Pay TV providers and media activists unveiled a group to press fo...
Pay TV providers and media activists unveiled a group to press for conditions on Adelphia’s takeover, as had been expected (CD Jan 18 p1). The Competition & Diversity Coalition on the Adelphia Transaction (CADCAT) wants FCC and FTC curbs…
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on the proposed $17.6 billion deal, to prevent Comcast and Time Warner from limiting the availability of local programming such as sports. “Comcast and Time Warner have used their regional market dominance to deny DBS customers irreplaceable hometown sports programming,” said DirecTV’s Susan Eid in a CADCAT statement Wed.: “All competitors [should] have fair market access to local sports.” Time Warner responded that the market for programming is fair. It’s “very robust and competitive and getting more so,” said a company spokeswoman. Customers will benefit from the deal by getting services including VoIP from Time Warner, which isn’t currently available from Adelphia, she said. Adelphia and Comcast had no comment on CADCAT. CADCAT may increase pressure on the FCC to scrutinize Adelphia’s purchase, said one observer. “There is a very realistic possibility that coalitions such as this could lead to conditions being imposed on the deal,” said Progress & Freedom Foundation’s Adam Thierer. However, he said: “For more conditions to be imposed now would be a bit troubling and potentially a tad bit dangerous because it could derail the deal entirely.” He said the family packages recently unveiled by Time Warner and Comcast constitute a “voluntary” condition related to Adelphia at least in his analysis.