Web–based content and service providers that succeed in forcing broadband providers to pay
subscriber fees for their Internet content will cripple the national effort to deliver affordable broadband access to every U.S. household, the American Cable Association said in comments recently filed at the Federal Communications Commission.
Media giants are in the early stages of becoming Internet gatekeepers by requiring broadband providers to pay for their Web-based content and services and include them as part of basic Internet access for all subscribers. These content providers are also preventing subscribers who are interested in the content from independently accessing it on broadband networks of providers that have refused to pay. Read More / Comment on Story
ACA's advocacy is based on telling the stories of our cable operator members to policymakers in Washington. Hearing how public policy issues impact you and your business is very important.
So important, in fact, that we're offering a free, ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP to the ACA Summit to the cable operator that shares the most compelling story. The prize, valued at more than $1,500, includes roundtrip airfare, lodging at the Gaylord National Resort, and registration at the ACA Summit, including meals. The deadline to submit your story is Tuesday, March 26. For additional information and official contest rules, click here.
Do you have any questions or comments about the Broadband Initiatives included in the American Recoevery and Reinvestment Act?
ACA's advocacy is based on telling the stories of our cable operator members to policymakers in Washington. Hearing how public policy issues impact you and your business is very important. Submit your story below:
We thought we'd be lucky enough to avoid getting into any retransmission consent disputes during this round of talks, but we never expected to see the sorts of demands that were being put forth by Fisher Communications. The broadcaster demanded substantially higher fees than those being requested by the other station owners in our Portland, Oregon market. We were also told that their ABC affiliated would be yanked from our channel lineup unless we agreed to all of their prices, terms, and conditions.
The DTV delay bill, expected to be signed by the President, says stations may make the switch to digital before the June date, meaning there could be a rolling transition in some markets. However, the FCC retains the right to deny a broadcaster's request if it's not found to be in the public interest. Since the bill's passage, hundreds of stations have expressed interest in staying on track to transition in February.
Congressed passed a bill on January 28th to delay the transition from analog to digital television until June 12; however, the FCC said that those stations that wish to make the transition on February 17, the original date for the DTV switch, will have an option to do so.
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It may be seem incongruous with the concept of localism, butexisting Federal rules and regulations hamper my company's ability to offer itscustomers, all of whom reside in Minnesota,with broadcast stations that provide their state's news, weather and sports.
~ Gary Evans, CEO
January 10, 2008
On Thursday, January 3, ACA urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt changes to existing regulations to provide independent operators with more flexibility to provide consumers with choices and better value. ACA's filing comes in response to the FCC's request for comments in its rulemaking on the retransmission consent and program access rules.

"Our small size would make it difficult to handle a dual carriage obligation. I don't know how an operator in our situation affords the headend equipment and other costs."
"Year
after year, the broadcasters and programmers put pressure on our
company to add their affiliated networks to my basic programming
package resulting in a more bloated, costly tier with channels that my
customers neither want nor can afford. Most of our
Communication's customers in rural communities are satisfied receiving
only 65 channels as basic, especially those in low income areas - not
everyone wants to pay for 125 channels."

With the upcoming round of retransmission consent negotiations, we know that we'll be forced to pay fees to broadcasters for the first time, and unfortunately our customers will have to foot the bill. As a small cable operator, programming is our already largest expense by far, and we simply cannot absorb any more increases in our carriage fees.
~David Shipley, Business Manager
Independent cable operators face unique challenges that require special consideration by the FCC in terms of how it deals with the digital television transition to ensure requirements do not impact the consumers or communities served - specifically, the digital must-carry requirements. Read More
» Key Developments
» Press Releases
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» Filings, Testimonies, and Letters
» Resources
In order for small cable operators to provide their customers with popular programming, large programmers often make them provide undesired programming on their most widely subscribed to tiers. Consumers pay the price for this abusive practice with higher cable rates and programming that is not aligned with their interests. Read More
» Key Developments
» Press Releases
» Headlines
» Filings, Testimonies, and Letters
» Resources
When broadcasters abuse their market power to demand exorbitant fees from cable operators who want to offer their signals, consumers always pay the price. Broadcasters often discriminate against small and medium-sized cable operators, extracting retransmission consent fees at substantially higher per-subscriber rates than charged larger providers. Read More
» Key Developments
» Press Releases
» Headlines
» Filings, Testimonies, and Letters
» Write to Congress
» Write a Letter to the Editor
» Resources
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| 1 | ACA Praises Obama Administration For Affirming Vital Need For Funding Middle-Mile Projects With Broadband Stimulus Money |
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| 8 | FCC Comments regarding a National Broadband Plan for our Future |
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| 4 | FCC Comments regarding the Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2009 |
| 20 | FCC Comments regarding the Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming |
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In order to protect the interests of independent cable operators, it is essential that members of Congress understand and respect the important role that ACA's more than 900 small and medium sized companies play in delivering communications services to more than 7 million households across the United States.
Read More
| 26 | The Independent Show |
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America will transition to Digital Television on June 12, 2009. Independent cable operators are on the front lines to make sure that their customers are prepared for the change - as well as to ensure that Washington's demands don't interfere with their ability to continue to deliver quality programming and broadband services to customers. Read More


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List of Current ACA Associate Members