Faced with streaming, cable continues consolidating

As the Comcast/Time Warner deal slowly winds its way through the regulatory thickets, another merger has appeared.

Fourth-largest cable operator Charter Communications announced on March 31 that it will acquire rival Bright House Networks – which is the nation’s sixth-largest cable carrier.

This move is just another indication that the cable industry is reacting to the growth of over-the-top video streaming by increased consolidation – adding financial bulk and decreasing internal competition.

Charter to Acquire Bright House Networks for $10.4 Billion (Charter Communications release, Mar. 31, 2015)