FCC's cable TV ruling cannot be allowed to stand

By a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission has put limits on cable franchise fees, with the FCC's three Republicans voting in favor. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposal appears to have come from Eugene's (OR) attempt to charge Comcast with a 7 percent franchise fee. It's unfortunate that Eugene opened this Pandora's Box but one community's misguided decision to break the agreement is not an excuse to end it. The FCC commissioner may have been waiting for an opportunity he could exploit to change the ground rules.

Pittsfield (MA) Community Television has for years provided subscribers with a live window into the workings of the Pittsfield City Council while offering a host of governmental and educational programs, along with telecasts of community events. This fall, it will offer public debates among candidates for mayor of Pittsfield and other city offices. Public access channels from North Berkshire to South Berkshire (MA) provide similar programs. The value of these stations far exceeds the modest cost of providing them paid for by the cable giants. The FCC's action is ripe for a lawsuit on the basis of it violating the Cable Act and ideally it will overturned. Failing that, we urge the cable companies to honor current contracts within the Berkshires and continue to pay their access fees. Considering both the always climbing cable bills paid by Berkshire subscribers and the access the companies have to Berkshire rights-of-way it is truly the least they can do.