Peter Loge
11-21-2007, 05:30 AM
The FCC is slated to take up a number of media issues during their Nov. 27 public meeting - the complete agenda is here: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-278312A1.doc
The issue getting the most attention is the "70/70 rule" - whether or not 70% of American homes have access to cable television (which includes telephone companies offering programming but not direct broadcast satellite) and whether or not 70% of those homes subscribe to packages with 36 or more channels. If this threashold is met then the FCC can intervene and regulate the industry. FCC Chairman Martin says the test has been met, the other two Republicans on the FCC do not appear to agree, and that he is going ahead with the vote indicates he thinks that Democratic Commissioners Copps and Adelstein do think the 70/70 test has been met.
A number of people and groups are weighing in against the claim the FCC can now regulate cable, including House Republicans - this is from the Wall Street Journal, "24 House Republicans plan to deliver a letter to Mr. Martin, chiding him for a "misguided and harmful" proposal that would give the FCC more authority to regulate the cable industry. Mr. Martin's proposal is "inappropriate at best and contradicts the statute at worst," according to the letter, which was signed by all but two of 26 Republicans on the House Commerce Committee, including Reps. Joe Barton and Ralph Hall of Texas and former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. They are asking for more information about all cable regulation under consideration at the FCC and more information from Mr. Martin about why he believes the cable industry has grown large enough to trigger new regulations." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119551115421998409.html?mod=telecommunications_p rimary_hs)
TV Week does a good job of laying out the dispute and the players at http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/11/fcc_under_fire_about_new_cable.php.
Broadcasting & Cable writes (article abbreviated, the full piece is at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6504467.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228):
"As expected, chairman Kevin Martin scheduled a vote for a release of the video-competition report, which means that he either has the two Democratic commissioners lined up, since the Republicans expressed their concerns about an FCC finding that cable has met a deregulatory threshold, or he adjusted the item.
The commission is also scheduled to vote on the media-ownership review that has been ongoing for years, but not the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership part, since the chairman is accepting comments on that proposal through Dec. 11 and is expected to vote on that Dec. 18 unless Congress applies sufficient pressure to delay that timetable.
While the agenda does not spell out specifics, the item is described as "concerning initiatives designed to increase participation in the broadcasting industry by new entrants and small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses."
The chairman has also scheduled a vote on his proposal to increase broadcaster reporting requirements to include more detailed accounts of their public service.
Also on the agenda is an item to cut cable leased-access rights, perhaps by as much as 75%."
The issue getting the most attention is the "70/70 rule" - whether or not 70% of American homes have access to cable television (which includes telephone companies offering programming but not direct broadcast satellite) and whether or not 70% of those homes subscribe to packages with 36 or more channels. If this threashold is met then the FCC can intervene and regulate the industry. FCC Chairman Martin says the test has been met, the other two Republicans on the FCC do not appear to agree, and that he is going ahead with the vote indicates he thinks that Democratic Commissioners Copps and Adelstein do think the 70/70 test has been met.
A number of people and groups are weighing in against the claim the FCC can now regulate cable, including House Republicans - this is from the Wall Street Journal, "24 House Republicans plan to deliver a letter to Mr. Martin, chiding him for a "misguided and harmful" proposal that would give the FCC more authority to regulate the cable industry. Mr. Martin's proposal is "inappropriate at best and contradicts the statute at worst," according to the letter, which was signed by all but two of 26 Republicans on the House Commerce Committee, including Reps. Joe Barton and Ralph Hall of Texas and former House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois. They are asking for more information about all cable regulation under consideration at the FCC and more information from Mr. Martin about why he believes the cable industry has grown large enough to trigger new regulations." (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119551115421998409.html?mod=telecommunications_p rimary_hs)
TV Week does a good job of laying out the dispute and the players at http://www.tvweek.com/news/2007/11/fcc_under_fire_about_new_cable.php.
Broadcasting & Cable writes (article abbreviated, the full piece is at http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6504467.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228):
"As expected, chairman Kevin Martin scheduled a vote for a release of the video-competition report, which means that he either has the two Democratic commissioners lined up, since the Republicans expressed their concerns about an FCC finding that cable has met a deregulatory threshold, or he adjusted the item.
The commission is also scheduled to vote on the media-ownership review that has been ongoing for years, but not the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership part, since the chairman is accepting comments on that proposal through Dec. 11 and is expected to vote on that Dec. 18 unless Congress applies sufficient pressure to delay that timetable.
While the agenda does not spell out specifics, the item is described as "concerning initiatives designed to increase participation in the broadcasting industry by new entrants and small businesses, including minority- and women-owned businesses."
The chairman has also scheduled a vote on his proposal to increase broadcaster reporting requirements to include more detailed accounts of their public service.
Also on the agenda is an item to cut cable leased-access rights, perhaps by as much as 75%."