Prices go up, and the programmers are spending more and more to hold onto less and less viewers as the public watches more "cable" channels or heads for the internet or video games. Ad rates drop, and they have decided to pass on the costs to subscribers instead of the ad buyers. Also, most cable companies don't want to get hammered like Time Warner Cable did in NY a few years ago, and just pushes through the increases instead of risking a meltdown. That equals big increases year after year. Charlie seemed to be the only fighting this, but Rupert said that D* "had inherited some overpriced contracts" which sounds to me like they will using Charlies playbook at renewal time. Neither Charlie OR Rupert is used to losing money intentionally so I look for them to be the drag on increases as Comcast and Co. doesn't seem to have the stomach for it.