Cablevision Appeals FCC Terrestrial Exemption Ruling

Cablevision has quietly challenged the Federal Communications Commission's decision to close the terrestrial exemption. That exemption had excluded terrestrially delivered cable networks, like many regional sports nets, from the FCC's rule mandating access to competing distributors of networks in which a distributor has a financial interest. Cablevision is appealing "on the grounds that the order exceeds the commission's jurisdiction and authority; is contrary to constitutional right; violates the Communications Act of 1934, the Administrative Procedure Act, or other statutes; and is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise contrary to law." Rather than appealing the decision at the FCC, the company went straight to the court. The petition to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit as filed March 15