Viacom Renews Carriage Agreement With Mediacom

Viacom said it signed a long-term renewal of its distribution agreement with Mediacom Communications.

Mediacom will continue to carry 19 Viacom cable networks and its Epix premium channel. Its subscribers will also have access to more video-on-demand titles and TV Everywhere ability to watch Viacom programming on digital devices in the home and out of home.

Financial terms were not released.

"We appreciate Viacom's willingness to enter into a reasonable agreement that takes into consideration our consumers' sensitivity to pricing and the alternative ways content is consumed today," Rocco Commisso, Mediacom's founder, chairman and CEO, said in a statement.

"We are pleased to have reached a comprehensive deal with Mediacom that delivers strong value for our brands and provides even better ways for Mediacom customers to enjoy their favorite Viacom content," said Philippe Dauman, Viacom's CEO. "Mediacom has been an outstanding partner for many years, and we look forward to continuing to grow our businesses together."

Last year, Viacom’s networks were dropped by Cable One, a smaller operator, and Suddenlink, raising questions about the how much leverage Viacom has with distributors without a broadcast network or sports rights in its portfolio.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.