FCC Dismisses Word Net Complaint Against Comcast

The Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau has dismissed a complaint, filed by The Word Network (TWN), that Comcast had violated a condition of its merger with NBCU, saying it had to make a prima facie case, and did not, and that digital rights are not attributable interests that create an affiliation relationship. The case was resolved by the Media Bureau under delegated authority.

TWN had alleged that Comcast discriminated against it by reducing its carriage without a valid business reason and by seeking exclusive digital rights to TWN online, which it said violated the nondiscrimination and financial interest conditions The Media Bureau said wrong on both counts, or at least a case had not been made. "After reviewing the complaint, we find that TWN has failed to put forth sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case that Comcast discriminated against it in violation of the non-discrimination condition by reducing distribution of TWN or by demanding exclusive digital rights to TWN’s programming," the Bureau said.