Rich Fiscus
2 Dec 2007 15:15
Smarting from his failure to push through tighter controls on cable television providers, on Wednesday FCC Chairman Kevin Martin proposed a new rule that would cap the percentage of viewers a single cable company in the U.S. would be allowed to serve.
Martin has been the subject of much public criticism from cable companies, who argue that his tougher regulatory stance is out of step with the overall message coming from the President's office. Specifically, his latest proposal, which would limit any cable company to only serving 30% of TV viewers in any given area, appears to be aimed squarely at Comcast. If the proposal were to be passed Comcast would effectively be prevented from expanding further in many areas.
Earlier in the week Martin attempted to get commissioners to ratify another proposal that would have given the agency stricter regulatory control of U.S. cable television operators. That proposal was intended to enact provisions in a 1984 law that gives the FCC the responsibility to enact such controls when cable television is available to at least 70% of all U.S. households have the service available to them and at least 70% of those are actual cable subscribers. It was eventually withdrawn after objections by both cable industry representatives and FCC commissioners over the accuracy of a study Martin used to show market penetration.
Official discussion of his new proposal is scheduled for the Commissioners' December 18 meeting.
Source: New York Times