Cablefax
Cable industry business: distribution, carriage, regulation, strategy
Carriage
Spectrum is adding its TV app to Amazon Fire TV devices starting April 15, 2024. The rollout lets Spectrum subscribers stream the full channel lineup, multiview, cloud DVR and video‑on‑demand content directly on Fire TV hardware. Compatibility covers Fire OS 6+ and Vega OS platforms, including the Fire TV 4K Select, 4K Max, Omni QLED Series, as well as Hisense U6, TCL QM64L and Panasonic Z95B models. The move broadens Spectrum’s streaming footprint beyond its own set‑top boxes and smart‑TV partnerships.
Hallmark Media Picks New Prez
Hallmark Media announced Darren Abbott as its new President, succeeding John Matts who departed after a brief tenure. Abbott will retain his existing role as Chief Brand Officer while taking charge of ad sales, distribution, and research. The appointment marks...
FCC OKs Cox Media-WJAX Deal
The Federal Communications Commission has approved Cox Media Group’s purchase of Hoffman Communications’ CBS affiliate WJAX in Jacksonville. Cox will assume the station’s debt and pay approximately $175,000 to Hoffman, creating a duopoly with its existing Fox/MyNetwork/Telemundo outlet WFOX. DirecTV...
Ratings
Miley Cyrus returned as Hannah Montana for a Disney+ and Hulu 20th‑anniversary special, pulling 6.3 million streams in its first three days and sparking a roughly 1,000% surge in catalog viewing. The nostalgic event underscores the power of legacy IP on...
Wecom Fiber’s New CEO
Wecom Fiber, an Arizona‑based broadband provider, appointed Rachel Solomon as its new chief executive officer, while former CEO Paul Fleming transitioned to board chair and head of government and external affairs. Solomon joins after serving as senior vice president of...
New Comcast Business Plans
Comcast introduced Total Solutions Advantage, an all‑in‑one bundle for small‑business customers that pairs high‑speed Business Internet with its Security Edge cyber‑protection. The offering launches with four speed tiers ranging from 300 Mbps at $60 per month to 2 Gbps at $170 per...
Fiber Frenzy
Comporium has launched fiber internet to over 500 homes and businesses in Transylvania County, North Carolina, delivering 1 Gbps speeds after completing a 64‑mile buildout. Meanwhile, California ISP Race Communications is allocating more than $200 million to extend its fiber network into...
Judge Pauses T-Mobile’s ‘Save Over $1,000’ Campaign
A U.S. District Court judge granted Verizon's request for a preliminary injunction, halting T‑Mobile's "Save Over $1,000" advertising campaign. Verizon alleges the ads falsely claim customers can save more than $1,000 annually by switching from its Unlimited Ultimate Plan to...
FCC Cable Rate Report
The FCC issued an order to begin its mandatory cable‑rate report, requiring randomly selected operators to submit detailed pricing data by May 29. The questionnaire covers subscription fees, retransmission‑consent charges and related costs, with historical retrans fees averaging $30‑$350 per subscriber....
Trump’s Army-Navy Order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Preserving America’s Game” that bars any college football contest from being scheduled against the annual Army‑Navy game. The order directs FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to work with...
Mr. Rogers Goes to YouTube
Fred Rogers Productions has teamed with Little Dot Studios to launch an official Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood channel on YouTube. The channel will host full episodes from the classic PBS series alongside clips, shorts, and curated compilations. Little Dot, which runs...
C2HR Calls for Participation
The Content & Connectivity Human Resources Association (C2HR) is inviting content and connectivity professionals to join its 2026 Compensation Surveys, which open later this month. Submissions must be received by April, with full results slated for September, covering roughly 1,500...
More Telecom Act Talk
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will host a hearing next Thursday titled “The Telecommunications Act of 1996: 30 Years Later,” reviewing the law’s successes, shortcomings, and lessons for future policy. Representatives Brett Guthrie and Richard Hudson announced the event, which will...
Eight States, DirecTV Sue to Block Nexstar-Tegna
Eight state attorneys general and DirecTV have filed separate lawsuits to block the $6.2 billion Nexstar‑Tegna merger. The suits allege antitrust violations, higher retransmission‑consent fees and the risk of broadcast blackouts for satellite customers. The combined entity would control 228 stations,...
Nexstar-Tegna Reax
Broadcast giants Nexstar and Tegna face a legal challenge over their proposed merger, which critics say would create the largest concentration of TV station ownership in U.S. history. Opponents, including Newsmax and ACA Connects, argue the deal would give Nexstar...
NY Gives Charter-Cox Thumbs Up, CA Still Considering
The New York Public Utilities Commission approved the $34.5 billion Charter‑Cox merger, attaching conditions that require a $100 million investment to deliver symmetric gigabit service and replace 500 outdoor Wi‑Fi nodes. The FCC has already cleared the deal, but California regulators have...
Samsung’s AMC+ Deal
Samsung and AMC Networks have teamed up to launch an exclusive 90‑day “On Us” free trial for new AMC+ subscribers on eligible Samsung smart TVs. The offer, available from today until June 17 while supplies last, comes with AMC+ pre‑installed...
What About TikTok?
The Wall Street Journal editorial criticized FCC Chair Brendan Carr for abandoning his earlier TikTok security warnings after a Trump‑era deal allowed the app to stay operational. The piece highlights that TikTok’s new joint venture still relies on ByteDance’s algorithm,...
Tubi Taps TikTok Creators
Tubi announced an incubator partnership with TikTok to develop original long‑form series for its ad‑supported streaming platform. TikTok will curate creators who will produce both scripted and unscripted shows, with the first cohort slated for a summer rollout. The initiative...
C-SPAN Turns 47
C-SPAN celebrated its 47th anniversary with a televised special titled “The C-SPAN Story,” featuring founder Brian Lamb, former co‑CEO Susan Swain, and current CEO Sam Feist. The program revisits Lamb’s original goal of delivering live congressional coverage without government funding,...
NASCAR, NHL on Fragmentation
NASCAR and the NHL are navigating a fragmented sports‑media landscape by striking multi‑partner rights deals that span broadcast, cable and streaming. NASCAR’s 2025‑2031 agreements involve Fox, NBC, Amazon, TNT Sports and Nexstar, giving the league five promotional avenues. The NHL’s...
Fiber Frenzy
Charter rolled out Spectrum fiber services in Jefferson, Gibson and Henderson counties, Tennessee, linking over 3,000 homes and businesses. GFiber, fresh from its merger with Astound Broadband, began offering symmetrical speeds up to 8 Gbps in Las Vegas from a new Summerlin...
A+E, Nielsen Team Up for Measurement Deal
Nielsen has entered a multiyear agreement with A+E Global Media, effective immediately. The partnership expands Nielsen’s measurement and analytics services to A+E’s linear and digital properties, including A&E, Lifetime, and History Channel. A+E will adopt new Nielsen products such as...
Walden’s Disney Team
Dana Walden, newly appointed Disney President and chief content officer, announced her entertainment leadership team in a memo. Walden will oversee television, film, direct‑to‑consumer, games and other digital products while collaborating with Disney Entertainment Chairman Alan Bergman on the movie studios....
Ohio IX Celebrates 400G
Ohio IX and its member Com Net have successfully deployed a 400 Gbps connection, marking the first such link at the exchange. The upgrade uses OSI optics technology and is hosted in the Cologix data center, which also offers remote access...
AMCN New Prez
Kim Kelleher has been elevated to President while retaining her Chief Commercial Officer role at AMC Networks. The board has been enlarged from eleven to twelve members, reinstating CEO Kristin Dolan as a Class B director. Recent senior‑leadership moves also...
Ball Cap Flap
House Energy and Commerce Democrats urged FCC Chair Brendan Carr to investigate Fox News for airing old footage of former President Donald Trump, prompting a sharp rebuttal from Carr. Replies highlighted that the FCC’s authority is limited to over‑the‑air broadcasters,...
Fox, ESPN on Improving Live Sports Experience With DTC
Fox One and ESPN Unlimited are refining their direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) platforms to tackle sports‑viewing fragmentation, ingestion hurdles, and personalization demands. Fox targets the 60 million cord‑less households, offering the same lineup as pay‑TV and a joint ESPN bundle at $39.99 per...
PWHL Going National
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) partnered with Scripps Sports to broadcast its New York Sirens versus Montréal Victoire matchup on March 28, marking the league’s first nationally televised game. The contest aired on Ion Television, which reaches over 126 million U.S....
Programming
Optimum‑owned News 12 is debuting “Made In,” a weekly series that highlights local businesses and entrepreneurs across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, premiering March 16 at 9 p.m. with repeats throughout the week. The show will be anchored by Rebecca...
Fiber Frenzy
Comcast finished extending its Xfinity fiber network in Clark County, Washington, bringing high‑speed symmetrical internet to roughly 500 homes northeast of Battle Ground Lake. Meanwhile, Charter announced a Spectrum fiber rollout in Washtenaw County, Michigan, slated to connect nearly 1,000 addresses across...
People
Disney’s incoming chief executive Josh D’Amaro has appointed Paul Roeder as senior EVP and chief communications officer, effective next Thursday. Roeder, a 25‑year Disney veteran, will direct worldwide communications, public‑relations strategy, media relations, executive messaging, editorial oversight, employee engagement and...
Ratings
March Madness drove record TV audiences, with ESPN delivering its most‑watched men’s college basketball season since 2014‑15, averaging 1.1 million viewers across 127 games. ABC’s five tournament events pulled 1.7 million viewers, while ESPN’s family of networks posted a 25% year‑over‑year increase....
Disney+ Verts Landing Soon
Disney+ is rolling out a new vertical‑video feature called Verts to U.S. mobile users this week, following a January announcement. A dedicated Verts icon will appear in the navigation bar, letting subscribers swipe through bite‑size scenes from the platform’s library....
Early Readings From the FCC’s Sports Broadcasting Docket
The FCC’s Media Bureau has opened a docket to examine the fragmented sports‑broadcasting ecosystem, inviting comments through March 27. Early filers include One Ministries, which urges the commission to extend must‑carry rules to virtual MVPDs so independent stations like KQSL...
AEW Set for International, FAST Growth
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is expanding its digital footprint by teaming with streaming technology firm Kiswe to launch MyAEW, a subscription‑based platform that includes a free FAST channel called Watch AEW. The channel streams on Android TV, Apple TV and...
Fiber Frenzy
Comcast has broken ground on a $5.9 million fiber build‑out extending its high‑speed network into Greater Hartford and Middletown, Connecticut. The project, slated for completion later this year, targets the region’s business community with Ethernet and dedicated internet services up to...
AT&T Touts U.S. Connectivity Investment
AT&T announced a commitment to spend more than $250 billion to boost U.S. connectivity, targeting fiber expansion, 5G home internet, a satellite partnership with AST SpaceMobile, and FirstNet enhancements. CEO John Stankey praised the current federal telecom policy as the strongest...
Countdown to World Cup
Fox Sports announced an aggressive 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast plan, featuring 70 matches on the Fox broadcast network and a total of 340 live hours across its platforms. The schedule includes 21 primetime games on Fox and 19 primetime...
No Bead Funds for D.C.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that Washington, D.C. will receive no federal broadband grant after a $4 million request was rejected. The district’s original plan called for spending roughly $70,000 per site to connect 55 locations, many of...
Optimum Launching New Net
Optimum is set to launch a new network called In2 TV next month, bundling News 12 original series, mystery documentaries, cultural stories and exclusive sports. The channel will be carried on all video customers subscribed to Optimum's Basic package and...
Philo’s New Plans
Philo, under new CEO Mike Keyserling, unveiled two refreshed subscription tiers this month. The $25‑per‑month Essential plan bundles over 70 live TV channels, 120 FAST channels, video‑on‑demand and unlimited DVR storage, plus a 7‑day free trial. The former Core plan...
BEAD Bargaining: A $21 Billion AI Question Looms
Congressional Democrats are pressing the NTIA for guidance on how the $21 billion in BEAD non‑deployment funds will be allocated, especially regarding states that enact AI regulations. The NTIA delayed its expected guidance to gather more feedback at its State Broadband...
Versant’s DTC Investment
Versant announced a multi‑brand direct‑to‑consumer push, unveiling an MS Now streaming service, a Fandango AVOD platform, and a CNBC DTC product aimed at retail investors. CFO/COO Anand Kini emphasized that the rollout will rely on existing video‑playback, commerce, and brand infrastructure, keeping...
Programming
AMC Networks has renewed Jonathan Glatzer’s drama “The Audacity” ahead of its Season 1 debut on April 12, with a world premiere slated for SXSW. The History Channel will launch the 20‑part documentary “World War II With Tom Hanks” on May 25, airing three...
People
Rashida Jones, who spent five years as MSNBC’s president and became the first Black executive to lead a major cable news network, has been appointed CEO of Uncensored, the media venture owned by Piers Morgan. The appointment comes as Uncensored...
NCTC AI Pilots Near Final Phase
NCTC’s AI Center for Excellence is wrapping up four pilot projects with three member companies, with results expected by May. The pilots aim to prove ROI for use cases such as network‑outage prediction and churn reduction. Successful outcomes could move...
CFX Download Catches Up with CableLabs
CFX Download hosted CableLabs EVP/CTO Mark Bridges to discuss the company’s new Quality‑by‑Design (QbD) partnership with Zoom, upcoming Tech Summit highlights, and future broadband innovation initiatives. The QbD collaboration aims to accelerate service design and deployment across cable networks using...
Big Question: How YouTube Thinks of Its Place in Video Ecosystem
YouTube now accounts for over 12% of all TV viewing time in January, outpacing Netflix by roughly four percentage points, according to Nielsen’s latest "The Gauge" report. The platform’s VP for the Americas, Tara Walpert Levy, framed YouTube as a...
Mediacom in D.C.
Mediacom, representing ACA Connects members, petitioned the FCC to revise legacy rules that obligate cable operators to keep detailed signal‑leakage logs and make subscriber records available for inspection. The company argues that in today’s all‑digital networks, signal leakage incidents have...