Cablevision Industries to Raise Its Basic Rate

Cablevision Industries, which provides cable television service to 93,000 subscribers in the west San Fernando Valley, said it is raising its charge for basic service by 9%, to $24.70 per month.

The $1.95-per-month increase will be effective with customers’ next billing statements, Cablevision said. However, it said some customers will see a drop of up to 18% in their monthly bills because certain programs that previously cost extra, such as “Bravo,” will now be part of the basic package.

The company also unveiled a program for low-income households under which a qualifying household’s existing basic cable rate will be frozen, effective May 1.

Cablevision blamed the basic rate hike on higher fees paid to cable programmers, rising staffing costs and increases in other operating expenses. Cablevision is headquartered in Liberty, N.Y., and is unrelated to Cablevision Systems Corp., another cable operator based in Woodbury, N.Y.