Mediacom Meets With FCC Over Rulemaking Petition
Programmers’ bundling of content is driving up the cost of cable packages beyond the most basic services, said Mediacom Group Vice President-Legal and Public Affairs Tom Larsen in meetings last week with FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Media Bureau Chief Bill…
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Lake, aides to Chairman Tom Wheeler, aides to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and Media Bureau and Office of General Counsel staff, said an ex-parte filing posted in RM 11728 Monday. Larsen discussed the arguments for limiting a content company’s ability to require bundles laid out in a Mediacom rulemaking petition (see 1410020048), and said the issue also makes it harder for cable operators to increase broadband capacity. “The cost demands associated with the programmers’ practices impeded expansion of broadband service into new areas,” Larsen said. Adopting rules preventing such practices is within FCC authority under the Communications Act, he said.