Yearbook

In its annual 10-K report, Cablevision had much to say about recent flare-ups, including the Time Warner spat that saw 2.4mln TW subs lose access to CVC’s MSG Net and Fox Sports NY. "We believe we will ultimately reach contractual terms with [TW]" CVC notes, although should a deal not be brokered this year "the negative impact to MSG’s operating results could be significant." CVC adds that in losing the Mets and given the questionable future of the Rangers, it can’t "be assured that our strategy will enable our sports nets to offer … programming of the type and in the quantity or quality necessary for such nets to remain competitive." (Sounds like the same argument Time Warner’s been making for the last 2 years.) CVC reiterated the Voom saga, the latest Wiz lawsuit, the AMC/TW scuffle and labor relations, which CVC characterizes as "satisfactory." — It’s not all strife in Bethpage, as the MSO’s hard numbers continued to impress. Avg monthly revenue/basic sub was $87.17 by the end of ’04, up more than $10 from the previous year’s $76.69. HSD subs continue to rise (1.25mln vs ’03’s 1.06mln), while VoIP takers numbered 272,700 in ’04, or 6.1% of HHs passed. That’s up from the previous year’s ramping up of 28,7000 voice subs. In keeping with COO Tom Rutledge’s avowal to push forward with network DVR by yearend, CVC did not report ’04 DVR numbers, although that service was launched at the close of the year with little fanfare.