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Disney CEO Points the Finger for High Cable Rates

May 31, 2012  •  Post A Comment

Walt Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger pointed the finger for high cable subscription rates, the New York Post reports. Iger said regional sports networks are the main culprits, stressing that ESPN is not to blame, the story reports.

ESPN has often been singled out as the reason consumers pay so much for cable, as the network is the most expensive on cable, the story says. ESPN charges $5.15 per household per month.

Iger, speaking at a conference sponsored by Sanford C. Bernstein, said ESPN provides services with its high rates. “If you look at the cost of those channels versus the ratings they deliver, it’s not even close [to ESPN]," Iger said.

Comcast’s SportsNet Washington is the priciest regional sports network, costing $4.02 per month per home. Fox Sports North is the second most expensive at $3.68 per month.

2 Comments

  1. Here is a prime example of networks blaming others but themselves for the high cost of Cable. ESPN is, by far, for our network the highest cost for an single or small block of channels other than premium channels. And ESPN demands transmission to all subscribers in the basic tier, so all subscribers must be charged this amount. Make you angry? Not to mention that years ago, local broadcast stations didn’t charge for cable companies to retransmit their signal to all customers in the cable area, even the edge of the designated market area, improving the signal for these channels. Now they all want money from the cable companies per subscriber driving rates up higher. Some for our system have initially wanted as much as $3 per subscriber for their 1 channel! This should really make you angry!

  2. ESPN needs to be careful. I used to watch it all the time, but now it is only Monday Night Football and some playoff games. Their regular programming has gotten very stale and monotonous. If they are going to maintain those types of rates, they need to get some creativity going there.

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