Mass Media Notes
Several groups that didn’t sign a petition to the FCC on retransmission consent by a wide array of pay-TV providers told us they support changing the system and may take part in the resulting proceeding. (See separate story in this…
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issue.) Consumers Union is concerned that cable customers will face higher costs as the operators and channel owners resolve disputes by paying more for the programming. It probably will file in the docket, analyst Joel Kelsey said, but it’s “far from definite.” The Media Access Project, which believes the system “is out of balance,” got the petition too late to decide whether to sign on, President Andrew Schwartzman said. “It was given to us at the 11th hour,” he said. “I still haven’t read it super-closely, but there are some statements in the petition with which MAP would not be in complete agreement. However, we agree with the fundamental arguments, and the remedies requested.” Cox Communications wasn’t among those filing the petition. A spokesman declined to say why. The NCTA didn’t sign the petition, “but we do support changes to the retransmission consent process,” a spokesman said, declining to say what those changes are.