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To: DiViT who wrote (40072)	4/22/1999 7:07:00 PM
From: BillyG	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Cox buys Virginia firm for $1.4 billion By Bloomberg News Special to CNET News.com April 22, 1999, 3:25 p.m. PT news.com Cox Communications, the fifth-largest U.S. cable company, agreed to buy Media General cable systems for $1.4 billion in cash, expanding the number of customers it serves in Virginia by 260,000. The transaction is expected to close later this year pending regulatory approvals and will be added to Cox systems serving 450,000 customers in the state. The U.S. cable industry is in a period of rapid consolidation as cable companies seek larger customer bases to spread the costs of technological upgrades. The companies are enhancing systems to offer more channels, interactive television guides, telephone service, and high-speed Internet connections. Just today, AT&T made a counter bid to Comcast's $60 billion offer to buy MediaOne Group. "Entering this market allows us to further our strategy of of operating large systems in metropolitan areas," Cox president Jim Robbins said in a statement. Cox is paying almost $5,400 per cable subscriber. Cox is buying Media General's Northern Virginia cable operations, which include customers mainly in Fairfax County, and near the city of Fredricksburg. "With the consolidation that's taking place its becoming difficult to continue as a single operator," said Media General vice president Robert Pendergast. "The timing was right for the sale, and we think our shareholders will be happy with it."

To: DiViT who wrote (40072)	4/22/1999 8:26:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

TV; It's all about broadband.......................... thestandard.com Kennard: It's All About Broadband By Cheri Paquet LAS VEGAS – While the future of broadcasting is the focus of much debate, great opportunities exist for both digital content providers and broadcasting companies, U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman William Kennard said here Tuesday. Television transmission today "is all about broadband," said Kennard, in his keynote address to the National Association of Broadcasters conference. "We are entering the most exciting era in the history of television and I see a limitless potential for broadband." Interactive transmissions empower the viewing audience as never before, said Kennard, who was appointed to his post in November 1997. It enables them to "literally paint their own landscape." Some are saying that broadband is yesterday's news, and that "I want to write the obituary for radio," Kennard said. "I believe that broadband won't kill broadcasting." Broadcasting companies need to rise to the challenges of the digital age, Kennard said, adding that he defines broadcasting as establishing multiple point-to-point connections on a large scale. Broadcasters have advantages over companies that stream multimedia content over the Internet, he said. Specifically, broadcasters already have the infrastructure for distribution and do not need to invest billions to deliver content to home viewers. Streaming companies, such as Broadcast.com, which recently teamed with Yahoo to broadcast over the Internet, still need better ways to deliver content to the public, Kennard said. These companies are investigating IP multicasting and better methods of compression, caching content and using satellites. Other advantages that a typical broadcaster possesses include the spectrum it is using, reach to an established audience, an established network and relationships with local and national advertisers. "When broadcasters go digital, it is going to revolutionize things," Kennard said. "TV is a going to be a new and exciting thing." However, Kennard cautioned that there is still much work for the FCC and broadcasters to do. The FCC and broadcasting companies need to promote opportunities and diversity in this industry: "The FCC's role is to facilitate, not regulate, the industry," he said. The FCC has scheduled technical roundtable discussions, to begin May 20, that will bring major industry leaders together to enhance existing broadcasting standards. The FCC also plans to redouble efforts to make a smooth transition into the digital era, Kennard said. The convergence of traditional broadcasting and digital TV will foster competition and opportunity in this marketplace, Kennard said. "Convergence is not synonymous with consolidation – it means more choices." Established media will be able to leverage their own content in a new space, but that doesn't mean that new individuals will be controlled by conglomerates, Kennard said. "The airways are a wonderful resources and we must be seeking more ways to use them more efficiently." Cheri Paquet writes for the IDG News Service.