Bishops Push for Leased Access Review

BISHOPS PUSH FOR LEASED ACCESS REVIEW
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The United States Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Center for Digital Democracy and the Benton Foundation are taking the FCC to task for what they say is the FCC's "neglect" of its oversight role, which they argue has negative impacted program diversity. In comments filed at the FCC, they argue that current FCC leased-access rules setting aside 10%-15% of cable channels for unaffiliated entities--have instead "deterred non-affiliated programmers from using leased access, further entrenched cable operators' hold on video programming, and have not resolved the harms that the leased access provisions were designed to address, such as cable operators' lack of incentive to provide programming with divergent interests." The religious leaders are concerned about access to those channels for religious programming. The comments came in response to the FCC's annual state of video competition report, which was released last month. In the report, the FCC concluded that consumers now have a choice, on average, of broadcast, cable, and two satellite services for their TV, as well as increased offers of bundled services -- TV, Internet access, phone. It also concluded that rather than necessarily lowering cable prices, wired incumbents have responded by adding more services.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6321463?display=Breaking+News
* See press release:
http://www.democraticmedia.org/news/washingtonwatch/FCCleasedaccess.html