MAP Maps Out Cable Re-Reg

MAP MAPS OUT CABLE RE-REG
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Saying the cable business has become sufficiently dominant that the FCC needs to step in, media consolidation critic Media Access Project (MAP) has proposed a laundry list of "fixes." MAP et. al. (including the Benton Foundation) were responding to the FCC's request for input on whether the FCC has met the 70/70 test for cable dominance, which would then free the FCC, by statute, to promulgate regulations to ensure diversity of programming. They say the test -- 70% cable penetration with 70% of those taking cable -- has been met and that means the FCC can do a host of things that promote program diversity which they argue has suffered under a consolidated cable industry. But while the cable industry reads the law narrowly and says the test applies only to regulations regarding the pricing of leased-access channels, MAP argues that, instead, it was a way to give the FCC broad re-regulatory powers if it turned out that the leased-access set-aside was not insuring program diversity. Saying that competition is diminishing and diversity suffering, MAP wants the FCC to: 1) strengthen leased access provisions and boost and public, educational and government (PEG) channels; 2) mandate open broadband access; 3) impose a cap on cable ownership; 4) and eliminate the so-called terrestrial loophole that does not require cable operators to give competitors access to programming that is not delivered by satellite.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6321754.html?display=Breaking...
* MAP's comments are available online at http://www.mediaaccess.org/Section612Comments.pdf