Charter Communications lost nearly 3 percent of its cable TV subscribers in Madison during the fourth quarter — a period during which its numbers had been essentially steady in the previous three years, the city of Madison reported.
Charter cable TV subscribers in the city went from 57,156 last October to 55,559 last December, a decline of 2.7 percent. By contrast, the company posted slight increases in the same period in 2006 and 2005 and a slight decrease in 2004 (see accompanying chart).
The obvious difference last year compared to the prior three years was the Big Ten Network, which Charter does not have a deal to carry but competitors such as satellite providers DirecTV and DISH Network have been carrying since last summer.