Your Cable Bill Is Going Up More Than You Think This Year

[McFurd]

Consumer Reports - 2/5/2017 - James K. Willcox - It’s probably no surprise that pay-TV packages are getting more expensive this year. It's an annual routine. But what's less obvious is that while providers have announced only modest increases—generally in the 3 to 4 percent range—they're also imposing add-on charges, such as “broadcast TV fees” and “regional sports fees,” that will further inflate your cable bill each month. According a recent report by the Federal Communications Commission, TV providers are adding the fees to cover rising costs while holding down the prices they promote in their advertising. The cable companies we contacted said the price hikes are mainly driven by the rising costs they face for carrying both traditional broadcast networks, such as CBS and Fox, and regional sports channels. According to some analyst estimates, these costs have climbed between 8 and 10 percent over each of the past four years. http://www.consumerreports.org/tv-servi ... this-year/