FCC Aide: Martin Wants 30% Cable Cap

FCC AIDE: MARTIN WANTS 30% CABLE CAP
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
A cable operator would be barred from serving more than 30% of pay television subscribers under a proposal backed by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin. The proposal puts him at odds with Comcast, the nation's leading cable giant, which has advocated elimination of a rigid ownership limit, citing "revolutionary changes" in the video-programming-distribution market. Chairman Martin has distributed his proposal as a possible item for the March 22 FCC meeting. Chairman Martin’s support for a 30% cap shouldn't come as a surprise to the cable industry. Since taking office in March 2005, he has complained about cable-rate increases and the industry's refusal to provide programming on an a la carte basis. He ordered his staff to reject a set-top-box wavier sought by Comcast, which the MSO sought in an effort to transition its network to digital-only in the most efficient manner economically. Now, he is pushing for rules that would force cable carriage of additional local-TV-station programming.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6424112.html?display=Breaking+News

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