Mediacom Communications Corp. and Home Box Office have expanded their carriage agreement to include the premium channel’s subscription-video-on-demand and HDTV services, officials said Tuesday.
As a result of the deal, Mediacom will include HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand at no additional charge to HBO subscribers to its “Digital Star Paks” in areas where the MSO has VOD capabilities, along with additional markets as they’re launched.
The MSO will also make HBO HD and Cinemax HD available in markets where the cable operator currently offers its HDTV service. Mediacom will continue to roll out the two HD networks as it makes its HDTV service available in additional markets.
In terms of its scope and inclusion of services like SVOD, Mediacom’s deal with HBO is very similar to one it struck last year with Starz Entertainment Group LLC, according to Italia Commisso Weinand, the MSO’s senior vice president of programming and human resources.
“You’re going to see more of this,” she added.
Mediacom is talking with Showtime Networks Inc. about a similar deal that would include advanced services like VOD, according to Commisso Weinand.
