CBS, HBO, Cinemax, TBS, TNT and Starz have already agreed to join Comcast in its new initiative On Demand Online trial. Comcast’s On-Demand Online will offer Cinemax and HBO programming initially through Fancast.net and Comcast.net, when it launches the trial in 5,000 households, giving access to cable TV shows online without an extra fee.
Comcast has disclosed the 17 new networks that have agreed to join this trial that includes: A&E, AMC, BBC America, DIY Network, Fine Living Network, Food Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History, IFC, MGM Impact, Sundance Channel, WE TV, E! Entertainment, The Style Network, G4 and Fearnet.
ESPN Network has launched ESPNU HD on August, 2008 coinciding with the start of the College Football season and is now delivering more than 200 HD events that include all of its Live Thursday and Saturday college football games and also exclusive coverage of college basketball, lacrosse, baseball, softball, volleyball, wrestling, hockey and more.
During the launch the HD simulcast, ESPN HD was carried by the leading operators like Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV, RCN, Atlantic Broadband and Broadstripe. Recently AT&T also added the collegiate sports channel. Comcast has also struck a deal to carry ESPNU.
The leading satellite provider DirecTV has recently announced that ESPNU will be added to Choice programming package starting July, 1. But there is no news regarding HD simulcast launch and subscribers are expecting before the 2010 college season.
ESPN Media Networks and Disney have announced that an agreement has been signed with Comcast to launch ESPNU and ESPN360.com. Comcast will add ESPNU to its Digital Classic package before the college football season in most of its cable systems. ESPN360.com will be added to Comcast.net and will be available to its high-speed Internet subscribers.
ESPNU is a college sports initiative across ESPN’s family of services featuring more than 550 live events annually, mostly D-1 football and men’s/women’s basketball and college sports championships including the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, MAC, SEC, Sun Belt and WAC. ESPNU also holds long-term agreement with the NCAA to deliver extensive coverage of 22 NCAA Championships.
Matt Bond, executive vice president, content acquisition for Comcast Cable said “Comcast continues to be the place for sports fans to turn to for all the college, professional and high school sports action they want – on television, online and on demand, ESPNU and ESPN360.com will add to the thousands of live sports events that fans already watch on Comcast today.”
Comcast Corporation has launched five new high-definition channels in Houston on April 27. Following new HD channels are added to its programming line-up in Denver:
Animal Planet HD – Channel 642
Cartoon Network HD – Ch.629
FX HD – ch.631
Sc- Fi HD – Ch.660
TLC HD – Ch.663 and
Discovery Science Channel HD – Ch.678
Comcast has launched Rural Free Delivery TV (RFD-TV) to its subscribers in Chattanooga on channel 741. Comcast has added RFD-TV in its Sports and Entertainment Tier. RFD-TV known as Rural America’s Most Important Network delivers high-quality, original, and family oriented programs that cover the rural way of life including Agriculture, Equine, Rural Lifestyle and Music & Entertainment.
RFD-TV’s Senior Director of Affiliate Sales, Manda Patrick said “We are excited to fulfill the need for family oriented rural lifestyle entertainment in the Chattanooga area, especially during such economic times where there is an even greater emphasis placed on family.”
Comcast has partnered with Sony to launch a retail outlet “Sony Style Comcast Labs” in Philadelphia. The outlet is situated at Comcast headquarters and will display all Sony’s products along with Comcast’s video, data and voice services.
Sony Style Comcast Labs was declared open by Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts and the products in display include BRAVIA high-definition LCD televisions, VAIO PCs, Cyber-shot digital cameras, Handy cam camcorders, PSP and PlayStation 3 game consoles, and new OLED TVs.
Stan Glasgow, president and COO of Sony Electronics said “Consumer electronics are becoming increasingly advanced, and the strategy behind the Sony Style stores has always been to create a comfortable environment where consumers interact with and educate themselves about the latest technology, at Sony Style Comcast Labs, trained staff show consumers how to unlock the full potential of their devices by demonstrating how Comcast’s advanced delivery services integrate beautifully with Sony’s hardware products and entertainment content.”
Comcast has added the Disney’s Video on demand (VOD) service ‘Disney Family Movies.’ This On Demand Service will offer 10 Disney movies with unlimited access every month. This package will cost about $5.99 a month. George of the Jungle, The Parent Trap, Treasure Planet and Eloise at the Plaza are the movies available during the launch.
Derek Harrar, SVP and GM of video services for Comcast said “Kids’ and family programming continues to be one of our top on demand categories, and we are thrilled to continue delivering the best quality content with Disney.”
Comcast has launched three new high-definition channels in Reston, Virginia. Comcast has been adding new HD networks in many cities and these three comes to Reston. Subscribers are delivered with following networks:
FOX News HD
FX HD and
SPEED HD
Comcast has delivered these three channels in many cities in Delaware, Maryland, Florida and Pennsylvania markets. Now Reston subscribers are treated with these channels. The cable operator has lined-up many more for the Virginia subscribers.
Comcast has delivered two HD channels last week to its subscribers in Jacksonville, Florida. Comcast is launching two or three HD channels in this area every month and subscribers are missing many HD channels. But, Comcast as usual would deliver few more HD channels next month also.
Cartoon Network HD and
E! Entertainment Television HD
Comcast is also planning to offer more HD to the Jacksonville residents.
Comcast already announced a price increase for its cable TV services in many parts of the country effectively from December 1. Insight Communications also to increase the prices from January 1. The cable operator has announced that the cable prices would go up by $3 per month as they incur high programming costs for many channels.
Charter Communications also had come up with an increase of $2 per month on an average. Mediacom expected to increase the rates from 5 to 7.5%.
We have to wait and watch as the country is hit with the recession and people will have second thought to spend for the indoor entertainment. This increase in prices will have a huge effect in the first quarter results of these cable companies.
