PITTSBURGH, December 15, 2016 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding FCC Chairman Wheeler’s intention to resign his position on Jan. 20, 2017:
“ACA wishes FCC Chairman Wheeler nothing but success as he enters a new phase in his celebrated career in the world of communications, both in government and the private sector. Although we did not see eye to eye on some very big issues, ACA appreciates that Chairman Wheeler was an able steward of the nation’s communications laws and was someone who always gave independent cable the opportunity to be heard and receive full and fair consideration.
“The decision not to fully address the broken retransmission consent regime was a disappointment. But under Chairman Wheeler’s direction, the FCC did take some key steps to curb TV stations’ abuse of their regulatory advantages over smaller multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), including, but not limited to, the FCC’s landmark decision in March, 2014 to ban retransmission consent collusion among non-commonly owned TV stations serving in the same local market. Moreover, in numerous Orders, in response to ACA’s requests, the FCC provided small cable, broadband and phone providers with exemptions, waivers, and extended compliance deadlines, and granted other special considerations to ease their regulatory burdens.
“Consistent with its bipartisan approach to finding the right policy outcomes, ACA looks forward to working with Chairman Wheeler’s successor in continuing to move the country forward and delivering the broadband abundance that consumers so badly want and deserve.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/