• by Wayne Friedman , October 29, 2007

Cablevision Systems will make its core TV consumers pay somewhat more in 2008--but not for its Internet and phone consumers.

The New York area cable operator says it will raise rates in 2008 by 4.7%--all because of higher programming costs, noting that those costs have risen some 13% over the past year.

Cablevision, which has been facing stiff competition from Verizon's FiOS TV service in markets in and around the New York tri-state region, currently charges $15.52 a month for the broadcast basic programming package, $46.95 for its more pricey Family Cable service, and $87.95 for its top-level, iO Gold package.

But Cablevision won't raise rates for Optimum Online, its high-speed Internet service, for $49.95 a month--or Optimum Phone, its digital phone service, priced at $34.95 a month.