Mediacom facts for kids
 |
|
Headquarters in Blooming Grove, New York
|
|
| Private | |
| Traded as | NYSE: MCCC |
| ISIN | US58446K1051 |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | July 1995 |
| Founder | Rocco B. Commisso |
| Headquarters | |
|
Area served
|
Primarily Midwest, Southeastern United States |
|
Key people
|
Rocco B. Commisso (Chairman, CEO), |
| Products | Cable television, Broadband Internet access, Cable telephony |
| Revenue |  $2,031.2 million (2019) |
|
Operating income
|
$808.0 million (2019) |
| Owner | Rocco B. Commisso |
|
Number of employees
|
4,500 (2009) |
| Subsidiaries | Mediacom LLC Mediacom Broadband LLC:26 Mediacom Business On Media |
Mediacom Communications Corporation is a major company in the United States. It's one of the largest providers of cable television. Mediacom also offers fast internet and phone services. They mostly serve smaller cities and towns across the Midwest and Southeast. Mediacom is the biggest internet provider in Iowa.
Rocco B. Commisso started Mediacom in 1995. He also owns the New York Cosmos soccer team and ACF Fiorentina in Italy. Mediacom's main office is in New York. It used to be a public company, but since 2011, Rocco B. Commisso has owned it completely.
Contents
Where Mediacom Provides Service
Mediacom offers its services in 22 different states. About half of Mediacom's customers live in smaller television areas. It is the largest cable company in Iowa. It is also the second largest in Illinois.
Some cities where Mediacom provides service include Albany, Columbus, and Des Moines. They also serve places like Columbia, Springfield, and the Quad Cities. You can find Mediacom in parts of Kansas and around Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 2017, Mediacom was the 9th largest video provider in the U.S. They had 828,000 video customers. Mediacom can offer service to about 2.8 million homes. Around 44% of these homes subscribe to their basic cable. Also, 27.8% of homes subscribe to Mediacom's internet service.
In 2019, Mediacom said it was the "5th largest cable operator in the U.S." They served almost 1.4 million customers.
Mediacom's Financial Information
Mediacom earns money from different services. These include basic cable, digital cable, high-speed internet, and phone services. In 2009, they had almost 3 million connections that brought in money. More than half of their customers had at least two services from Mediacom. About 18% of customers had all three services.
In 2019, Mediacom's total earnings were over $2 billion. This was a 3.8% increase from the year before. The company's cash flow also grew by 31.1% in the same period. This shows Mediacom is growing and doing well financially.
Sports Channels on Mediacom
Mediacom has its own channel called MC22. This channel shows local sports programs. It also broadcasts ESPNEWS. Other sports channels available on Mediacom include NFL Network, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network. The national feed of the YES Network is also part of their lineup.
However, Mediacom does not carry some popular sports channels. These include NHL Network, MLB Network, or NBA TV.
Mediacom's Reputation
Mediacom has received awards for its services. CableFax recognized Mediacom for having the best response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the cable industry.
Mediacom's virtual assistant, Molli, won an award in 2019. It was recognized for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Mediacom is thought to be the first telecom company to use AI for customer service. Customers can text Molli for help.
TMT Magazine gave Mediacom Communications the 2018 Telecoms Award. They named Mediacom the Best Cable Operator and Internet Service Provider in the United States. In 2016, Mediacom was also named the Nation's Top Communications Provider by CableFax.
However, Mediacom has also faced some criticism. In a 2016 report, Mediacom was ranked last in customer satisfaction. This was among all companies in the ACSI survey. A 2012 survey by Consumer Reports magazine also found Mediacom to be the worst cable provider. This was based on feedback from 50,000 people.
PC Magazine in 2012 listed Mediacom as one of the nation's worst internet providers. But, the Des Moines Business Record gave Mediacom top awards in 2012. They named it the Best Local Internet Service Provider. They also said it had the Best Company Use of Social Media.
In 2012, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) named Mediacom as one of the top 4 internet providers. This was for delivering the internet speeds they advertised to customers.
Consumer Reports magazine in 2010 and 2012 also ranked Mediacom poorly. They ranked it low for TV, internet, and phone services.
Internet for Low-Income Families
Mediacom helps families with lower incomes get internet access. They are part of the Connect2Compete program. This program is run by a group called EveryoneOn. It helps families with school-aged children (K–12) get affordable home internet. The goal is to help children access online learning. It also helps to close the "digital divide." This means making sure everyone has access to the internet.
Disputes with TV Stations
Sometimes, Mediacom has disagreements with TV stations. These are called "carriage disputes." When this happens, Mediacom customers might not be able to watch those stations.
Dispute with Granite Broadcasting in 2015
In June 2015, Mediacom customers could not watch stations owned by Granite Broadcasting Corporation. This was because Mediacom and Granite Broadcasting disagreed on fees. The affected stations included NBC channels in Peoria, Illinois, Superior, Wisconsin, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. The two companies reached an agreement on June 11, 2015. This brought the channels back just in time for a big hockey game.
Dispute with Media General in 2015
In July 2015, Media General removed its stations from Mediacom. This was also due to a disagreement over fees. Mediacom customers in 14 different areas lost access to these channels. Some Fox channels were also lost right before the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Mediacom and Media General reached a new agreement on July 30, 2015. This restored the channels for Mediacom subscribers.
Mediacom's Thoughts on Disputes
Mediacom's CEO, Rocco Commisso, has spoken about these disputes. He believes that TV stations should not be able to stop their signal to cable providers. Especially in rural areas, where it's hard for people to get TV signals without cable. He also noted that the fees TV stations charge cable companies keep doubling.
