The cable industry is afraid of being monopolized in the same way Apple dominated the music industry. What it fails to realize is that its already too late for that. Netflix and Bit Torrent have already shown that consumers prefer à la carte media consumption. At this point, an alliance with Apple – which has shown a willingness to promote established brands – would only be a good thing for entrenched interests.
HBO has already been unbundled, and ESPN will likely follow suite soon. Apple may not get to a place of dominance in the home entertainment realm, but someone(s) will, and Apple is well positioned to be a player.