Study: Cable Contributed $386B to Economy in 2014

Cable was responsible for $386 billion in economic impact in 2014 and accounted for 2.7 million jobs.

That is according to a new study from Bortz Media released Wednesday by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, which commissioned the report.

Attention Capitol Hill: The study found that there are at least 300 cable jobs in each congressional district, some with as many as 2,000.

Since 2002, according to the study, the cable industry has added 1.25 million jobs.

"The cable industry’s expansion continues to have a significant positive impact not only on the national economy and workforce, but also on the millions of consumers and businesses that utilize its growing list of innovative services and features, the report also concludes," NCTA said in releasing the study.

The study comes as NCTA is making its case to a federal court on why new net neutrality rules could put a damper on its ability to be a transformative force in "information, entertainment and connectivity."

Other takeaways NCTA was trumpeting included broadband infrastructure investment of more than $230 billion since 1996; average peak connection speeds of 30 Mbps in every state; and total cash and in-kind public service outlays of more than $1 billion.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.