A year of big TMT mergers continued this week with the closing of Paramount Skydance's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The company now officially known simply as Skydance not only controls two major Hollywood studios and streaming services but also operates over 50 basic cable channels. CFX Download dives into what the merger means for the cable industry, including what a recent settlement with the states says Skydance can and can't do when negotiating new carriage deals with distributors. Plus, we break down Skydance's ample sports portfolio, the future of CNN and CBS News and what Editorial Director Amy Maclean saw at the Kaitz Event, which took place just a day after the deal closed.
21 Sept 2026
TechExpo26 Preview with SCTE's Maria Popo
The connectivity and content industries are set to gather in Atlanta for SCTE TechExpo26 (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) in just a few days, making it the perfect time to catch up with SCTE President/CEO Maria Popo about what attendees should expect at the show. There will of course be plenty to cover in terms of AI, quantum computing, network vandalism and policy, but this year's show will also put focus on the technology supporting content companies, including AMC Global Media, which is co-sponsoring the event. And there is plenty more to dive into in this jam-packed TechExpo preview!
11 Sept 2026
CableLabs Welcomes New President Ahead of TechExpo
Mark Bridges, previously CableLabs EVP/CTO, stepped into the role of President of the industry's nonprofit research and development lab last month. And when January comes around, Bridges will also take over as CEO, as longtime leader Phil McKinney begins a well-earned retirement. With SCTE TechExpo coming up in a few weeks, it was the perfect time for CFX Download to sit down with Bridges to not only talk about what's new at this year's gathering in Atlanta but his vision for CableLabs moving forward.
21 Aug 2026
Cox Is Now Spectrum After Charter Merger: What's Next for the Combined Company?
Charter and Cox finally closed their $34.5 billion merger this week. The deal makes Charter the largest broadband provider in the country. CFX Download dives into what this means for the combined company going forward, how Charter is rolling out Spectrum services in Cox's footprint and what the new leadership structure looks like. Plus, a look at how the deal ties into Spectrum's RSN business.
24 Jul 2026
Comcast & Charter Have Mobile Momentum
While Comcast and Charter's broadband businesses face a rocky road ahead, their mobile offerings remain a bright spot. Both operators reported strong mobile growth in 2Q26, with plenty of roadway ahead to expand wireless service even further. The latest episode of CFX Download takes a look at each operator's mobile strategy and why mobile is such an important lever for cable as it continues to face fierce competition from the telcos. Plus, a brief look at what T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon had to say about their broadband push.
10 Jul 2026
NCTC and ACAC Talk Independent Show, AI and More!
NCTC CEO Lou Borrelli and ACA Connects President/CEO Grant Spellmeyer joined CFX Download for a far-reaching conversation that covered what to expect at this year's Independent Show, top-priority policy concerns, AI progress, industry consolidation, video and much more. Plus, we learned which characters Lou and Grant are excited to see the most when TIS returns to Walt Disney World on July 26-29. (Grant's pick is a riot.)
8 Jun 2026
The Biggest Surprises of 2026 So Far: Mergers, Lawsuits & BEAD
The first half of the year has flown by and CFX Download is looking back at the biggest surprises of 2026 so far. We talk about shock TMT mergers, court battles and, yes, why the heck are those BEAD non-deployment dollars taking so long?! Come for the analysis, stay for World Cup shenanigans, including our picks for who we think will win the tournament.
22 May 2026
Inside CNN's FAST News Strategy with Nima Ahmed
CNN SVP, Programming Nima Ahmed joined CFX Download to talk all about the network's FAST strategy and what differentiates its programming from CNN linear and DTC. Ahmed also looked back on the most memorable story she has worked on in her career.
27 Apr 2026
Why Cablefax Rebranded as CFX
Cablefax officially became CFX this month. In the latest episode of CFX Download, the editorial team sits down to briefly chat about why it was time for a rebrand, how the new name fits an evolving industry and why we'll still always love the name Cablefax. (Spoiler: Editorial Director Amy Maclean also reminisces about the days when the Daily was literally faxed to readers!)
10 Apr 2026
So Much Vertical Video, So Little Time
In the past year, several programmers have launched new vertical video features on their DTC streaming apps, all offering sports highlights and altcasts. ESPN, Fox One and Peacock all now serve users curated playlists of vertical sports content. ESPN is even leveraging AI to generate a bite-sized version of "SportsCenter" personalized to each user. Distributors are paying attention to this trend too, including Fubo, which is set to launch AI-generated vertical video on its mobile app soon.
CFX Download dives into all the latest developments. We even took a few of these vertical features for a spin and discussed our experiences so far!
20 Mar 2026
Nexstar-Tegna & Charter-Cox Deals Heat Up in March Merger Madness!
It's a huge month for industry mergers! The Nexstar-Tegna deal closed, while Charter-Cox cleared another regulatory hurdle. Plus, GFiber and Astound Broadband delivered another big surprise when the companies announced they planned to combine. CFX Download breaks down the latest updates, what they mean for the TMT landscape and what's next for all of the companies involved.
6 Mar 2026
Catching Up with CableLabs: What's Next in Broadband Innovation
CFX Download sits down with CableLabs EVP/CTO Mark Bridges to talk about the research firm's new QbD partnership with Zoom, what to expect from this year's Tech Summit and interop events and what's next in broadband innovation.
27 Feb 2026
Why Communications "Unaffordability" Is a False Narrative
For our latest episode, CFX Download invited former FCC Commissioner and new Media Institute President/CEO Michael O'Rielly to talk about his recent CFX column on why some political leaders are wrong about communications services being unaffordable. O'Rielly also gives his thoughts on the Lifeline program, broadband labels and takes us behind the scenes of his first month leading the Media Institute.
27 Feb 2026
What's Behind Charter Spectrum's 4Q25 Video Win?
Charter's video sub gains in 4Q25 could suggest that Spectrum TV customers are embracing the operator's efforts to create a video experience that seamlessly combines live TV with streaming programming. In the latest episode of CFX Download, we discuss the Seamless Entertainment experience and how it ticks boxes for customers who are growing exhausted with an increasingly fragmented ecosystem.
27 Feb 2026
CFX's Wildest 2026 Predictions
CFX Download is back and kicking off the year by predicting the major stories and twists that could shake up the industry in 2026. We of course talk about Warner Bros. Discovery, media ownership, Verizon-Frontier and Charter-Cox, but also throw out our wildest predictions, including one from Editor Noah Ziegler that would be the regulation shocker of the year if it were to happen. Tune in and place your bets! (Not actual gambling advice.)
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