We've been working on our quarterly The BRIDGE report (due out this coming Wednesday) and the video numbers, we note, are less than cheery.  

They're depressing, in fact. 

How depressing? 

Across the 12 months ended June 30, 2011, the top 14 MVPDs lost approximately 282,000 mainly residential basic video subscribers. Some analysts put total industry losses as much as 100,000 higher.  But let's not get too down; we'll stick with the top 14.  Happier?  Not really.  Among this group, last quarter's losses were 59.3% WORSE than the worst-ever previous loss (-177,000 for 3Q10).  

Most of the pain in this equation fell to the cable crowd whose basic cable product has been draining subs.  However, cable ops believe they may see future relief thanks largely to the rush to all digital customers.  The hope is that digital-only will slow sub drains with more channel space and better quality pictures.  So … we've taken a look at the digital penetration percentages for the top 10 cable ops.  And the question facing you, dear readers, is whether growing digital penetrations among cable ops will actually translate to ebbing subscriber losses.

Take a look at the chart here (courtesy of the wonderful data nerds at our also-MediaBiz-owned unit, MediaCensus).  Eye the changes in digital penetrations from the first quarter of 2010 through the second quarter of 2011.  Will rapid digital-only growth do its trick?  

Ah … only the data nerds know (and, of course, The BRIDGE).  To find out for yourself, just mail us at info@mediabiz.com and we'll send you the chart comparing digital-only growth with sub losses.  And don't miss The BRIDGE; it's got lots of info on where and how the industry is trending.•

9/11 Anniversary Begs 911 Network

Ten years after the September 11th terrorist attacks, critics are wondering why the U.S. is still without a nationwide network dedicated solely to emergency responders. As the anniversary of the tragedy approaches, officials are again trumpeting the need for such a service.

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) called on Congress to move forward with a spectrum auction bill that could free up unused spectrum for a public service wireless broadband network. She said a measure to ensure the network's creation doesn't have to come from her proposed Public Safety Broadband and Wireless Innovation Act, but that bill could get the job done.

Another proposed bill is that of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.VA) which would reassign D block spectrum for a public safety network funded through the broadcast spectrum auction. Rockefeller has repeatedly called for bi-partisan action on the bill he says would ensure first responders had the necessary tools to better protect American communities and citizens.

"We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide our public safety officials with the spectrum they need to communicate when tragedy strikes," Rockefeller told Congress. "And with voluntary incentive auctions we can pair this with funding. This is not Republican, this is not Democrat. It is quite simply the right thing to do." •

Etc: ESPN Extends MNF - FCC OKs TiVo Request - SCTE Wins Emmy Award

Sports: ESPN signed an extension with the NFL to keep Monday Night Football on the network for 8 more years. Financial details were undisclosed, but industry reports estimate the deal to be worth about $1.8B annually. --- LA Times asks... just 'how high can sports fees go?' here. --- Ever wonder if the NFL would lift its black-out rule? CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus says 'no.' B&C has a write-up.

Rules & Regs: The FCC granted TiVo's request to waive the commission's requirement that "digital cable ready" STBs must include tuners for OTA and analog channels to help keep the price of its new TiVo Premiere Elite DVR down to compete w/ devices leased by cable companies. --- Remember indecency? Click here for CommLawCenter’s look at the FCC brief before the Supreme Court.

M&A: Sinclair has agreed to acquire Four Points Media for $200M. Four Points owns and operates 7 stations in SLC, UT (KUTV, KMYU), Austin, TX (KEYE), W. Palm Beach, FL (WTVX, WTCN-CA, WWHB-CA) and WLWC in Providence/New Bedford. --- Google made two moves with the purchase of digital coupon provider Zave Networks and the long-time local reviews provider Zagat for an undisclosed amount. Industry observers say the Zagat news is big as Google now has a vehicle to close the gap between Google Places and Yelp.

Data: Infonetics says in Q211, Pace maintained the highest global market share in the pay-TV STB market with 17%, edging out Motorola's 16%. Rounding out the top 5 are Technicolor (11%), Cisco (10%) and EchoStar (8%).

Mobile: E.W. Scripps said it is deploying new technology in all 9 of its markets that will allow its TV stations to deliver streaming live video to mobile devices. --- Row 44 is launching a new in-flight platform for IPTV to Wi-Fi devices with programming from CNBC, MSNBC, FOX News Networks, BBC World News, Bloomberg TV and NBC Sports Nework (aka Versus)... Coming soon to Southwest.

Green: RadioShack said it has collected more than 5M lbs of rechargeable batteries since partnering with Call2Recycle, the only free rechargeable battery collection program in the U.S.

SkyREPORT: ViaSat will delay the launch of its ViaSat-1 satellite to mid-October due to the Russian Federal Proton mission failure last month. --- Media content company TRACE inked a 5-year capacity/uplinking services contract with Eutelsat on its Eurobird 9A satellite for distribution across Europe and the Middle East. --- Intelsat signed a deal with DIRECTV Latin America to provide Ku-band capacity for DTH services in Latin America on Intelsat-30 and Intelsat-31, two birds slated for launch in 2014-15.

Up, Down & Over There: Level 3 will start providing network services to Spanish broadcaster Prisa TV in support of live online streaming of TV programming to PC and mobile devices. --- Turner Broadcasting Europe acquired Icelandic company Latibaer and its LazyTown brand which delivers children's entertainment promoting health and well-being. --- Canadian public broadcaster CBC is partnering with UK-based Yospace for content distribution to mobile devices and ad insertion services.

Folks: President Obama's fiscal responsibility commission co-chair Erskine Bowles joined Facebook's board of directors --- Stuart Epstein was named NBCUniversal CFO this week. --- Cristina Mancini has been promoted to SVP, Worldwide Marketing at 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

Kudos: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded the SCTE with a technology and engineering Emmy for "Local Cable Ad Insertion Technology-Cable Digital Standards for Local Cable Advertising." --- CTAM will award ESPN President George Bodenheimer with this year's Grand Tam Award honoring individual contributions to cable industry marketing and education.

--- Catch today's media market news from The Evening BRIDGE. •

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