PITTSBURGH, July 9, 2014 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement on the need to focus on retransmission consent reform and not on TV Freedom’s distraction campaign:
“As cable customers learn almost monthly, prices keep rising because TV stations are abusing the broken retransmission consent rules to gouge consumers and force them to buy TV stations under archaic ‘must-buy’ requirements that some in Congress want to abolish. With its protected-class status coming under close scrutiny on Capitol Hill, the broadcast lobby is doing everything within its power to avoid a debate about reforming our communications laws in a way that prevents consumers from suffering through a record number of signal blackouts initiated by the same TV stations owners that are bankrolling TV Freedom’s mudslinging campaign against cable on Capitol Hill. TV Freedom is on the attack because the last thing it wants to debate is why ‘free TV’ is so expensive.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 850 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/