The biggest cable network deals in history

Cable World, Dec 3, 2001

Purchasing cable programming assets can mean answering to a network's other stakeholders--the viewers. Viacom learned that lesson in the wake of its $3 billion payout for BET Holdings. Faced with criticism from members of the African-American community that Black Entertainment Television's identity would be homogenized by its new non-African-American owners, BET founder Bob Johnson made an unprecedented on-air appearance in March to address those concerns.

The buyers in the top two deals listed here--AT&T and AOL--have also been facing public scrutiny over another community-based issue: the open access of their cable systems to other Internet service providers.


 

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