Broadcasting & Cable

Broadcasting & Cable
Name	Broadcasting & Cable
Type	Trade magazine
Format	Print and digital
Founder	Cahners Publishing
Founded	1931
Headquarters	New York City
Language	English
Issn	0007-1486

Broadcasting & Cable is a trade magazine and online news outlet covering the television, cable, satellite, and digital video industries. It reports on regulatory developments, corporate strategy, technology transitions, content trends, and audience measurement affecting companies such as NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, The Walt Disney Company, and Amazon (company). Industry stakeholders including Federal Communications Commission, Nielsen Holdings, Comcast, Charter Communications, and Dish Network rely on its reporting for competitive intelligence and market analysis.

History

Founded in 1931 by Cahners Publishing during the rise of Radio Corporation of America and the expansion of American Telephone & Telegraph Company's influence in broadcasting, the publication chronicled the shift from radio to television through milestones like the DuMont Television Network era, the North American Broadcast Television Standards Committee debates, and the postwar proliferation of stations regulated under the Communications Act of 1934. In subsequent decades it covered landmark events such as the advent of Cablevision Systems Corporation, the rise of HBO, the cable deregulation trend culminating in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and consolidation waves involving ViacomCBS and Discovery, Inc.. The title evolved alongside technological transitions including the NTSC to ATSC conversion, the introduction of digital cable, and the emergence of over‑the‑top services from companies like Netflix, Hulu (service), and YouTube.

Industry Structure and Regulation

Coverage emphasizes the interplay among major conglomerates—Sony Corporation, Apple Inc., Microsoft, Liberty Media—and distribution operators such as Cox Communications, Altice USA, and regional multichannel operators. Regulatory oversight by the Federal Communications Commission, judicial rulings from the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and legislation including the Communications Act of 1934 and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 shape framing for carriage disputes, retransmission consent negotiations involving Sinclair Broadcast Group and Fox Corporation, and net neutrality debates tied to Verizon Communications and AT&T. International dimensions include content licensing across markets like United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and European Union jurisdictions governed by directives from the European Commission.

Technology and Distribution

The title tracks transitions across transmission technologies—over‑the‑air broadcasts using ATSC 3.0, satellite delivery via SES S.A. and Intelsat, and IP distribution over networks operated by Akamai Technologies and backbone providers such as Level 3 Communications. It follows infrastructure investments in fiber by Google Fiber and Crown Castle, the role of encoding standards from MPEG, and the integration of streaming platforms from Roku (company), Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV. Articles examine the impact of compression advances like HEVC, content protection through Widevine and PlayReady, and innovations in adaptive bitrate streaming used by Netflix and Disney+.

Programming and Content Production

Editorial focus includes the economics of scripted series from studios such as Warner Bros. Television Studios, reality formats popularized by Endemol Shine Group and Fremantle, and sports rights negotiations involving ESPN, Fox Sports, and NBC Sports Group. Coverage extends to talent deals with agents at Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor, production workflows using facilities like Pinewood Studios and Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, and format syndication across outlets including TBS (American TV channel), TNT (American TV network), and public broadcasters such as the British Broadcasting Corporation. The magazine examines commissioning strategies employed by streamers like Amazon Studios and Apple TV+ and licensing practices tied to Digital Millennium Copyright Act enforcement.

Business Models and Economics

Analysis centers on subscription revenue models pursued by Hulu, ad‑supported tiers exemplified by YouTube TV, and hybrid approaches from operators like Peacock (streaming service). It reports on bundle economics for multichannel video programming distribution managed by DirecTV and carriage disputes involving retransmission fees with Gray Television. Advertising markets covered include programmatic sales through The Trade Desk and upfront negotiations anchored by Interpublic Group of Companies and WPP plc media agencies. Mergers and acquisitions, private equity investment by firms such as Apollo Global Management and Silver Lake Partners, and public market performance on exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange are frequent topics.

Audience Measurement and Ratings

The publication examines audience metrics compiled by Nielsen Holdings, digital measurement techniques by Comscore, and cross‑platform analytics from firms like Adobe Inc. and Conviva. It scrutinizes currency issues in ratings for live events such as the Super Bowl, the role of time‑shifted viewing in ratings calculus, and the adoption of automatic content recognition (ACR) in devices by Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. Debates over sample bias, panel methodology, and attribution in advertising are framed around major campaigns sold during the Television Academy‑awarded seasons and sport rights windows.

Cultural Impact and Criticism

Reporting places programming in broader cultural contexts by connecting series and formats to institutions like the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, debates over representation and diversity involving organizations such as NAACP and GLAAD, and controversies around content moderation and misinformation linked to platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Critical coverage addresses public reaction to consolidation effects on localism highlighted by advocacy groups such as the Free Press and policy critiques articulated by scholars at Columbia University and University of Southern California.

Category:Mass media