Cable Industry Fights For Exclusive Programming

[TransitJohn]

After beating back FCC 30% ownership ban
03:57PM Friday Sep 11 2009 by Karl Bode
tags: legal · competition · fcc · business
Back in 1992, Congress passed the Cable Act (pdf), which required the FCC set a growth limit preventing any one TV carrier from serving more than 30% of the pay TV market. It also forced cable companies to share their company-owned networks with other pay TV rivals, out of a fear that cable/broadcast conglomerates were simply too powerful. With Comcast recently striking down the 30% cap, Cablevision and Comcast are now trying to use that victory as a launching pad to strike down programming exclusivity restrictions as well. Cable lawyers are arguing that the industry's now so competitive, such restrictions are unnecessary. Cablevision has been feuding with AT&T and Verizon over the cable operator's unwillingness to share the Cablevision-owned MSG HD network with telco and satellite rivals.

Broadband Reports

[DJ13]

1. The cable industry reminds me of health insurers

They claim they have sufficient competition to require new rules to allow them to grow further (by increasing marketshare or increasing rates) while they maintain oligopolies across the country that sees them as sole providers in most areas.