American Cable Association (ACA) President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval of the Liberty Media / DIRECTV merger:
“On behalf of independent, small and medium-sized cable operators, the American Cable Association (ACA) commends the FCC in requiring Liberty Media / DIRECTV to abide by program access, program carriage, regional sports network arbitration, and retransmission consent arbitration conditions. The combination of a nationwide program distributor with a program supplier can result in public interest harms, particularly in smaller markets and rural areas served by independent cable companies. These conditions will ensure consumers continue to receive Liberty Media programming through independent cable operators at nondiscriminatory rates, terms, and conditions, and will prevent Liberty Media from using temporary foreclosure strategies to secure higher rates for their content.”
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About the American Cable Association
Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a national association of small, locally-based cable TV companies providing advanced broadband services primarily in rural markets. The Association represents smaller and medium-sized independent cable businesses through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C. ACA’s nearly 1,100 member companies serve more than 7 million subscribers in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.americancable.org.