Blackburn Bill to Strip FCC Authority Even if Cable Reaches 70/70

BLACKBURN BILL TO STRIP FCC AUTHORITY EVEN IF CABLE REACHES 70/70
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Only hours after the Federal Communications Commission said it did not have sufficient data to conclude that the cable industry had met the so-called 70/70 threshold for possible regulation, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). a member of the House Commerce Committee, said she plans to introduce a bill that would prevent the FCC from using that benchmark to regulate cable even if the threshold were met. Rep Blackburn called that 70/70 authority "anachronistic at best and potentially dangerous at worst," and she wants that authority repealed. She added that the law -- passed in 1984 to ensure program diversity -- "provides the FCC authority to unilaterally regulate an industry, yet does not demand sound, scientific data to back up the market-penetration claim. In so doing," she said, "'70/70' authority allows for potentially nefarious abuse under a guise to regulate an already vibrant and competitive industry. The Consumer Freedom of Choice in Cable Act will eliminate that threat."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6506037.html?rssid=193

* FCC’s Decision on 70/70 Threshold Boosts Cable Stocks
Cable investors have not had much to cheer about in recent months, but the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to back off of imposing the 70/70 rule provided a catalyst. In a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 335 points, cable stocks rallied to some of their highest levels in weeks.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6506153.html?rssid=193

* Martin Defeat Spurs Cable Rally for Cable Stocks
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6506139.html?rssid=196

* Reaction Pours In Over FCC's 70/70 Retreat

- Free Press: "We greatly regret that the 70/70 item could not be approved yesterday. The record shows strong evidence that the standard has been met, and the public benefits of the policy are clear. However, we support the commission’s new initiative to collect fresh data and reach a finding as rapidly as possible."

- Parents Television Council: "The FCC and Congress need to listen to American families and consumers rather than to the banter of Washington power brokers and lobbyists for the cable industry. Some members of Congress have spoken out against the FCC’s rightful attempt to interpret existing federal law that would change the status quo within the cable industry for the benefit of families, consumers and minorities. Interestingly enough, many of those members are taking large campaign contributions from the cable industry. As the discussion continues, the PTC lauds chairman Martin for his leadership on the issue of cable choice and for his determination to hold the cable industry accountable to existing federal law. We also encourage the FCC to seek independent research on cable-subscriber numbers that will be pivotal in determining whether the so-called 70/70 threshold has been met, rather than allowing the cable industry to do its own Enron-type accounting."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6506147.html?rssid=193

* Martin and Copps Pull Out A Partial Win By Persuading Adelstein To Meet Them Halfway
[SOURCE: Tales from the Sausage Factory, AUTHOR: Harold Feld]
[Commentary] 1) On the ultimate "70/70" decision -- to require that all cable operators must report real subscriber numbers, including all MDU subscribers, for 2006 and 2007 -- Feld applauds Federal Communications Commission Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps and Adelstein (the latter with some reservation. "Given how thoroughly the cable guys appear to own the Republicans, the surprise is not that McDowell and Tate went with the cable boys but that Martin actually went ahead and defied them," Feld concludes. 2) He finds that the FCC adopted a "pretty good" order on cable leased access -- it will require cable operators to be more responsive, and generally force staff to get complaints processed quickly.
http://www.wetmachine.com/totsf/item/947