering advertisers detailed demographic data about its subscribers. [Wall Street Journal]
Discovery Communications announced plans to open Discovery Kids Place and Crikey Cove, an onsite childcare facility at the company’s global headquarters in summer 2008.
Jockey Gary Stevens has reached an agreement with HorseRacing TV to serve as an on-air analyst for the network’s coverage of thoroughbred racing.
Lifetime Networks president and CEO Andrea Wong will be honored today at the 14th Annual Knock Out Abuse Gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., in recognition of the network’s “End Violence Against Women” campaign.
Knology reported total revenue for the third quarter of 2007 was $92.3 million compared to revenue of $91.6 million for the previous quarter and $65.3 million for the same period one year ago.
In CableFAX Daily: News on Time Warner Cable’s plans for its Pivot wireless service, and more on the operator’s basic sub losses in L.A. and Dallas.
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