Business

Verizon Defends New Cable Deals as Media Companies Complain

Published

11 years ago

April 22, 2015

Oakland Post

A Verizon lineman grips the strands contained in a fiber optic cable. (Mark Lennihan/AP)

TALI ARBEL, AP Business Writers
JOSEPH PISANI, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) — Verizon is defending its new, cheaper cable packages that let customers choose groups of channels as media companies protest.

Francis Shammo, Verizon’s chief financial officer, said in a conference call Tuesday that the new packages are allowed “under our existing contracts.”

The plans were rolled out Sunday. They start at $55 a month for a basic tier of 35 channels that include broadcast networks and news as well as Food Network, HGTV and AMC. You also get two themed channel packs, such as sports or lifestyle channels.

ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Co., objects to the new, more customizable option, saying ESPN and ESPN2 can’t be in a separate sports package according to its contract with Verizon. Fox Sports, owned by 21st Century Fox, says Verizon’s new packages also violate agreements and it will continue to talk with the company, according to an emailed statement. NBCUniversal, which is owned by cable company Comcast, also says the new FiOS deals violate agreements.

Media companies charge distributors such as Comcast’s cable arm, DirecTV and FiOS for the rights to carry their channels. Those fees are typically based on how many subscribers the channels have. By making a channel optional, Verizon can keep costs down and charge only the subscribers that want it.

“Most people only, on average, watch 17 channels,” said Shammo. “So this is a way to give consumers what they want.”

ESPN is by far the most expensive basic cable network for distributors, according to estimates from data provider SNL Kagan, while Fox Sports 1 and ESPN2 are also in the top 10.

Verizon Communications Inc. is the country’s largest wireless carrier as well as an Internet and TV provider. It said on Tuesday that it added 565,000 Verizon Wireless subscribers in the quarter, up 4.8 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

It added 133,000 FiOS Internet customers, up 36 percent from a year ago and 90,000 FiOS cable customers, up 58 percent from a year ago.

The New York company’s first-quarter net income came to $4.22 billion, or $1.02 per share. The average estimate by analysts polled by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 95 cents per share.

Revenue rose 4 percent to $31.98 billion in the period. Analysts expected $32.28 billion.

Verizon shares fell 13 cents to $49.25 afternoon trading Tuesday. Its shares are up more than 2 percent over the past year.

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Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VZ at http://www.zacks.com/ap/VZ

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Keywords: Verizon Communications, Earnings Report, Priority Earnings

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC