FCC: Cable Operators’ Leased-Access Reports Due July 15

The Federal Communications Commission gave cable operators until July 15 to file their annual reports outlining channel placements, rates, usage and complaints related to leased access. Those reports had been due April 30. Cable operators with more than 36 channels are required by FCC rules to set aside 10%-15% (depending on size) for commercial lease to outside parties. That is in addition to the channels they must set aside for public, educational and government use. The annual reporting requirement is one of several changes to those rules the FCC adopted in an order released Feb. 1 in an effort to make it easier to lease space on cable systems and create more competition to existing channels. Other changes included lowering the rates cable operators can charge and making the complaint process easier for complainants and arguably more rigorous for cable systems by requiring them to produce more documents.
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FCC Order
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-1021A1.doc