Cable News Nets Are Making A Lot Of Money During “Migration” To The Internet

The cable news networks have reached “equilibrium,” and that’s forcing them to face the future, a Multichannel News report says.
“They can’t expect the kind of audience growth they’ve seen in the past,” says TV prof Robert Thompson. MSNBC VP Bill Wolff puts it this way: “The tide of history is going from television to the Internet,” he says. “It’s like manifest destiny. Finding ways to capitalize on that migration is the most important issue facing the news industry today.”

But that’s not to say the cable nets are in grave danger. Just glance at the cash flow: “Derek Baine, senior analyst at Kagan Research estimates that in 2006, Fox News Channel will rack up $326 million in cash flow and CNN and Headline News will pull in another $310 million. Collectively, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC and Headline News, will produce about $698.7 million in cash flow in 2006, a whopping 32% bounce over 2005.” Even MSNBC is profitable, with $205 million in expenses and $268 million in revenues projected this year. More…

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