Comcast, Time Warner: We Sought No Adelphia Deferral

COMCAST, TIME WARNER: WE SOUGHT NO ADELPHIA DEFERRAL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Comcast and Time Warner have told the FCC's General Counsel that they have not asked the commission to "defer action" on their planned acquisition of Adelphia or "expressed a preference for a date by which they hope the proceeding will be resolved." The companies did say they had provided "periodic updates to the Commission on the status of the [Adelphia] bankruptcy process, the conclusion of which is a prerequisite to closing the Adelphia transactions." The letter was prompted by one to the general counsel by Media Access Project Monday asking GC Robert Feder to look into possible violations of ex parte rules. That MAP letter, in turn, stemmed from a press conference in which FCC Chairman Kevin Martin talked to reporters about a variety of subjects. MAP cited a number of press accounts, including B&C's (which it quoted), reporting that Chairman Martin "implied that he had been asked to defer action on the Adelphia matter at the request of certain parties." If so, said, MAP, that should have been disclosed it as an ex parte communication.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6318093?display=Breaking+News
* Comcast, TW: MAP Request ‘Reckless’
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6318098.html?display=Breaking+News