ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORP
S-3, 1999-02-26
CABLE & OTHER PAY TELEVISION SERVICES
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<PAGE>
 
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON February 26, 1999

                                                           REGISTRATION NO. 333-

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


           DELAWARE                         4841                 23-2417713
(State or other jurisdiction of (Primary Standard Industrial  (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)  Classification Code Number) Identification No.)
 

                              MAIN AT WATER STREET
                        COUDERSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA  16915
                                 (814) 274-9830
   (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                 of registrant's principal executive offices)

                             COLIN HIGGIN, ESQUIRE
                             DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
                      ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                              MAIN AT WATER STREET
                        COUDERSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA  16915
                                 (814) 274-9830
      (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including
                        area code, of agent for service)

                PLEASE ADDRESS A COPY OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO:

                       CARL E. ROTHENBERGER, JR., ESQUIRE
                  BUCHANAN INGERSOLL PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
                          21ST FLOOR, 301 GRANT STREET
                        PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA  15219
                                (412) 562-8826

APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: From time to
time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this form are being offered pursuant
to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the securities being registered on this form are being offered on a
delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list
the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same offering. [ ] 

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [ ] 

If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [ ] 

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==============================================================================================================================
                                                                             Proposed           Proposed
                                                                              maximum           maximum
                Title of each class of                     Amount to      offering price       aggregate          Amount of
             securities to be registered                 be registered     per share (1)   offering price (1)  registration fee
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                     <C>               <C>              <C>                 <C>
Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share          4,000,000 shares      $56.03       $224,120,000.00         $62,305.36
===============================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee in
accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.  The
maximum price per share information is based on the average of the high and the
low sale prices of Adelphia Communications Corporation Class A Common Stock,
$.01 par value per share, reported on the Nasdaq National Market System on
February 25, 1999.
- -----------       

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates
as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file
a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement
shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.
<PAGE>
 
                                                           SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
                                                               February 26, 1999


4,000,000 shares
ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
Class A common stock


<TABLE>
<S>                                             <C>
 The stockholders of Adelphia Communications    respect to cash dividends and distributions
 Corporation as described under the caption     upon the liquidation of Adelphia.  Holders of
 "Selling Stockholder" on page ___ of this      Class B common stock are entitled to greater
 prospectus are offering and selling up to      voting rights than the holders of Class A
 4,000,000 shares of Adelphia's Class A         common stock; however, the holders of Class A
 common stock under this prospectus.            common stock, voting as a separate class, are
                                                entitled to elect one of Adelphia's directors.

 The Class A common stock is listed on the      You should carefully review "Risk Factors"
 Nasdaq National Market.  The Class A common    beginning on page 4 for a discussion of
 stock's ticker symbol is "ADLAC."  On          things you should consider when investing in
 February 25, 1999, the closing sale price     Class A common stock.
 on the Nasdaq National Market of a single
 share of the Class A common stock was
 $56.125.

 Our common stock also includes Class B common  Neither the SEC nor any state securities
 stock.  The rights of holders of the Class A   commission has approved or disapproved of
 common stock and Class B common stock differ   these securities or passed upon the adequacy              
 with respect to certain aspects of             or accuracy of this prospectus.  Any
 dividends, liquidations and voting.  The       representation to the contrary is a criminal
 Class A common stock has preferential rights   offense.
 with
</TABLE>

            The date of this prospectus is                 , 1999.
                                           ------------- --

   The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  The
selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration
statement filed with the SEC is effective.  This prospectus is not an offer to
sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities
in any state where the offer or sale is prohibited.
<PAGE>
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                               -----------------

ADELPHIA..............................................................  1
                                                                        
RISK FACTORS..........................................................  4  
                                                                      
DILUTION.............................................................. 14 
                                                                      
SELLING STOCKHOLDER................................................... 14
                                                                      
USE OF PROCEEDS....................................................... 17
                                                                      
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION.................................................. 17
                                                                      
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION................................... 19
                                                                        
EXPERTS............................................................... 20
    

                                       i
<PAGE>
 
                                   ADELPHIA

   Adelphia is a leader in the telecommunications industry with cable television
and local telephone operations. Our operations consist of providing
telecommunications services primarily over our networks, which are commonly
referred to as broadband networks because they can transmit large quantities of
voice, video and data by way of digital or analog signals. As of December 31,
1998, we owned or managed cable television systems with broadband networks that
passed in front of 3,252,830 homes and served 2,304,325 basic subscribers. John
J. Rigas, the Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and founder of
Adelphia, has owned and operated cable television systems since 1952.

   We own cable systems in twelve states which are organized into seven regional
clusters:  Western New York, Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, New England,
Eastern Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey.  These systems are located primarily
in suburban areas of large and medium-sized cities within the 50 largest
television markets.  As of December 31, 1998, the broadband networks for these
systems passed in front of 2,131,978 homes and served 1,528,307 basic
subscribers.

   We also provide management and consulting services to other partnerships and
corporations engaged in the ownership and operation of cable television systems.
John J. Rigas and members of his immediate family, including entities they own
or control, have substantial ownership interests in these partnerships and
corporations.  As of December 31, 1998, the broadband networks for cable systems
owned by these Rigas family partnerships and corporations passed in front of
177,250 homes and served 134,443 basic subscribers.

   We also own a 50% voting interest and nonvoting preferred limited partnership
interests in Olympus Communications, L.P.  Olympus is a joint venture limited
partnership that operates a large cable system in Florida.  As of December 31,
1998, the broadband networks for this system passed in front of 943,602 homes
and served 641,575 basic subscribers.

   Through our subsidiary, Hyperion Telecommunications, Inc., we own and operate
a large competitive local exchange carrier in the eastern United States.  This
means that Hyperion provides its customers with alternatives to the incumbent
local telephone company for local telephone and telecommunications services.
Hyperion's telephone operations are referred to as being facilities based, which
means it generally owns the local telecommunications networks and facilities it
uses to deliver these services, rather than leasing or renting the use of
another party's networks to do so.  As of December 31, 1998, Hyperion managed
and operated 22 telecommunications networks, including two under construction,
serving 46 markets.  Hyperion's Class A common stock is listed on the Nasdaq
National Market under the symbol "HYPT."

                                       1
<PAGE>
 
   Our executive offices are located at Main at Water Street, Coudersport,
Pennsylvania 16915, and our telephone number is (814) 274-9830.

Recent Developments

   On February 23, 1999, Adelphia announced that it had entered into a
definitive agreement to acquire FrontierVision Partners, L.P. for approximately
$2,100,000,000.  Under that agreement Adelphia would acquire 100% of
FrontierVision in exchange for approximately $550,000,000 in cash, approximately
7,000,000 shares of Adelphia Class A common stock and the assumption of
approximately $1,110,000,000 of debt.  The transaction is subject to customary
closing conditions.  As of February 23, 1999, FrontierVision had approximately
702,000 basic cable subscribers, of which 310,000 were located adjacent to
Adelphia's existing operations in New England and Virginia.  The remaining
392,000 FrontierVision subscribers were located in Ohio and Kentucky and would
form a new cluster for Adelphia in the Ohio/Kentucky region.

   On January 29, 1999, Adelphia purchased from Telesat Cablevision, Inc., a
subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc., shares of Adelphia's stock owned by Telesat.
Adelphia purchased 1,091,524 shares of Class A common stock and the 20,000
shares of Series C Cumulative Convertible preferred stock which are convertible
into an additional 2,358,490 shares of Class A common stock.  These shares
represent 3,450,014 shares of common stock on a fully converted basis.  Adelphia
and Telesat also agreed to a redemption of Telesat's interests in Olympus by
July 11, 1999.  The redemption transaction is subject to applicable approvals of
third parties or governmental authorities.  The aggregate purchase price for
the transactions described above will be approximately $257,200,000.

   On January 21, 1999, Adelphia acquired Verto Communications, Inc.  Verto
provided cable television services to approximately 56,000 subscribers in the
greater Scranton, Pennsylvania area at the date of acquisition.  In connection
with the Verto acquisition, Adelphia issued or will issue 2,561,024 shares of
its Class A common stock to the former owners of Verto.

   On January 14, 1999, Adelphia completed offerings totaling 8,600,000 shares
of its Class A common stock.  In those offerings, Adelphia sold 4,600,000 newly
issued shares of Class A common stock to Goldman, Sachs & Co. at $43.25 per
share and it also sold 4,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock at $43.25
per share to a Rigas family partnership.  Adelphia used the proceeds of about
$372,000,000 from these offerings to repay subsidiary bank debt, which may be
reborrowed and used for general corporate purposes.  It is these 4,000,000
shares sold to the Rigas family partnership that are being offered and sold
under this prospectus.

   On January 13, 1999, Adelphia completed offerings of $100,000,000 of 7 1/2%
Senior Notes due 2004 and $300,000,000 of 7 3/4% Senior Notes due 2009.  Net
proceeds from these offerings, after deducting offering expenses, were
approximately $393,700,000.  Of this amount, Adelphia will use at least
$160,000,000 to purchase, redeem or otherwise retire a portion of its 9 1/2%
Senior Pay-In-Kind Notes due 2004.  Adelphia used the remainder to repay
borrowings under

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
revolving credit facilities of its subsidiaries which may be reborrowed and used
for general corporate purposes. The terms of these notes are similar to those of
Adelphia's existing publicly held senior debt.

   On December 30, 1998, Adelphia's 66.7% owned joint venture limited
partnership with Tele-Communications, Inc., which has operations in the Western
New York region, completed a $700,000,000, eight and one-half year credit
facility.  The credit facility consists of a $350,000,000 reducing revolving
credit portion and a $350,000,000 term loan portion.  The partnership used
proceeds from initial borrowings to repay indebtedness owed to Adelphia.

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
                                 RISK FACTORS

   Before you invest in Adelphia's Class A common stock, you should be aware
that there are various risks, including those described below.  You should
consider carefully these risk factors together with all of the other information
included in this prospectus before you decide to purchase shares of Adelphia's
Class A common stock.

<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
   High Level Of            Adelphia has a substantial amount of debt. We borrowed this money to
    Indebtedness          purchase and to expand our cable systems and other operations and, to
                          a lesser extent, for investments and loans to our affiliates. At
 We owe approximately     December 31, 1998, our indebtedness totaled approximately
 $3.5 billion.  Our       $3,527,452,000. This included approximately:
 high level of            
 indebtedness can have      .  $1,810,212,000 of Adelphia Parent Company public debt.  When we 
 important adverse             use the term "Adelphia Parent Company" in this prospectus, we are  
 consequences to us and        referring only to Adelphia Communications Corporation as a parent  
 to you.                       holding company entity, and not to its subsidiaries;               
                            .  $1,246,456,000 of debt owed by our subsidiaries to banks, other 
                               financial institutions and other persons; and                      
                            .  $470,784,000 of public debt owed by Hyperion.                    

 Debt service consumes a    Our high level of indebtedness can have important adverse
 substantial portion of   consequences to us and to you.  It requires that we spend a
 the cash we generate.    substantial portion of the cash we get from our business to repay the
 This could affect our    principal and interest on these debts.  Otherwise, we could use these
 ability to invest in     funds for general corporate purposes or for capital improvements.
 our business in the      Our ability to obtain new loans for working capital, capital
 future as well as to     expenditures, acquisitions or capital improvements may be limited by
 react to changes in      our current level of debt.  In addition, having such a high level of
 our industry or          debt could limit our ability to react to changes in our industry and
 economic downturns.      to economic conditions generally. In addition to our debt, at
                          December 31, 1998, the Adelphia Parent Company also had approximately
                          $148,191,000 and Hyperion had approximately $228,674,000 of
                          redeemable exchangeable preferred stock which contain payment
                          obligations that are similar to our debt obligations in these
                          respects.  Olympus also has a substantial amount of debt.
 
 Approximately 32% of       Our debt comes due at various times up to the year 2009, including an
 this debt must be paid   aggregate of approximately $1,126,169,000 which, as of December 31,
 by April 1, 2003 and     1998, we must pay by April 1, 2003.
 all of it must be
 paid by 2009.
 
</TABLE> 
                                       4
<PAGE>

<TABLE> 
<S>                       <C>  
 Our Business Requires      Our business requires substantial additional financing on a
 Substantial Additional   continuing basis for capital expenditures and other purposes 
 Financing And If We Do   including:                                                   
 Not Obtain That            .  constructing and upgrading our plant and networks--some of these 
 Financing We May Not          upgrades we must make to comply with the requirements of local cable 
 Be Able To Upgrade Our        franchise authorities, 
 Plant, Offer Services,     .  offering new services,                                           
 Make Payments When Due     .  scheduled principal and interest payments, and 
 Or Refinance Existing      .  refinancing existing debt.                                           
 Debt                   
 
                            There can be no guarantee that we will be able to issue additional
                          debt or sell stock or other additional equity on satisfactory terms,
                          or at all, to meet our future financing needs.
 
 We Have Had Large          The Total Convertible Preferred Stock, Common Stock and Other
 Losses And Negative      Stockholders' Equity (Deficiency) at December 31, 1998 was a deficit
 Stockholders' Equity     of approximately $1,021,746,000. Our continuing net losses, which are
 And We Expect This To    mainly due to our high levels of depreciation and amortization and
 Continue                 interest expense, have created this deficiency.  Our recent net
                          losses applicable to our common stockholders were approximately as
                          follows for the periods specified:

                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1996 - $119,894,000;
                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1997 - $130,642,000;
                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1998 - $192,729,000; and
                          .  nine months ended December 31, 1998 - $135,848,000.

                          We expect to continue to incur large net losses for the next several
                          years.
 
 Our earnings have been     Our earnings could not pay for our combined fixed charges and
 insufficient to pay      preferred stock dividends during these periods by the amounts set
 for our fixed charges    forth in the table below, although combined fixed changes and
 and preferred stock      preferred stock dividends included substantial non-cash charges for
 dividends.               depreciation, amortization and non-cash interest expense on some of
                          our debts and the non-cash expense of Hyperion's preferred stock
                          dividends:
</TABLE>

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      Earnings         Non-Cash
                                                                     Deficiency         Charges
                                                                  ---------------  ---------------
<S>                       <C>                                     <C>              <C>
                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1996        $ 78,189,000     $127,319,000
                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1997        $ 61,848,000     $165,426,000 
                          .  fiscal year ended March 31, 1998        $113,941,000     $195,153,000 
                          .  nine months ended December 31, 1998     $116,899,000     $186,022,000 

 If we could not            Historically, the cash we generate from our operating activities and
 refinance our debt or    borrowings has been sufficient to meet our requirements for debt
 obtain new loans, we     service, working capital, capital expenditures, and investments in and
 would likely have to     advances to our affiliates, and we have depended on getting additional
 consider various         borrowings to meet our liquidity requirements. Although in the past we
 options such as the      have been able both to refinance our debt and to obtain new debt, there
 sale of additional       can be no guarantee that we will be able to continue to do so in the
 equity or some of our    future or that the cost to us or the other terms which would affect us
 assets to meet the       would be as favorable to us as our current loans and credit agreements.
 principal and interest   We believe that our business will continue to generate cash and that we
 payments we owe,         will be able to obtain new loans to meet our cash needs. However, the
 negotiate with our       covenants in the indentures and credit agreements for our current debt
 lenders to restructure   limit our ability to borrow more money.
 existing loans or
 explore other options
 available under
 applicable laws
 including those under
 reorganization or
 bankruptcy laws. We
 can not guarantee that
 any options available
 to us would enable us
 to repay our debt in
 full.
 
Competition               The telecommunications services provided by Adelphia are subject to
                          strong competition and potential competition from various sources.  Our
                          cable television systems compete with other means of distributing video
 Our cable television     to home televisions such as Direct Broadcast Satellite systems,
 business is subject to   commonly known as DBS systems, and Multichannel Multipoint Distribution
 strong competition       systems.  Some of the regional Bell telephone operating companies and
 from several sources     other local telephone
 which
</TABLE>

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
 which could adversely    companies are in the process of entering the video-to-home business 
 affect revenue or        and several have expressed their intention to enter the video-to-home
 revenue growth.          business.  In addition, some regional Bell operating companies and 
                          local telephone companies have facilities which are capable of
                          delivering cable television service. The equipment which telephone
                          companies use in providing local exchange service may give them
                          competitive advantages over us in distributing video to home
                          televisions. The regional Bell operating companies and other
                          potential competitors have much greater resources than Adelphia and
                          would constitute formidable competition for our cable television
                          business. We cannot predict either the extent to which competition
                          will continue to materialize or, if such competition materializes,
                          the extent of its effect on our cable television business.
 
                            We also face competition from other communications and entertainment
                          media, including conventional off-air television broadcasting services,
                          newspapers, movie theaters, live sporting events and home video
                          products. We cannot predict the extent to which competition may affect
                          us.

 Hyperion's operations      In each of the markets served by Hyperion's networks, the competitive
 are also subject to      local exchange carrier services offered by Hyperion compete principally
 risk because Hyperion    with the services offered by the incumbent local telephone exchange
 competes principally     carrier company serving that area.  Local telephone companies have
 with established local   long-standing relationships with their customers, have the potential to
 telephone carriers       subsidize competitive services from monopoly service revenues, and
 that have long-standing  benefit from favorable state and federal regulations.  The merger of
 utility relationships    Bell Atlantic and NYNEX created a very large company whose combined
 with their customers     territory covers a substantial portion of Hyperion's markets.  Other
 and pricing flexibility  combinations are occurring in the industry, which may have a material
 for local telephone      adverse effect on Hyperion and us.
 services.
 
                            We think that local telephone companies will gain increased pricing
                          flexibility from regulators as competition increases.  Hyperion's
                          operating results and cash flow could be materially and adversely
                          affected by actions by regulators, including permitting the incumbent
                          local telephone companies in Hyperion's markets to do the following:

                              .  lower their rates substantially;
                              .  engage in aggressive volume and term discount pricing practices for
                                 their customers; or
                              .  charge excessive fees to Hyperion for interconnection to the
                                 incumbent local telephone company's networks.
</TABLE>

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
 If the regional Bell       The regional Bell operating companies can now obtain regulatory
 telephone companies      approval to offer long distance services if they comply with the
 could get regulatory     interconnection requirements of the federal Telecommunications Act of
 approval to offer long   1996.  To date, the FCC has denied the requests for approval filed by
 distance service in      regional Bell operating companies in Hyperion's operating areas.
 competition with         However, an approval of such a request could result in decreased market
 Hyperion's significant   share for the major long distance carriers which are among Hyperion's
 customers, some of       significant customers.  This could have a material adverse effect on
 Hyperion's major         Hyperion.
 customers could lose
 market share.
 
 The regional Bell          Regional Bell operating companies have also recently filed petitions
 telephone companies      with the FCC requesting waivers of other obligations under the
 continue to seek other   Telecommunications Act of 1996.  These involve services the Company
 regulatory approvals     also provides such as high speed data, long distance, and services to
 that could               Internet Service Providers.  If the FCC grants the regional Bell
 significantly enhance    operating companies' petitions, this could have a material adverse
 their competitive        effect on Hyperion.
 position against
 Hyperion.
 
 Potential competitors      Potential competitors for Hyperion include other competitive local
 to Hyperion's            exchange carriers, incumbent local telephone companies which are not
 telecommunications       subject to regional Bell operating companies' restrictions on offering
 services include the     long distance service, AT&T, MCIWorldCom, Sprint and other long
 regional Bell            distance carriers, cable television companies, electric utilities,
 telephone companies,     microwave carriers, wireless telecommunications providers and private
 AT&T, MCIWorldCom and    networks built by large end users.  Both AT&T and MCIWorldCom have
 Sprint, electric         announced that they have begun to offer local telephone services in
 utilities and other      some areas of the country, and AT&T recently announced a new wireless
 companies that have      technology for providing local telephone service.  AT&T and
 advantages over          Tele-Communications, Inc. also announced that they will merge. Although
 Hyperion.                Hyperion has good relationships with the long distance carriers, they
                          could build their own facilities, purchase other carriers or their
                          facilities, or resell the services of other carriers rather than use
                          Hyperion's services when entering the market for local exchange
                          services.
 
                            Many of Hyperion's current and potential competitors, particularly
                          incumbent local telephone companies, have financial,
</TABLE>

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
                          personnel and other resources substantially greater than those of
                          Hyperion, as well as other competitive advantages over Hyperion.
 
 We Are Subject To          The cable television industry and the provision of local telephone
 Extensive Regulation     exchange services are subject to extensive regulation at the federal,
                          state and local levels, and many aspects of such regulation are
 Our cable television     currently the subject of judicial proceedings and administrative or
 and telecommunications   legislative proposals.  In particular, the FCC adopted regulations that
 businesses are heavily   limit our ability to set and increase rates for our basic and cable
 regulated as to rates    programming service packages and for the provision of cable
 we can charge and        television-related equipment.  The law permits certified local
 other matters.  This     franchising authorities to order refunds of rates paid in the previous
 regulation could limit   twelve-month period determined to be in excess of the permitted
 our ability to           reasonable rates.  It is possible that rate reductions or refunds of
 increase rates, cause    previously collected fees may be required in the future.
 us to decrease then
 current rates or
 require us to refund
 previously collected
 fees.
                          The cable television industry is subject to state and local regulations
                          and we must comply with rules of the local franchising authorities to
                          retain and renew our cable franchises, among other matters. There can
                          be no assurances that the franchising authorities will not impose new
                          and more restrictive requirements as a condition to franchise renewal.
 
 The federal                The federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 substantially changed
 Telecommunications       federal, state and local laws and regulations governing our cable
 Act of 1996 may have a   television and telecommunications businesses.  This law could
 significant impact on    materially affect the growth and operation of the cable television
 our cable television     industry and the cable services we provide.  Although this legislation
 and telephone            may lessen regulatory burdens, the cable television industry may be
 businesses.              subject to new competition as a result.  There are numerous rulemakings
                          that have been and continue to be undertaken by the FCC which will
                          interpret and implement the provisions of this law.  Furthermore,
                          portions of this law have been, and likely other portions will be,
                          challenged in the courts.  We cannot predict the outcome of such
                          rulemakings or lawsuits or the short- and long-term effect, financial
                          or otherwise, of this law and FCC rulemakings on us.
  
                            Similarly, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 removes entry barriers
                          for all companies and could increase substantially the number of
                          competitors offering comparable services in Hyperion's markets
</TABLE>

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
                          or potential markets.  Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that rules 
                          adopted by the FCC or state regulators or other legislative or judicial
                          initiatives relating to the telecommunications industry will not have a
                          material adverse effect on Hyperion.
 
Unequal Voting Rights       Adelphia has two classes of common stock -- Class A which carries one
Of Stockholders           vote per share and Class B which carries ten votes per share.  The
                          shares being offered to you by this prospectus are Class A shares.
                          Under our Certificate of Incorporation, the Class A shares elect only
                          one of our eight directors.
 
 Control Of Voting Power    As of February 1, 1999, the Rigas family beneficially owned shares
 By The Rigas Family      representing about 49% of the total number of outstanding shares of
                          both classes of Adelphia's common stock and about 82% of the total
 The Rigas family can     voting power of Adelphia's shares.  The public holds a majority of the
 control stockholder      outstanding Class A shares, although the Rigas family also owns about
 decisions on very        36% of those shares as of February 1, 1999.  The Rigas family owns
 important matters.       about 99% of Adelphia's Class B shares. The Rigas family also owns
                          shares of Adelphia's 8% Series C Cumulative Convertible preferred stock
                          which, if converted, would increase its voting power.  As a result of
                          the Rigas family's stock ownership and an agreement among the Class B
                          stockholders, members of the Rigas family have the power to elect seven
                          of eight Adelphia directors, and if they converted their Convertible
                          preferred stock might be able to elect all eight directors.  In
                          addition, the Rigas family could control stockholder decisions on other
                          matters such as amendments to our Certificate of Incorporation and
                          Bylaws, and mergers or other fundamental corporate transactions.
 
 There Are Potential        John J. Rigas and the other executive officers of Adelphia, including
 Conflicts Of Interest    other members of the Rigas family, own other corporations and
 Between Adelphia And     partnerships, which are managed by us for a fee. Subject to the
 The Rigas Family         restrictions contained in a business opportunity agreement regarding
                          future acquisitions, Rigas family members and the executive officers
                          are free to continue to own these interests and acquire additional
                          interests in cable television systems.  These activities could present
                          a conflict of interest with us, such as how much time our executive
                          officers devote to our business.  In addition, there have been and will
                          continue to be transactions between us and the executive officers or
                          the other entities they own or have affiliations with.  Our public debt
                          indentures contain covenants that place some restrictions on
                          transactions between us and our affiliates.
</TABLE>

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
 Holding Company            The Adelphia Parent Company directly owns no significant assets other
 Structure And            than stock, partnership interests, equity and other interests in our
 Potential Impact Of      subsidiaries and in other companies.  This creates risks regarding our
 Restrictive Covenants    ability to provide cash to the Adelphia Parent Company to repay the
 In Subsidiary Debt       interest and principal which it owes, our ability to pay cash dividends
 Agreements               to our common stockholders in the future, and the ability of our
                          subsidiaries and other companies to respond to changing business and
                          economic conditions and to get new loans.

 The Adelphia Parent        The public indentures and the credit agreements for bank and other
 Company depends on its   financial institution loans of our subsidiaries and other companies
 subsidiaries and other   restrict their ability and the ability of the companies they own to
 companies in which it    make payments to the Adelphia Parent Company.  These agreements also
 has investments, to      place other restrictions on the borrower's ability to borrow new funds
 fund its cash needs.     and include requirements for the borrowers to remain in compliance with
                          the loans.  The ability of a subsidiary or a company in which we have
                          invested to comply with debt restrictions may be affected by events
                          that are beyond our control.  The breach of any of these covenants
                          could result in a default which could result in all loans and other
                          amounts owed to its lenders, to be due and payable.  Our subsidiaries
                          and companies in which we have invested might not be able to repay in
                          full the accelerated loans.
 
 It Is Unlikely You Will    Adelphia has never declared or paid cash dividends on any of its common
 Receive A Return On      stock and has no intention of doing so in the foreseeable future.  As a
 Your Shares Through      result, it is unlikely that you will receive a return on your shares
 The Payment Of Cash      through the payment of cash dividends.
 Dividends
  
 Future Sales Of            Sales of a substantial number of shares of Class A common stock or
 Outstanding Common       Class B common stock, including sales by any pledgees of such shares,
 Stock Could Adversely    could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock and
 Affect The Market        could impair our ability in the future to raise capital through stock
 Price Of Our Common      offerings.
 Stock
                            Under various registration rights agreements or arrangements, as of
                          January 26, 1999, the Rigas family has the right, subject to some
                          limitations, to require Adelphia to register substantially all of the
                          shares which it owns of the Class A common stock--15,029,119 shares,
                          Class B common stock--10,736,544 shares and the equivalent number of
                          shares of Class A common stock into which they may be converted, and
                          Convertible preferred stock--80,000 shares and the
</TABLE>

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
                          9,433,962 shares of Class A common stock into which they may be
                          converted. Among others, Adelphia has registered or agreed to
                          register for public sale the following shares:

                              .  for the Rigas family -- up to 11,000,000 shares of Class A common
                                 stock, 80,000 shares of Convertible preferred stock and the Class A
                                 common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible preferred
                                 stock;
                              .  for Booth American Company -- 3,571,428 shares of Class A common
                                 stock owned as of March 24, 1998;
                              .  for the selling stockholders receiving shares in the Verto
                                 acquisition -- 2,561,024 shares of Class A common stock;
                              .  in connection with the January 14, 1999 equity offerings, under this
                                 prospectus Adelphia is registering for public resale the 4,000,000
                                 shares of Class A common stock purchased by a Rigas family partnership;
                                 and
                              .  in connection with the pending FrontierVision acquisition
                                 described in Recent Developments, Adelphia has agreed to register
                                 7,000,000 shares of Class A common stock.

                            Approximately 14,904,000 shares of Class A common stock and up to
                          80,000 shares of Convertible preferred stock, including the underlying
                          Class A common stock, have been pledged in connection with margin loans
                          made to members of the Rigas family.  These pledgees could freely sell
                          any shares acquired upon a foreclosure.
 
 Purchasers Of Our          Persons purchasing Class A common stock will incur immediate and
 Common Stock Will        substantial net tangible book value dilution.
 Incur Immediate
 Dilution
 
 Year 2000 Issues           The year 2000 issue refers to the inability of computerized systems and
 Present Risks To Our     technologies to recognize and process dates beyond December 31, 1999.
 Business Operations In   This could present risks to the operation of our business in several
 Several Ways             ways.  Our computerized business applications that could be adversely
                          affected by the year 2000 issue include:

                          .  information processing and financial reporting systems,
                          .  customer billing systems,
                          .  customer service systems,
                          .  telecommunication transmission and reception systems, and
                          .  facility systems.
</TABLE>

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<S>                       <C>
                          System failure or miscalculation could result in an inability to
                          process transactions, send invoices, accept customer orders or provide
                          customers with products and services.  Although we are evaluating the
                          impact of the year 2000 issue on our business and are seeking to
                          implement necessary solutions, this process has not been completed.

                            There can be no assurance that the systems of other companies on which
                          our systems rely will be year 2000 ready or timely converted into
                          systems compatible with our systems.  Our failure or a third-party's
                          failure to become year 2000 ready, or our inability to become
                          compatible with third parties with which we have a material
                          relationship, may have a material adverse effect on us, including
                          significant service interruption or outages; however, we cannot
                          currently estimate the extent of any such adverse effects.
 
 Forward-Looking            The statements contained or incorporated by reference in this
 Statements In This       prospectus that are not historical facts are "forward-looking
 Prospectus Are Subject   statements" and can be identified by the use of forward-looking
 To Risks And             terminology such as "believes," "expects," "may," "will," "should,"
 Uncertainties            "intends" or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations
                          thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy that
                          involve risks and uncertainties.

                            Certain information set forth or incorporated by reference in this
                          prospectus, including "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
                          Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Adelphia's 1998
                          Annual Report on Form 10-K and in Adelphia's Form 10-Qs, is
                          forward-looking, such as information relating to the effects of future
                          regulation, future capital commitments and the effects of competition.
                          Such forward-looking information involves important risks and
                          uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results in the
                          future from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by,
                          or on behalf of, us. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not
                          limited to, uncertainties relating to economic conditions, acquisitions
                          and divestitures, government and regulatory policies, the pricing and
                          availability of equipment, materials, inventories and programming,
                          technological developments and changes in the competitive environment
                          in which we operate. Persons reading this prospectus are cautioned that
                          such statements are only predictions and that actual events or results
                          may differ materially. In evaluating such statements, readers should
                          specifically consider the various factors which could cause actual
                          events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such
                          forward-looking statements.
</TABLE>

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
                                    DILUTION

   The net tangible book value of Adelphia's common stock as of December 31,
1998 was a deficit of approximately ($2,050,905,000) or ($48.72) a share. Net
tangible book value per share represents the amount of Adelphia's convertible
preferred stock, common stock and other stockholders' equity (deficiency), less
intangible assets, divided by shares of Adelphia's common stock outstanding.
Purchasers of Class A common stock will have an immediate dilution of net
tangible book value which, due to our having a net tangible book value deficit,
will exceed the purchase price per share. For example, in the January 14, 1999
equity offerings, the purchase price of a single share initially sold to the
public was $45.00 and the net tangible book value dilution per share was $78.53.
Net tangible book value dilution per share represents the difference between the
amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of Class A common stock in an
offering by Adelphia and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of the
common stock immediately after completion of such offering.

                              SELLING STOCKHOLDER

   The selling stockholder is Highland Holdings II.  We will refer to Highland
Holdings II as Highland II in this prospectus.  For ease of reference, the term
selling stockholder also includes any transferees, pledgees such as banks,
brokers, financial institutions or other lenders (which may include, among
others, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and/or its affiliates), donees or successors of
Highland II. To the extent required we will name any additional selling
stockholders in a supplement to this prospectus. Adelphia has registered the
shares, among other reasons, to permit Highland II to sell all or a portion of
them under this prospectus and also to permit Highland II to pledge as
collateral all or a portion of the shares with brokerage or other financial or
lending institutions for margin loans. Margin loans were made by Goldman, Sachs
& Co. to the selling stockholder, which used the proceeds to finance in part its
purchase of the shares from Adelphia in January 1999. There may be additional
information regarding any pledge of the shares set forth in a prospectus
supplement to this prospectus.

   The following table sets forth, based on information available to Adelphia as
of February 16, 1999, information with respect to the beneficial ownership of
Class A common stock and Class B common stock by Highland II and members of the
Rigas family who may be deemed to have an interest in the shares.  This table is
based on 41,328,343 shares of Class A common stock and 10,834,476 shares of
Class B common stock outstanding on such date, and after giving effect to the
sale of the shares of Class A common stock offered under this prospectus by the
selling stockholder.  The business address of the selling stockholder and all
other stockholders listed in the table, including all members of the Rigas
family, is Main at Water Street, Coudersport, Pennsylvania 16915.

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       Shares of       Percent of
                                Shares of   Percent of    Shares of    Percent of     Shares of         Class A         Class A 
                                 Class A      Class A      Class B       Class B       Class A           Common          Common 
                                  Common      Common        Common       Common         Common        Stock After     Stock After
Name                              Stock        Stock        Stock         Stock     Stock Offered       Offering        Offering 
- ----                            ---------   ----------   -----------   ----------   -------------     -----------     -----------
<S>                             <C>         <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>             <C>             <C>
Doris Holdings, L.P. (a)...     2,398,151          5.8%         --             --              --       2,398,151             5.8%
                      
Highland Holdings II (b)...     4,000,000          9.7%         --             --       4,000,000              --              --
                      
Highland Communications, 
  L.L.C.(b)................     8,556,268         20.7%         --             --              --       8,556,268            20.7%
                      
Highland Preferred    
  Communications,                                                                                                                  
   L.L.C. (b)..............     9,433,962         18.6%         --             --              --       9,433,962            18.6% 
                           
Highland Holdings (b)......        (b)             (b)          --             --              (b)         (b)                (b)
                                                                                                                     
John J. Rigas..............        (c)             (d)     5,883,004(e)       54.3%            (c)         (c)                (d)
                                                                                                                     
Michael J. Rigas...........        (c)             (d)     1,915,970(e)       17.7%            (c)         (c)                (d)
                                                                                                                     
Timothy J. Rigas...........        (c)             (d)     1,915,970(e)       17.7%            (c)         (c)                (d)
                                                                                                                     
James P. Rigas.............        (c)             (d)     1,151,634(e)       10.6%            (c)         (c)                (d)
                                                                                                                     
Ellen K. Rigas.............        (f)             (g)       261,762(e)        2.4%            (f)         (f)                (g)
</TABLE>

(a)  Doris Holdings, L.P. ("Doris"), a limited partnership, and Eleni
     Acquisition, Inc., the general partner of Doris, are affiliates of John J.
     Rigas, Michael J. Rigas, Timothy J. Rigas and James P. Rigas, each of whom
     has shared voting and investment power with respect to the shares held by
     Doris. In addition, through irrevocable proxies, each of the above-named
     individuals shares with Doris the power to vote or direct the vote of such
     number of shares of Class A common stock held as is described in note (c)
     below.

(b)  Each of Highland Holdings ("Highland") and Highland II is a general
     partnership, the general partners of which are John J. Rigas, Michael J.
     Rigas, Timothy J. Rigas, James P. Rigas and Ellen K. Rigas. These Rigas
     family members may be deemed to share voting and investment power with
     respect to the shares held by Highland's wholly owned subsidiaries,
     Highland Communications, L.L.C. and Highland Preferred Communications,
     L.L.C., and also with respect to the shares held by Highland II.  The
     amount shown for Highland Preferred Communications, L.L.C. includes, and
     the percentage shown reflects, 9,433,962 shares of Class A common stock
     into which the 80,000 shares of Adelphia's Series C Cumulative Convertible
     preferred stock held by Highland Preferred Communications, L.L.C. is
     convertible. The amount shown for Highland Communications, L.L.C. includes
     8,506,268 shares of Class A common stock held directly by it and 50,000
     shares of Class A common stock held by Bucktail Broadcasting Corporation,
     another subsidiary of Highland.

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
(c)  The holders of Class B common stock are deemed to be beneficial owners of
     an equal number of shares of Class A common stock because Class B common
     stock is convertible into Class A common stock on a one-to-one basis. In
     addition, the following persons own or have the power to direct the voting
     of shares of Class A common stock in the following amounts: John J. Rigas,
     431,800 shares - 71,700 shares directly and 360,100 shares through Doris;
     Michael J. Rigas, 193,500 shares - 200 shares directly and 193,300 shares
     through Doris; Timothy J. Rigas, 193,500 shares - 200 shares directly and
     193,300 shares through Doris; James P. Rigas, 193,300 shares indirectly
     through Doris. John J. Rigas shares voting power with his spouse with
     respect to 106,300 of such shares held through Doris. Each of John J.
     Rigas, Michael J. Rigas, Timothy J. Rigas and James P. Rigas also shares
     voting and dispositive power with respect to the 17,990,230 shares of Class
     A common beneficially owned by Highland Holdings, the 4,000,000 shares of
     Class A common held by Highland II and the other 1,458,151 shares of Class
     A common held by Doris. See notes (a) and (b) above.

(d)  After giving effect to the conversion solely by each individual holder of
     all of his Class B common stock into Class A common stock and including all
     shares of Class A common stock, and the conversion into Class A common
     stock of Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, currently held by
     such individual holder or over which such individual holder has or shares
     voting or investment power as disclosed in notes (a), (b) or (c) above, the
     percentage of Class A common stock owned by John J. Rigas, Michael J.
     Rigas, Timothy J. Rigas and James P. Rigas would be 53.6%, 49.9%, 49.9% and
     49.2%, respectively, prior to the sale of shares offered by the selling
     stockholder hereby, and 46.5%, 42.3%, 42.3% and 41.5%, respectively, after
     the sale of the shares offered by the selling stockholder hereby. Further,
     after giving effect to an additional 4,856,540 shares of Class A common
     stock of which John J. Rigas has the right to direct the voting in the
     election of directors pursuant to a Class B Stockholders Agreement (and
     assuming the parties to such agreement converted their Class B common stock
     into Class A common stock), as to all of which additional shares John J.
     Rigas disclaims beneficial ownership, the percentage of Class A Common
     stock owned by John J. Rigas would be 57.2%.

(e)  The amounts shown include 97,949 of the same shares which are owned of
     record by Dorellenic, a general partnership in which the five named
     individual Rigas family members are general partners.  The named Rigas
     individuals have shared voting and investment power with respect to these
     shares.

(f)  As a holder of Class B common stock, Ellen K. Rigas is deemed to be the
     beneficial owner of an equal number of shares of Class A common stock
     because Class B common stock is convertible into Class A common stock on a
     one-to-one basis. In addition, Ellen K. Rigas owns 1,600 shares of Class A
     common stock directly and shares voting and investment power with respect
     to 17,990,230 shares of Class A common stock held by Highland and 4,000,000
     shares of Class A common stock held by Highland II, prior to the sale of
     the shares offered by the selling stockholder hereby. See note (b) above.
     Ellen K. Rigas is the daughter of John J. Rigas.

(g)  After giving effect to the conversion of all of Ellen K. Rigas' Class B
     common stock into shares of Class A common stock and including all shares
     of Class A common stock, and the conversion into Class A common stock of
     Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock held

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
     by Ellen K. Rigas or over which Ellen K. Rigas has or shares voting or
     investment power as discussed in note (b) above, the percentage of Class A
     common stock owned by Ellen K. Rigas would be 43.6% prior to the sale of
     the shares offered by the selling stockholder and 35.8% after giving effect
     to the sale of the shares offered by the selling stockholder.

                                USE OF PROCEEDS

   All net proceeds from the sale of the shares will go to the stockholders who
offer and sell them.  We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares
by the selling stockholders.

                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

   Adelphia is registering the shares on behalf of the selling stockholder.
References in this section to the selling stockholder(s) also include any
pledgees, donees or transferees described above. To the extent required we would
identify any additional selling stockholders in a supplement to this prospectus.

   The selling stockholder has pledged all of the 4,000,000 shares as collateral
in loan transactions pursuant to loan and margin agreements with Goldman, Sachs
& Co. These loan and margin agreements include maintenance of collateral value
covenants. These covenants require that, in the event that the value of the
pledged shares declines below an agreed upon percentage of the Highland II loan,
Highland II is obligated to pledge cash or other additional collateral of a type
acceptable to Goldman, Sachs & Co. in an amount that results in the aggregate
value of the pledged shares and other collateral exceeding an agreed upon
percentage of the loan. Upon default by Highland II under the loan or pledge
agreements, including without limitation any failure of Highland II to provide
satisfactory additional collateral, Goldman, Sachs & Co. would have the right to
sell the pledged shares under this prospectus and apply the proceeds to the
repayment of the loans. A pledgee, including Goldman, Sachs & Co. and/or its
affiliates, exercising its right to sell shares pledged to it by Highland II
will have the same rights as Highland II to offer and sell such shares under 
this prospectus.

   The selling stockholder may offer its shares at various times in one or more
of the following transactions, if permitted by applicable law:

  .  in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions, on any
     national securities exchange or quotation service on which the shares may
     be listed or quoted at the time of sale;
  
  .  in the over-the-counter market;

  .  in private transactions other than in the over-the-counter market or on an
     exchange;

  .  in connection with short sales of shares;

  .  by pledge to secure debts and other obligations, and such shares may be 
     resold under the terms of such pledges;

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
  .  in connection with the writing of non-traded and exchange-traded call
     options, in hedge transactions and in settlement of other transactions in
     standardized or over-the-counter options; or

  .  in a combination of any of the above transactions.

   The selling stockholder may sell its shares at market prices at the time of
sale, at prices related to market prices, at negotiated prices or at fixed
prices.

   A selling stockholder may use broker-dealers to sell its shares.  If this
happens, broker-dealers will either receive discounts or commissions from the
selling stockholder, or they will receive commissions from purchasers of shares
for whom they acted as agents.  The selling stockholder, any brokers, dealers
and any other participating brokers or dealers may be deemed to be
"underwriters" within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in connection
with these sales, and any profits realized or commissions received may be deemed
underwriting compensation.

   The selling stockholder also may resell all or a portion of the shares in
open market transactions in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act of
1933, provided the resales meet the criteria and conform to the requirements of
that rule.

   When a particular offering of shares is made, if required, we will distribute
to you a prospectus supplement.  This supplement will set forth the names of the
selling stockholders, the aggregate amount and type of shares being offered, the
number of such securities owned prior to and after the completion of any such
offering, and, to the extent required, the terms of the offering, including the
name or names of any underwriters, broker-dealers or agents, any discounts,
commissions and other terms constituting compensation from the selling
stockholders and any discounts, commissions or concessions allowed or reallowed
or paid to broker-dealers.

   To comply with the securities law in some jurisdictions, the shares will be
offered or sold in particular jurisdictions only through registered or licensed
brokers or dealers.  In addition, in some jurisdictions the shares may not be
offered or sold unless they have been registered or qualified for sale in that
jurisdictions or an exemption from registration or qualification is available
and is complied with.

   To comply with rules and regulations under the  Exchange Act, persons engaged
in a distribution of the shares may be limited in their ability to engage in
market activities with respect to such shares.  In addition and without limiting
the foregoing, each selling stockholder will be subject to applicable provisions
of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, which provisions
may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares by the selling
stockholders.  All of these things may affect the marketability of the shares.

   All expenses of the registration of the shares will be paid by Adelphia,
including, without limitation, Commission filing fees and expenses of compliance
with state securities or "blue sky" laws; provided, however, that the selling
stockholders will pay all underwriting discounts and selling commissions, if any
and other similar selling expenses. Subject to some limitations, the selling
stockholders will be

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
indemnified by Adelphia against civil liabilities, including liabilities under
the Securities Act, or will be entitled to contribution in connection therewith.
Subject to some limitations, Adelphia will be indemnified by the selling
stockholders against civil liabilities, including liabilities under the
Securities Act, or will be entitled to contribution in connection therewith.

   From time to time in the past, in the ordinary course of business Goldman, 
Sachs & Co. and/or their affiliates have provided investment banking and 
financial advisory services to Adelphia, Highland II and/or their affiliates for
which they received customary compensation. They may continue to provide similar
services in the future, for which they would expect to receive customary 
compensation.

                      WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

   Adelphia files annual, quarterly and special reports, as well as proxy
statements and other information  with the SEC.  You may read and copy any
document Adelphia files with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 or at its Regional Offices in
Chicago, Illinois or New York, New York.  You may obtain further information
about the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-
SEC-0330.  Adelphia's SEC filings are also available to the public over the
Internet at the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov, which contains reports,
proxy statements and other information regarding registrants like Adelphia that
file electronically with the SEC.

   This prospectus is part of a registration statement on Form S-3 filed by
Adelphia with the SEC under the Securities Act.  As permitted by SEC rules, this
prospectus does not contain all of the information included in the registration
statement and the accompanying exhibits filed with the SEC.  You may refer to
the registration statement and its exhibits for more information.

   The SEC allows Adelphia to "incorporate by reference" into this prospectus
the information it files with the SEC.  This means that Adelphia can disclose
important information to you by referring you to those documents.  The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this
prospectus.  If Adelphia subsequently files updating or superseding information
in a document that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus, the
subsequent information will also become part of this prospectus and will
supersede the earlier information.

   Adelphia is incorporating by reference the following documents that it has
filed with the SEC:

     .  its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 1998, which
        incorporates, in Items 7 and 8 to such Form 10-K, portions of the Form
        10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 of Olympus
        Communications, L.P. and Olympus Capital Corporation, as amended by
        Adelphia's Form 10-K/A dated July 27, 1998;
        
     .  its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended June 30, 1998
        September 30, 1998 and December 31, 1998;
     
     .  its Current Reports on Form 8-K for the events dated June 29, 1998, July
        2, 1998, August 3, 1998, August 18, 1998, September 10, 1998, November
        9, 1998, November 12, 1998, December 23, 1998, January 11, 1999 and
        February 23, 1999;

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
     .  its definitive proxy statement dated September 11, 1998 with respect to
        the Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on October 6, 1998; and
     
     .  the description of its Class A common stock contained in
     
        .  Adelphia's registration statement filed with the SEC under Section 12
           of the Exchange Act and subsequent amendments and reports filed to
           update such description and
        
        .  Adelphia's registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-58749).
  
   Adelphia is also incorporating by reference into this prospectus
     
     .  all of its future filings with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c),
        14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until this offering has been
        completed and
     
     .  all of its filings made by it under the Exchange Act after the date
        the registration statement to which this prospectus is a part was
        initially filed and prior to the effective date of that registration
        statement.

   You may obtain a copy of any of our filings which are incorporated by
reference, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

                    Adelphia Communications Corporation
                    Main at Water Street
                    Coudersport, Pennsylvania  16915
                    Attention:  Investor Relations Telephone:  (814) 274-9830

   You should rely only on the information provided in this prospectus or
incorporated by reference.  We have not authorized anyone to provide you with
different information.  You should not assume that the information in this
prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the first page of
the prospectus.  Adelphia is not making this offer of securities in any state or
country in which the offer or sale is not permitted.

                                    EXPERTS

   The consolidated financial statements of Adelphia and its subsidiaries as of
March 31, 1997 and 1998, and for each of the three years in the period ended
March 31, 1998, and the consolidated financial statements of Olympus and its
subsidiaries as of December 31, 1996 and 1997, and for each of the three years
in the period ended December 31, 1997, all incorporated in this prospectus by
reference from Adelphia's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March
31, 1998, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent auditors, as
stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference, and have
been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their
authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
                      Adelphia Communications Corporation


                    4,000,000 Shares of Class A Common Stock



                                        


                                   PROSPECTUS

                                        



We have not authorized any dealer, salesperson or other person to give any
information or represent anything contained in this prospectus.  You must not
rely on any unauthorized information.  This prospectus does not offer to sell
nor does it solicit to buy any shares of Class A common stock in any
jurisdiction where it is unlawful. The information in this prospectus is current
as of                 , 1999.
      ---------------- 
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

   The following is an estimate of the expenses which will be incurred by
Adelphia in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities
being registered.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       AMOUNT
<S>                                                    <C>
SEC filing fee.......................................  $62,306
Legal fees and expenses..............................  $15,000(1)
Accounting fees and expenses.........................  $ 4,000
Miscellaneous expenses...............................  $ 1,694
                                                       -------
Total................................................  $83,000
                                                       =======
</TABLE>

/1/  Includes an estimated $5,000 to be paid by the pledgee of the selling 
     stockholder.

ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
   Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides in general that
a corporation may indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents against
expenditures (including judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and
attorneys' fees) made by them in connection with certain lawsuits to which they
may be made parties by reason of their being directors, officers, employees or
agents and shall so indemnify such persons against expenses (including
attorneys' fees) if they have been successful on the merits or otherwise.  The
bylaws of Adelphia provide for indemnification of the officers and directors of
Adelphia to the full extent permissible under Delaware law.

   Adelphia's Certificate of Incorporation also provides, pursuant to Section
102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law, that directors of Adelphia
shall not be personally liable to Adelphia or its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director for acts or omissions after
July 1, 1986, provided that directors shall nonetheless be liable for breaches
of the duty of loyalty, bad faith, intentional misconduct, knowing violations of
law, unlawful distributions to stockholders, or transactions from which a
director derived an improper personal benefit.

                                      II-1
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(a)  The following is a complete list of Exhibits filed as part of this
Registration Statement, which are incorporated herein:


Exhibit No.             Reference
- -----------             ---------

 4.01       Certificate of Incorporation of          Incorporated herein by
            Adelphia Communications Corporation      reference is Exhibit 3.01
                                                     to Registrant's Current
                                                     Report on Form 8-K dated
                                                     July 24, 1997 (File No.
                                                     000-16104).

23.01       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP         Filed herewith.

24.01       Power of Attorney (included on           Filed herewith
            the signature page of the
            registration statement)


ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS

(a)    Rule 415 Offering.

   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

       (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

            (i)   To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act;

            (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-
effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent
a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

            (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any
material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

Provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if the
Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement.

                                      II-2
<PAGE>
 
     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

(b)  Filings Incorporating Subsequent Exchange Act Documents by Reference.

   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(c)  Request for Acceleration of Effective Date.

   Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In
the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than
the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by
a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES

   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing this registration statement on Form S-3 and has duly
caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Coudersport, Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, on the 24th day of February, 1999.
                        --                         

                                    ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

                                    By  /s/ Timothy J. Rigas
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Timothy J. Rigas, Executive Vice President


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

   KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each person whose signature appears below
constitutes and appoints Michael J. Rigas, Timothy J. Rigas and Daniel R.
Milliard, and each of them, such person's true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and
agents, with full power of substitution and revocation, for such person and in
such person's name, place and stead, in any and all amendments (including post-
effective amendments to this Registration Statement) and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents
and purposes as such person might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of them, or their
or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
            SIGNATURES                                   TITLE                                     DATE
<S>                                 <C>                                               <C>
/s/ John J. Rigas                   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer          February 24, 1999
- --------------------------        
JOHN J. RIGAS                     
                                  
/s/ Michael J. Rigas                Executive Vice President and Director                    February 24, 1999
- --------------------------        
MICHAEL J. RIGAS                  
                                  
/s/ Timothy J. Rigas                Executive Vice President, Chief Financial                February 24, 1999
- --------------------------          Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Treasurer
TIMOTHY J. RIGAS                    and Director
                                  
/s/ James P. Rigas                  Executive Vice President and Director                    February 24, 1999
- --------------------------        
JAMES P. RIGAS                    
                                  
/s/ Daniel R. Milliard              Senior Vice President, Secretary and Director            February 24, 1999
- --------------------------        
DANIEL R. MILLIARD
                                    Director                                                 February   , 1999
PERRY S. PATTERSON                                                                                    -- 
                                    Director                                                 February   , 1999
PETE J. METROS                                                                                        --
                                    Director                                                 February   , 1999
DENNIS P. COYLE                                                                                       --
</TABLE>

                                      II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.              Reference      
- -----------              ---------      
           
 4.01        Certificate of Incorporation of        Incorporated herein by
             Adelphia Communications Corporation    reference is Exhibit 3.01 to
                                                    Registrant's Current Report
                                                    on Form 8-K dated July 24,
                                                    1997 (File No. 000-16104).

23.01        Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP       Filed herewith.

24.01        Power of Attorney (included on the     Filed herewith
             signature page to the registration
             statement)

<PAGE>
 
                                                                   Exhibit 23.01


INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of
Adelphia Communications Corporation on Form S-3 of our report dated June 10,
1998 and our report dated March 6, 1998 on our audits of the financial
statements of Adelphia Communications Corporation and subsidiaries and of
Olympus Communications, L.P. and subsidiaries, respectively, appearing in and
incorporated by reference in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Adelphia
Communications Corporation for the year ended March 31, 1998 and to the
reference to us under the heading "Experts" in the prospectus, which is part
of this Registration Statement.


/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
February 25, 1999


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