Starz and Outlander dispute took toll on Altice profits

When Altice removed Starz due to negotiations dispute, Outlander fans were among the most vocal and active. That dispute took its toll on the Altice profits, but is it now all over?

January 1 was a dark day for Altice customers. The company had failed to come to negotiations with Starz over a deal to license the channel and that meant all customers lost their access. Outlander fans around the U.S. on the Altice networks were instantly angry and upset, being some of the most vocal over the decision.

It seems they were also among the most active, by voting with their feet and leaving the service for others that still had Starz as an option. Altice has shared its profits for the first quarter of the year, showing a small 1.2% growth. The growth is possibly mostly from the internet customers, as the Pay TV customers dropped by a total of 30,000 in that first quarter. While this is less than the 2017 Q1 losses, it’s still a large amount and suggests that more than they expected wanted Starz access.