Re: SusCom-NESN reach agreement

["Sean Smyth" <ssmyth@suscom.net>]

Dan Billings writes:
> What are their broadcast holdings?  How large of a
> cable company are they?

A brief summary: Susquehanna Media owns about 30 radio stations across the
country, including KNBR in San Francisco and (I believe) WIBC in
Indianapolis through its Susquehanna Radio Corp. subsidary. Susquehanna
Communications, the cable company end of things, owns about 10-12 systems
nationwide. Susquehanna Pflatzgraff is the parent company, and it's a
diversified conglomerate. For a more detailed breakdown, click here:
http://www.suspfz.com/smc/default.asp

> I am also surprised that they have no sold their Maine
> holdings.  Their system servces most of Sagadhoc
> County (except Richmond) and Brunswick and Harpswell
> in Cumberland County.  Time-Warner covers the Greater
> Portland area to the south and parts of York County
> and the Presque Isle area and Adelphia serves nearly
> all of the rest of the state.  There are a handful of
> small independent systems here and there, but Adelphia
> gobbled up most of the state.  SusCom's Bath-Brunswick
> area system is the largest system left in the state
> not controlled by Time Warner or Adelphia.  Over the
> last few years, SusCom has upgraded their entire
> system for digital cable and internet service.

There is really no rhyme or reason to SusCom's cable holdings. The trend, of
course, has been to cluster cable holdings in recent years and except for
two of its southern PA systems (York and Adams counties) they don't have any
other clustering going on. SusCom is practically surrounded on all sides
down here by Comcast and I believe they may even have some form of joint
sales agreement for regional spots. I'm surprised Comcast hasn't swallowed
up SusCom's cable systems by now. To the contrary, Suscom has added four or
five systems in the past year or two (about two years ago, the only holdings
they had were York, Williamsport and the Maine systems).