Scripps' affiliate fees lead the way to better revenues

Here's some bulletin board material for cable operators who subscribers complain their rates are climbing faster than inflation? Scripps Networks Interactive (home of HGTV, Food Network, The Cooking Channel, Great American Country and DIY) reported that its affiliate fees climbed 60 percent to $551 million (from $326 million) year over year and 61 percent to $138 million in the fourth quarter.

That trend though could be just a blip, according to CFO Joe NeCastro who pointed out that a number of service providers, including Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC-WI), AT&T (NYSE: T) U-Verse and the NCTC signed new multi-year deals during the year.

As with almost every cable-based programming source, Scripps also reported a spike in advertising revenue. It said it expected to continue to be strong in 2011 even as programming expenses climbed between six and nine percent.

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