Launches Lead Shalom TV To 30-Million Subscriber Mountain
Jewish On-Demand Service Surpasses Plateau With Rollouts On Time Warner Cable, Cox, Bright House
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 3/30/2009 12:03:00 AM
With a spate of recent launches on Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks, on-demand service Shalom TV has passed the 30 million household mark.
The U.S. Jewish cable network this month continued its rollout on systems owned by the aforementioned operators.
Shalom TV in March became available to Time Warner Cable digital customers in Texas, Wisconsin, New England, the Carolinas, Ohio, Hawaii and throughout New York state, according to Shalom officials. The network has had a presence with the nation's No. 2 cable operator in New York City area and Los Angeles since spring 2008.
Relative to Cox, the MSO added Shalom to its systems serving the Phoenix DMA earlier this month. Shalom had been available to Cox subscribers in Providence, R.I., Fairfax, Va. and San Diego since last October and in Las Vegas in December 2008, said Shalom executives.
The network completed its on-demand launch with Bright House, when it bowed on the operator's upgraded system in Birmingham, Ala. two weeks ago. Shalom launched on the operator's other systems last September.
"The American Jewish community is fortunate to have virtually the entire cable industry committed to offering Shalom TV as a free service," said Shalom TV CEO Rabbi Mark Golub in a statement. "In addition to our national carriage on both Comcast and Verizon FiOS, these new launches allow us to reach the majority of Jewish (and non-Jewish) digital homes in the United States."
Indeed, Comcast and Blue Ridge Communications, were the service's original affiliates.
"The rapid growth of Shalom TV has really been remarkable," noted Blue Ridge general manager Mark Masenheimer. "Clearly, they are effectively reaching a very loyal and interested audience, and they were the first programmers to truly recognize and fill this important niche."
Armstrong Cable in January began offering the service covering Butler, Meadville, Zelienople, and Connellsville Penn.; and Bel Air and Rising Sun, Md.
Shalom also counts Buckeye Cable System, serving its markets throughout Ohio, and MetroCast Communications on its affiliate roster.
Shalom TV proffers an array of Jewish-oriented feature films and documentaries, exclusive event coverage, programming from the stage of New York's 92nd Street Y, news reports and analysis, original series on Jewish learning -- including an introductory Hebrew course -- holiday celebrations, and shows for children.
