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The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Jenn Ettinger, 202-265-1490 x 35

Free Press: FCC Could Do More to Protect Consumers Caught in the Middle of Cable-Broadcast Spats

WASHINGTON

The Federal Communications Commission is expected to announce a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on retransmission-consent negotiations on Wednesday that would reportedly put in place a definition of good faith bargaining in cable-broadcast carriage disputes.

The announcement by FCC Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake follows an October spat between Fox and Cablevision, in which Fox pulled its channels from Cablevision's lineup, leaving the cable company's subscribers without key sporting events and news coverage.

Free Press Policy Counsel Corie Wright made the following statement:

"This is a good step toward resolving retransmission disputes, but the FCC will need to do more than just help cable companies and broadcasters. A definition of good faith bargaining does little to stop companies from threatening to pull channels from subscribers, and it does less to help consumers who have lost channels they paid for during a blackout.

"Both sides of this market are broken, and the only lasting fix will be empowering consumers with information about the prices and terms for carriage of each and every channel in their subscription, as well as giving them the right to opt out of paying for any unwanted channels. In the event of signals being pulled, consumers certainly should not have to continue to pay for channels that they no longer receive."

Free Press was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media. We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what's actually happening in their communities.

(202) 265-1490