Insight Communications reported mixed results yesterday, posting heavy losses of basic cable subscribers but substantial gains in advanced services such as digital cable and high-speed Internet service.

Insight is headquartered in New York but most of its customers are in a four-state Midwestern region that includes Indiana and Kentucky. The company said it lost 2,200 basic subscribers during the quarter ended Sept. 30. In other areas, the company did better — gaining 29,000 cable-modem subscribers, 23,500 digital cable customers and 7,100 phone service subscriptions.

Meanwhile, Insight announced yesterday that Gregg Graff, who had headed the company's Southern Region, which includes Louisville, was promoted to a new position, senior vice president of video services.

As a smaller cable operator, Insight has faced harsh competition from satellite broadcasters EchoStar and Hughes Electronics. That competition was turned up a notch in the third quarter when satellite-TV companies added local stations in some of Insight's markets, including Louisville — one of Insight's biggest markets. At the same time, Insight raised its rates.

Continued @ Courier Journal