Comcast became the latest cable firm to boast a family tier, to b...
Comcast became the latest cable firm to boast a family tier, to be offered “early” next year for an average monthly price of $31.20, the firm said. The programming resembles that on Time Warner’s family tier. TW was the first in the industry to react to pressure from Capitol Hill and FCC Chmn. Martin by specifying programming plans (CD Dec 16 p12). Some smaller cable outfits also will offer such a tier, NCTA Pres. Kyle McSlarrow has said
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(CD Dec 13 p1). Cox and Charter, not among firms mentioned by McSlarrow, said they're studying the issue; an Insight official couldn’t be reached for comment. Charter said it’s studying the issue. Despite some networks’ nervousness
about a family tier (CD Dec 14 p2), a Comcast spokeswoman said it had little difficulty working with programmers on its tier. The 16-channel offering, to come along with basic programs, meets “contractual programming agreements,” said a Comcast statement. Comcast and Time Warner are offering C-SPAN 2, Disney Channel, Food Network, HGTV and The Weather Channel. Contrary to a McSlarrow claim that demand didn’t merit a federally mandated family tier (CD June 8 p1), the Comcast spokeswoman said it’s “been working on [the tier] for some time because we knew it was what customers have wanted.” It’s too soon to assess demand, but Comcast does “know there is a great deal of interest,” the spokeswoman said. The move doesn’t require increasing payments to programmers, she said. Asked about its family programming plans, Charter offered a cautious response. “We continue to work with our programmers in support of a family friendly tier that will meet the needs and expectations of our customers at a reasonable value,” said a spokesman. Charter does support a family tier, he said. Cox hasn’t decided whether it will offer a family tier, said Ellen East, vp-communications & public affairs. “There are a lot of complexities to putting together a family tier, and we still haven’t figured out how to resolve that, so we are still looking at that,” she said. Cox has touted existing parental controls, she added. Despite the wishes of Martin and some in Congress, cable isn’t likely to move to a la carte programming, said an analyst. That would boost cable prices, not reduce them as Martin expects, wrote Stifel Nicolaus’ Ted Henderson. The FCC is preparing to release a report finding that a la carte would cut rates, not increase them as predicted by an earlier study, Martin told a Nov. Senate forum (CD Nov 30 p1). That report, due for public release this month (CD Dec 1 p2), hasn’t surfaced. FCC officials had no comment.