Sen. Franken calls on FCC to enforce merger conditions on Comcast

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/175515-franken-tells-fcc-to-enforce-merger-conditions-on-comcast

Sen. Al Franken wrote to the Federal Communications Commission and Justice Department on Thursday urging them to enforce a condition attached to the NBC Universal-Comcast merger that requires all news channels to be grouped in the same neighborhood.

Franken called Comcast's attempt to challenge the condition rather than negotiate to reach a solution a troubling indication the cable giant plans to fight over the language of the merger conditions rather than attempt to implement them in good faith.

(snip)
"We have seen a trend over the last two decades of FCC and DOJ acquiescence to large media/telecommunications mergers. Many of these mergers have been sold to the public based on the strength and number of conditions that are imposed on the transaction," Franken said.

"But conditions mean absolutely nothing if the corporation cannot be trusted to implement them in a full and transparent manner and if there is minimal enforcement of the corporation's efforts to skirt the requirements of the deal."

[valerief]

1. Another sternly worded letter to be ignored by the 800 pound gorillas. nt

[MADem]

2. I have to say I don't think I'll ever get over my delight in seeing the words Senator and Franken so

close together....wonder what that asshole Coleman is up to? Looks like he's whoring for a law firm in DC, these days; he is "NOT a registered lobbyist" because that way, he can break all the rules--he's the cheap little asslicker who takes the bums out to dinner and picks up the check, while the LOBBYIST pitches the message du jour--dispicable: http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2011/04/colemanhoganlovells.html

Anyway, back to the main point--right on AL. Someone needs to ride herd on these bastards. Remember a few years ago, when FAUX stayed in the "basic" tier and MSNBC got shoved up to Channel 1000 (hyperbole, but it was in the hundreds) so that basic cable users couldn't get MSNBC, which previously was on channel forty in my area? That's one way to restrict speech--put the opinions you don't like out of the financial reach of people who can't afford premium cable! Mendacious fuckers!

[monmouth]

3. I have Direct TV...Fox Channel 3...MSNBC..Channel 46..I see your point but

actually Fox is on 2 and also on 39, CNN on 29..

[MADem]

4. The problem is with our right wing pals at COMCAST, you see.

They're the ones who put MSNBC out of reach of basic cable subscribers right before the 08 election.

I remember, because I griped like a sonofabitch about it. If you didn't upgrade, you didn't get the station--AND, you couldn't get it on your "cheap cable" TVs, only the one with the high end box.

If all the news stations are lumped into the same tier, none of that nonsense can happen. The news will have a measure of "democracy" with a little d, and everyone from left to right can get their fix without having to pay for premium cable or a special high-end box to receive the signal.