Mediacom facts for kids
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Headquarters in Blooming Grove, New York
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| Private | |
| Traded as | NYSE: MCCC |
| ISIN | US58446K1051 |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | July 1995 |
| Founder | Rocco B. Commisso |
| Headquarters | |
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Area served
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Primarily Midwest, Southeastern United States |
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Key people
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Rocco B. Commisso (chairman, CEO) |
| Products | Cable television, broadband Internet access, cable telephony |
| Revenue |  $2,031.2 million (2019) |
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Operating income
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$808.0 million (2019) |
| Owner | Rocco B. Commisso |
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Number of employees
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4,500 (2009) |
| Subsidiaries | Mediacom LLC Mediacom Broadband LLC:26 Mediacom Business On Media |
Mediacom Communications Corporation is a big company in the United States. It provides cable television, internet, and phone services. Mediacom is one of the largest cable TV providers in the country. It mainly serves smaller cities and towns, especially in the Midwest and Southeast regions. The company was started in 1995 by Rocco B. Commisso. He still owns Mediacom today. Its main office is in Blooming Grove, New York.
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Where Mediacom Provides Service
Mediacom offers its services in 22 different states across the U.S. A large number of its customers live in medium-sized television markets. It is the biggest cable company in Iowa and the second largest in Illinois.
Some of the cities where Mediacom provides service include:
- Albany, Columbus, and Valdosta in Georgia
- Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines in Iowa
- Columbia, Jefferson City, and Springfield in Missouri
- The Quad Cities area, which is on the border of Iowa and Illinois
- Cities in Kansas like Baldwin City and Osage City
- Areas along the Florida Gulf Coast
- Areas near Minneapolis, Minnesota
In 2017, Mediacom had about 828,000 video customers. The company stated in 2019 that it served almost 1.4 million customers.
Sports Channels on Mediacom
Mediacom has its own local sports channel called MC22. This channel also shows programs from ESPNews.
Other sports channels available on Mediacom include:
- NFL Network (for football fans)
- Big Ten Network (for college sports)
- SEC Network (for Southeastern Conference sports)
- The national channel for YES Network
However, Mediacom does not carry some other popular sports channels like NHL Network, MLB Network, or NBA TV.
Mediacom's Reputation
Mediacom has received several awards and recognitions 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 for its use of artificial intelligence (AI). Molli helps customers through text messages. Mediacom was one of the first telecom companies to use AI in this way for customer service.
- TMT Magazine gave Mediacom Communications the 2018 Telecoms Award for Best Cable Operator and Internet Service Provider in the United States.
- In 2016, Mediacom Communications was named the Nation's Top Communications Provider by CableFax, a leading industry publication.
However, Mediacom has also faced some criticism regarding customer satisfaction.
- A 2016 report by ACSI placed Mediacom last in customer satisfaction among all companies surveyed.
- In a 2012 survey by Consumer Reports magazine, Mediacom was rated as the worst cable provider by 50,000 people.
- PC Magazine also named Mediacom as one of the slower internet service providers in 2012.
- The Des Moines Business Record gave Mediacom awards for Best Local Internet Service Provider and Best Company Use of Social Media in 2012.
- The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) named Mediacom as one of the top 4 internet providers for delivering advertised speeds to customers in 2012.
- In 2010 and 2012, Consumer Reports surveys showed Mediacom ranked low for TV, internet, and phone services.
Help for Low-Income Families
Mediacom helps families who might not be able to afford internet service. They are part of the Connect2Compete program, run by a group called EveryoneOn. This program offers lower-cost home internet to families with school-aged children (K-12) in areas where Mediacom provides service. The goal is to make sure children have internet access for school and to help close the "digital divide." This means making sure everyone has a fair chance to use technology.
TV Channel Disputes
Sometimes, Mediacom has disagreements with TV stations about how much it costs to show their channels. These are called "carriage disputes."
Dispute with Granite Broadcasting in 2015
In June 2015, Mediacom customers could not watch channels from Granite Broadcasting Corporation. This happened because Mediacom and Granite Broadcasting disagreed on fees. The affected channels included NBC affiliates in Peoria, Illinois; Superior, Wisconsin/Duluth, Minnesota; and Fort Wayne, Indiana. After about ten days, Mediacom and Granite Broadcasting reached an agreement. 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 channels from Mediacom cable systems across the U.S. This was also due to a disagreement over fees. Mediacom customers in 14 different TV markets lost access to Media General channels. This included some Fox channels right before the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. By the end of July 2015, Mediacom and Media General made a new agreement, and the channels were restored.
Mediacom's View on Disputes
Mediacom's CEO, Rocco Commisso, has spoken out about these channel disputes. In July 2015, Mediacom asked the FCC to help prevent TV channels from being taken off cable during these disagreements. Commisso said that the fees Mediacom has to pay to carry local TV channels often double every few years, which he believes is unfair. He suggested that local broadcasters should not be allowed to remove their channels from cable if many people in the area cannot get the channel over the air or online.
