Block to Buy Mississippi Cable Op

Mike Farrell — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 17:57:00 +0000

Block Communications said it has agreed to purchase Ripley Video Cable, a pay TV and broadband services provider in north-central Mississippi. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Ripley will complement Block’s holdings in Mississippi, with systems in the towns of Ripley, Blue Mountain, Falkner and Pine Grove.

"We are a family-owned company operating in the cable business since 1965, and so we well recognize the hard work Leon and Diane Bailey, owners of Ripley Video Cable, have done over the years to provide excellent, local customer service,” said Block Communications chairman Allan Block in a statement “The Baileys' unparalleled contribution to the cable TV and broadband industry within Mississippi will live on through our MaxxSouth operation because we share a common vision: To be good corporate citizens by giving back to our communities in ways that enhance their quality of life."

He added that would include upgrading the network, offering a broader selection of video channels and faster Internet speeds and offering a complete suite of business services.

Block is the parent of Buckeye Communications, which provides service in Toledo and Erie County, Ohio. Block also owns newspapers -- the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in Pittsburgh, Pa., and The Blade in Toledo, Ohio – and owns and operates television broadcast stations in Louisville, Ky.; Decatur, Ill.; Lima, Ohio; and Boise, Idaho. It formed MaxxSouth in 2014, after purchasing systems in Mississippi and Alabama from Harron Communications.

The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter, upon regulatory approvals. Last Mile Communications, LLC (LMC) and Milestone Communications, Inc., served as the exclusive advisors to Block Communications, Inc./MaxxSouth Broadband and Ripley Video Cable, respectively.

Mississippi Operator Adds RSN for Local Athletics

Leslie Jaye Goff — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 19:45:00 +0000

Starkville, Miss.-based operator MaxxSouth Broadband has launched a regional sports network built around athletics in local high schools, colleges and community sports leagues.

MaxxSouth Sports will cover events in the northern and central parts of the state, the company said. The operator serves 44,600 cable customers.

The channel already has an aggressive lineup that will include full coverage of at least eight games per week, MaxxSouth Broadband said. Its production units will deliver full, high-definition picture quality and live transmission, an ambitious move for a local cable provider.

"This sports network would not be possible without the help of the area's school districts, coaches and athletic directors," said Peter Kahelin, MaxxSouth Broadband's president and CEO. "It's an incredible accomplishment to be able to showcase student athletes from across MaxxSouth's service territory."

The company also announced it has deployed advanced fiber-to-the-home 1 Gig Internet service in Starkville, increasing bandwidth and capacity for advanced video, Internet and phone services. The new fiber-to-the-home network is expected to come online within the next few weeks, MaxxSouth said.

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"Our fiber-optic infrastructure in Starkville is also what we call 'future proof,'" Rick Ferrall, regional general manager for MaxxSouth Broadband, said. "Upgrades and improvements can be implemented on the system without changing the actual fiber wires."

Starkville marks the second city where MaxxSouth now operates a fiber-optic network after launching one in Carthage last year.

MaxxSouth Broadband, which serves 60 Mississippi communities, was formed last November from the group of cable systems formerly serviced by MetroCast Mississippi.

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