FCC proposal threatens Arlington (MA) community TV

The Federal Communications Commission is moving toward adopting a new rule that community television groups say would gut funding for public, educational and governmental channels. “The loser if that ends up happening will be the local taxpayer, the local cable subscriber and the everyday citizens who rely on access to public information that’s provided through these programs,” said Geoffrey C. Beckwith, executive director and CEO of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. The proposed rule, moving quickly toward regulatory approval, would allow major cable companies, such as Verizon Fios, Comcast Xfinity and RCN, to limit the amount of spending for community programming that has been negotiated as part of their licensing agreements with cities and towns. The FCC accepted public comments on the rule change until Nov. 14, but there is a 30-day period for the public to reply to comments already made, which ends Dec 14. “This is a textbook case of massive corporations using their power and their influence to try and lower their obligations and maximize their profits,” Beckwith said.