Media Access Project Warns of Market Power Abuse by Cablevision
Posted: Thursday January 7, 2010
As the Cablevision/Scripps Network carriage dispute drags on, Media Access Project (MAP) is increasingly concerned that coverage of this fight has overlooked an important point.
Cablevision is leveraging its dominant position in the New York market to force its customers to take Cablevision-owned channels they may not want while making it harder for them to get independently-owned programming such as the Food Network and HGTV.
There is plenty of evidence that Cablevision is abusing its market power. For example, just last year, Cablevision gave favorable placement to two new channels it created, Wedding Central and MSG Variety.
MAP seeks to create vibrant and diverse program offerings. Cablevision is interested in delivering more of its own programming at the expense of diversity.
Nor is MAP persuaded by Cablevision’s newly-professed concern about keeping down cable rates. If Cablevision wants to show that it is truly interested in keeping rates down, it should reveal how much it pays itself for MSG programming. Independent estimates suggest that the rate increases for this material is far greater than what Scripps Networks is asking for its channels.
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