Cable lobby to sue Trump FCC over repeal of national TV ownership cap
Cable industry to sue, says FCC can't repeal TV ownership limit set by Congress.
Cable industry to sue, says FCC can't repeal TV ownership limit set by Congress.
The short version
- Cable industry to sue, says FCC can’t repeal TV ownership limit set by Congress.
- Cable lobby groups notified the Federal Communications Commission that they will sue the agency to block its controversial repeal of the National Television Ownership Rule, which limits the number of broadcast TV stations a single company may own.
- Top cable companies have also expanded through mergers.
What happened
Charter completed a purchase of Cox in August after the FCC rejected protests by advocacy groups that said the cable deal “would create unchecked gatekeeper power over Internet distribution” and make it easier for the biggest cable companies to raise prices. The FCC voted to eliminate the TV ownership rule on August 6, and finally published the repeal order on its website on October 1 after an unusually long delay.
Why it matters
The delay may be explained by the FCC shoring up its legal arguments in anticipation of lawsuits because the agency is claiming authority to repeal a limit set by Congress over 20 years ago.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.