Disney (NYSE: DIS), Time Warner (NYSE: TWX), Viacom (NYSE: VIA), Fox, NBC Universal and CBS (NYSE: CBS) have all seen gains from ad growth and carriage fee negotiations, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Analysis from the first three quarters of 2013 showed cable network units now contribute more than 60 percent of nearly all entertainment giants' operating profits. CBS Corp., which has a smaller cable portfolio, is the exception, although THR reported that it's growth outpaced most of its peers.
Disney, led by ESPN, and Time Warner, which owns HBO, recorded the highest profits from their cable nets, while NBCUniversal's cable unit saw the lowest profit growth. Some 89 percent of Viacom's profit is now coming from cable, according to the analysis.
For more:
- The Hollywood Reporter has this story
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