Merrill Lynch Notebook

Time Warner‘s cable advertising remains "very strong" and its nets aren’t "feeling any impacts from the economy," said evp/CFO John Martin. A broad shift in advertising from broadcasters to Turner‘s general ent nets has occurred recently and cable overall is trimming broadcasters’ lead in CPMs, he said, although the broads still command prices that are one-third higher. The split from Time Warner Cable should still occur around YE, said Martin, with TWX’s huge dividend infusion from the transaction slated for investment in current businesses, and possibly horizontal acquisitions and/or increased dividends to shareholders. — News Corp‘s cable nets have delivered 28% rev growth and approx 18% profit growth in fiscal ’08, said pres/COO Peter Chernin, noting that the numbers were weighed down by a $180mln in Big Ten Net and Fox Business, which now reaches 40mln+ HHs. Plus, he said, the cable nets’ scatter advertising market was "very strong" this summer and national advertising has been "better than expected." As such, Chernin said News Corp shares are "ridiculously underpriced" after shedding approx 30% in value since Apr. — Cablevision pres/CEO Jim Dolan‘s appearance kicked off his promise of increased corporate transparency but failed to yield many details about the MSO’s goal to further fire up shareholder value (a 10 cents/share dividend was announced last month). In play, according to Dolan: stock buybacks, debt erasure, sales of various asset pools and spin offs that could make Cablevision a pure cable company. Developed Rainbow nets are more likely sale candidates, he said, noting that Sundance/IFC still has "plenty of growth" ahead. Don’t expect News 12 to be offloaded either, as COO Tom Rutledge said the 24-hr news net is a "major reason why people value our video service." As for other services, Cablevision will commence consumer trials of its network DVR in the "relatively near future," said Rutledge, and expects to roll out related products early next year.