CenturyLink wants Congress to update the 1992 Cable Act

CenturyLink has made a plea to the House Commerce Committee to reform the 1992 Cable Act so new entrants in the video services race can more effectively negotiate prices for content.

Emerging video players like CenturyLink lack the buying power of incumbent cable operators like Comcast, which have more clout with content owners to negotiate more favorable terms. This means that programmers don't have a lot of incentive to offer reasonable terms to newer players, which the telecommunications company says "effectively deprives consumers of the benefits of competition." "CenturyLink believes the Cable Act should be amended to give providers the right to carry national programming from an adjacent or alternate market during a breakdown in retransmission consent negotiations, thus preserving competition and protecting consumers from programming blackouts," said David Bartlett, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs for CenturyLink. "Consumers benefit from more choices and more competition, not less."