Will Cablevision's lawsuit lower your cable bill?

Now that Cablevision (CVC) has sued Viacom (VIA) over bundling little-watched networks such as Palladia with top channels like MTV, consumers might be wondering when their cable bills will start going down. 

The answer: Probably not anytime soon. 

While the antitrust lawsuit may be groundbreaking in that a major cable operator is trying to break down the "cable bundle," Cablevision has a long road ahead before it can claim success.

For one, Cablevision will have to prove that bundling not only hurts consumers but that it prohibits competition by keeping smaller media companies from getting carriage, according to the New York Times. 

Some might also claim that Cablevision is calling the kettle black. That's because before the cable operator spun off the sports channel MSG, it also bundled it with smaller networks such as MSG Plus, the Times notes. 

Nevertheless, Cablevision is getting support from other pay-TV operators. 

DirecTV (DTV) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) have sided with Cablevision's lawsuit. DirecTV, with about 20 million customers, called bundling "shameful," while Time Warner Cable said the case "raises important issues," according to the Los Angeles Times.

Bundling has long been at the center of disputes between programmers and operators, usually through carriage negotiations. Despite support from consumers and public interest groups for "a la carte" cable-network choices, that's likely still a long way from becoming reality. 

In the meantime, cable bills keep rising, with operators like Cablevision blaming content companies for forcing high fees because of the inclusion of little-watched networks.

Viacom disagrees, saying it offers "pro-consumer arrangements" by offering discounts to distributors who carry additional networks. "[T]hese arrangements have been upheld by a number of federal courts and on appeal," Viacom said, adding that it will "vigorously defend" itself. 

More on moneyNOW

• More Americans are checking into hotels

• Hewlett-Packard faces growing investor discontent

• Will Sam Adams taste the same in a 'Sam Can'?