Cable Economic Impact Up In Down Economy

Contributes a quarter trillion dollars and roughly 1.8 million jobs

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/7/2011 3:17:52 PM

The cable industry contributes a quarter trillion dollars and about 1.8 million jobs to the U.S. economy.

That is according to a 2010 Bortz Media and Sports Group study released by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association Monday.

Those figures are up from $227 billion and 1.5 million jobs according to a similar 2008 report.

"Even during the recent economic downturn, the cable industry continued to create new jobs in both distribution and content, and to invest in infrastructure, bringing faster broadband, innovative video services and competitive phone service to millions of consumers," said NCTA President Kyle McSlarrow in announcing the study.

Cable as economic engine is a key message for operators as the Obama administration continues to view industry through the prism of job creation and economic growth.

The study also points out that cable has led development of broadband infrastructure, "contributing both to a truly competitive telecommunications marketplace and to more robust growth in the penetration of broadband services."

The NCTA also released its version of a national, interactive map. The NTIA two weeks ago released its broadband availability map online, but the NCTA map illustrates where cable-generated dollars and jobs are available to boost local economies.