Public Knowledge Laments STELA Passage, Starts Petition to FCC
Public Knowledge lamented passage of Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization legislation last week -- "exactly what we feared," it emailed supporters Monday, pointing to "a special interest provision straight from the cable industry that could drive up cable…
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bill prices, reduce consumer choice, and hurt innovation across the TV industry." Public Knowledge referred to the bill's provision that would repeal the set-top box integration ban a year after enactment, a lobbying priority of NCTA and greatly feared and opposed by TiVo. "Now, devices like TiVo could be prevented from developing and competing in the video device marketplace," Public Knowledge said. "The rules previously in place ensured that all cable services and features remained available to consumers who chose to buy a third-party set-top box instead of rent a set-top box from their cable provider." It included a petition to the FCC: "We encourage the FCC to take action quickly on this in order to give consumers more choices and lower price options for set-top boxes and related devices consumers need for connecting to their service." The legislation also included language instructing the FCC to create a working group to find a CableCARD successor, which the agency has said it will do as soon as possible.