> Without a cable presence, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. would be hurting. With it, the company posted profits of $875 million with cable (Fox News, Fox Business, FX and Fox Sports) accounting for more than half of that. Story.
> The cable business wasn't quite as positive for switched digital and IP video equipment vendor BigBand Networks. The company, who lists cable customers Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, Charter Communications and Cablevision Systems, announced a 32 percent revenue drop and a $9.6 million second quarter loss. Story.
> Cable-connected Clearwire said it tripled its subscriber base to 17 million from a year ago, added 722,000 net subs in the second quarter and posted a loss of $125.9 million compared to $73.4 million a year ago even as revenue climbed to $122.5 million. The WiMAX provider also said it would be testing 4G LTE technology and had inked a wholesale deal with Cbeyond.
> There are a bunch of happy folks in rural America--or at least happy service providers, can't really say anyone else is giddy--as the government unleashed its plans to spend $1.2 billion to expand broadband to dozens of "under-served rural communities." Story.
And finally... It seems unlikely that Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty and Comcast Chairman-CEO Brian Roberts will be trading holiday greetings this year after Doherty vetoed his city council's franchise agreement with Comcast. Story.