ACA's Milestones 1993-2008

May 1993

Independent Cable Operators Organize

The American Cable Association (ACA), first known as the Small Cable Business Association, was founded as 150 independent cable operators gathered in Kansas City to fight against government re-regulation of cable in the 1992 Cable Act.

June 1994

FCC Grants Rate Relief to Small Ops

Through ACA's efforts, the FCC approved small system rate relief rules that began to give independent operators relief from rate regulation under the 1992 Cable Act.

September 1996

Congress Deregulates Small Op Rates

Because of ACA's efforts, Congress passed legislation that provided rate deregulation for small cable operators.

March 1999

New Name Reflects National Reach

Our organization changed its name from the Small Cable Business Association to the American Cable Association to reflect independent operators' presence and impact across America.

July 2000

Testimony Raises Concerns About AOL-Time Warner Merger

ACA Board Chairman Steve Weed testified before the FCC regarding the AOL-Time Warner merger and the marketplace harm to consumers and independent cable operators caused by increasing media consolidation.

October 2000

ACA and NCTC Form Alliance

ACA and the NCTC formed a strategic membership alliance to give greater voice to independent cable operators' concerns in Washington, D.C., and throughout the cable industry.

March 2001

ACA Testifies on Negative Impacts of Carriage Mandates

ACA Board Chairman Steve Weed testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet regarding "Digital Television: A Private Sector Perspective on the Transition." Weed emphasized that digital carriage mandates forced on independent cable operators will take away much-needed channel capacity to provide new and advanced services desired by consumers.

November 2001

ACA Christens Cable Center

ACA's Executive Committee christened the Cable Center in Denver by holding the first official meeting in the gleaming new structure, where ACA commissioned the ACA Conference Room to celebrate the history and accomplishments of independent cable operators.

February 2002

ACA Opposes EchoStar-DirectTV Merger

ACA filed a petition to stop the EchoStar-DirectTV merger, which was ultimately defeated at the FCC.

September 2002

ACA Chair Testifies on Barriers to Digital Broadcast

ACA Board Chairman Jim Gleason testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet on the barriers to the deployment of digital broadcast television.

October 2002

ACA Supports Exclusivity Ban Extension

ACA worked to have the program access exclusivity ban extended until 2007. In addition, ACA filed a petition of inquiry at the FCC regarding the tying and bundling practices of media conglomerates.

June 2003

HITS Available to Independent Cable

As a result of ACA's efforts, the FCC imposed conditions on the Comcast/AT&T merger ensuring availability of HITS to independent operators.

December 2003

FCC Imposes Merger Conditions

After intense lobbying by ACA, the government imposed retransmission consent and regional sports network conditions on the DirectTV and News Corp. merger.

May 2004

ACA Raises Parity Concerns

Matt Polka testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet regarding independent cable's parity concerns with the implementation of the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act.

July 2004

ACA Supports Local Choice

In an FCC filing, ACA asserted that local consumers and companies, not media conglomerates, should determine local programming choices.

ACA Past Board Chairman Ben Hooks testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet that continued congressional scrutiny is needed to rein in programming conglomerates, and that this congressional hearing is the first step to address issues of choice, localism and cost.

January 2005

ACA Kicks Off Retrans Consent Initiatives

ACA hit the ground running on retransmission consent reform. In response to a public inquiry opened by the FCC to evaluate regulations that prevent independent operators from negotiating with neighboring television stations for broadcast signals, ACA stressed the need for such rights to combat high costs that prevent subscribers from receiving programming they want.

February 2005

FCC and ACA See Eye-to-Eye on Multicasting

After providing the FCC with detailed information regarding the bandwidth and technical requirements necessary for independent operators to carry multiple broadcast digital signals, ACA hailed the Commission's decision to reject broadcasters' call for mandatory carriage of multiple digital broadcast streams.

March 2005

ACA's Voice Gains Nationwide Attention

Building upon the efforts launched in January 2005, ACA pulled out all of the stops to educate policymakers on the negative repercussions of retransmission consent practices.

In a Petition for Rulemaking filed with the FCC, ACA argued for competition in the retrans marketplace and urged the FCC to allow operators to seek lower-cost alternatives outside of the local market when a station demands consideration for carriage. More than 70 companies, national organizations and independent programmers from across the country supported ACA on this matter. In addition, ACA cited the lopsided pricing platforms of DBS versus cable and urged the FCC to establish rate parity to combat the burdens that high regulatory fees place on independent operators. ACA's activity garnered editorial coverage throughout the nation, yielding an unprecedented reach with more than 2.2 million impressions.

April 2005

Digital Transition and Good Faith Negotiations Take Center Stage

As a testament to the level of interest ACA generated in its efforts on retransmission consent, Jim Gleason, Chairman of ACA and President and COO of New Wave Communications, was invited to testify before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet on video competition issues. Gleason outlined several major independent operator issues that needed to be considered, including retransmission consent reform, breaking up the major programmer tying and bundling, and giving more choice and flexibility to cable operators and consumers in creating programming packages that work in local communities. In late April, ACA filed comments regarding the good faith negotiation rules for broadcast television stations. In the FCC filing, ACA called for the clarification of several points in the ruling and requested guidelines to prevent broadcasters' abuse of the rules.

May 2005

Members Flock to Washington, Summit Attendance Doubles

To help ACA's message resonate more than 179 attendees took part in the 12th Annual Washington Summit. The event in Washington, D.C. involved more than 140 appointments at congressional offices and compelling speeches from Jerry Kent, CEO of Cebridge Connections, and Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Kent provided attendees with keen insight into retransmission consent, adding that he fully supported ACA's views. Senator Stevens also touched on retransmission consent, noting that he had only just become aware of the burdens it placed on independent operators, but that a level playing field was necessary. Stevens stated that he planned to conduct a hearing on the issue. Later in May, ACA Vice Chairman Patrick Knorr of Sunflower Broadband testified before the House Telecom Subcommittee on the DTV transition and the unique impact on independent cable operators.

June 2005

Independent Ops Celebrate Brand X Decision

ACA and its members celebrated the Supreme Court ruling that cable systems are not required to provide access to competing high-speed data providers. ACA noted that the court's decision encourages the investment in and deployment of high-speed services in smaller and rural markets.

July 2005

Knorr Heads to the Hill; Buford Media Grabs the Cover

In the height of summer, Patrick Knorr, Vice Chairman of ACA and General Manager of Sunflower Broadband, testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's hearing on the transition to digital television. Knorr shared the transition's impact on cable operators and consumers in smaller and rural markets. Also during the hot month of July, CableWORLD named Buford Media as the Independent Operator of the Year. The Buford Media team graced the cover of the magazine which included several feature articles highlighting the company's successful strategies for battling satellite competition and deploying advanced services. ACA applauded Buford's well-deserved recognition and the limelight the award provided for independent cable's achievements.

September 2005

Summit Activity Yields Invites from Congressmen

During ACA's 2005 Washington Summit, ACA made appointments for Steve Friedman of Wave Broadband and Eric Galbreath of Rennselear TV to meet with elected officials and congressional staff. The face time paid off, as Friedman was subsequently invited to testify at Congressman Jay Inslee's (D-WA) field hearing on DTV transition, and Galbreath received an invitation to attend Congressman Steve Buyer's (R- IN) roundtable discussion on the Barton-Dingell legislation that would overhaul the 1996 Telecommunications Act.

October 2005

Gleason Sets the Record Straight On CBNC; ACA Provides Tools to Educate Consumers on Retrans Consent

ACA Chairman Jim Gleason contacted CNBC Show "Squawk Box" to dispute economist John Rutledge's statement that there isn't broadband service in rural areas. As a result, Gleason was invited to set the record straight on the show's October 5 program. By sharing his side of the story, Gleason helped raise public awareness of ACA's mission and of the issues affecting independent cable operators and the consumers they serve. In addition, ACA worked with the NCTC to produce materials that members used to inform their customers of the impact of retransmission consent.

November 2005

ACA Tackles Indecency and A La Carte; ACA's Value Applauded in CableFAX

Matt Polka, President and CEO of ACA, participated in a Senate Commerce Committee roundtable discussion along with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and 25 other key industry groups, programmers and all four major networks to discuss indecency, retransmission consent, and consumer choice and flexibility in programming packages. Polka urged Congress and the FCC to tackle indecency issues by reforming retransmission consent and breaking up tying and bundling, thereby giving independent cable operators the flexibility to customize programming packages that would be suitable for their customers. In the November 29 issue of CableFAX Daily, a publication which reaches more than 14,000 industry executives, Curtis Symonds in the "Symonds Says" article, listed cable-related items for which he's most grateful, "I'm thankful for Matt Polka and the ACA for never letting us stray too far from the principles upon which this industry was founded."

December 2005

CableFAX 100 Gives Independent Cable High Rankings!

In recognition of the great strides ACA and its members have made in achieving visibility for independent cable throughout the industry and in Washington, D.C., several ACA representatives were named to the CableFAX 100, a list of cable's top influencers.

Matt Polka was ranked #47 for "girding for a huge fight over retransmission consent for several years." Ben Hooks, President of ACA member company Buford Media, garnered the #61 spot for blazing trails in deployment of advanced services. Frank Hughes of NCTC snagged the #30 spot for his efforts to leverage purchasing power for independent cable operators. Jim Gleason, President and COO of New Wave Communications; Patrick Knorr, VP/GM of Sunflower Broadband; and Dave Keefe, CEO of Atlantic Broadband, were also cited on the magazine's influential list for their passionate efforts in 2005. "What is most important is not that we as individuals are recognized," said ACA's Polka, "but that through our actions the concerns, importance and voice of ACA's members are recognized and appreciated throughout the cable industry."

January 2006

Report Quantifies Harm of Retrans Consent Abuse

ACA set the pace for the year by releasing research findings that quantified the economic harm caused by media consolidation and retransmission consent abuse. The report compiled by Arlen Communications helped to substantiate ACA's call for regulatory reform.

Matt Polka Testifies before the Senate Commerce Committee

On January 31, 2006, ACA President and CEO Matt Polka testified in a hearing on video content about the harms of retransmission consent and the abuse of media conglomerates in their negotiations and dealings with smaller, independent cable operators.

March 2006

USA Today Exposé

On March 2, this leading national newspaper exposed programmers' practice of tying and bundling in an article featuring statements by Matt Polka, President and CEO of ACA, and Rocco Commisso, CEO of Mediacom.

April 2006

Record-Breaking Summit Attendance

Like the renowned cherry blossoms, ACA's members came out in full force in the spring, exceeding 2005 Summit attendance by 22 percent and establishing a new high with a total of 218 attendees.

July 2006

ACA Earns Local-into-Local Signals for Members

ACA Chairman Patrick Knorr testified before the Senate Commerce Committee at a hearing on the digital transition. Knorr talked about the digital cliff effect and the possibility of rural cable operators losing digital broadcast signals due to poor signal strength. As part of his testimony, Knorr said access by independent cable to local-into-local satellite signals was a must. Following the hearing, the ACA approached broadcast, satellite and other service groups to suggest that they make such services available to independent operators that cannot receive good quality off-air broadcast signals. Within weeks, a business proposal was on the table, and ACA's members were able to begin receiving local-into-local signals through Turner Media Group and EchoStar.

Indie Ops Get Seat at Barton's Table

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) honored his promise to Congressmen Nathan Deal (R-GA) and Charles Bass (R-NH) and held a roundtable discussion on the issue of retransmission consent. It was the first time this issue was discussed and vetted before the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Independent cable was pleased to participate. Chris Cinnamon of Cinnamon Mueller, ACA's outside legal counsel, provided the chairman with examples of unfair negotiations and broadcaster misbehavior in the marketplace. ACA said it was the first step in getting a congressional committee engaged in an open, fact-finding dialogue on the issue.

The Independent Show Takes the Windy City by Storm; Drake Honored for Grassroots Efforts

ACA joined with NCTC to re-brand the two organizations' annual meetings into the largest independent operator event of the year. The event, re-christened "The Independent Show," attracted 1,053 attendees and featured several educational sessions, a sold-out exhibit hall and memorable evening events. During the event, ACA honored Mike Drake of Milestone Communications for his extensive advocacy efforts by presenting him with the Lyn Simpson Grassroots Spirit Award.

Handing Over of the Gavel

Jim Gleason of New Wave Communications was honored with the Leadership Award for the success ACA achieved under his tenure as chairman of the board. Upon the conclusion of Gleason's term, ACA's members elected Patrick Knorr of Sunflower Broadband as chair and Dave Keefe of Atlantic Broadband as vice-chair.

Ongoing Efforts with the FCC

ACA filed a petition for stay at the FCC regarding waivers for smaller operators required to comply with EAS regulations.

Patriot Media Named Independent Operator of the Year

In ACA's continuing efforts to provide industrywide visibility for independent cable operators' achievements, perspectives and significance, our organization once again joined with CableWorld and NCTC to sponsor this award. The recipient was featured as the cover story in the July 31 issue of CableWorld, bringing the unique challenges and innovations employed by independent operators to the forefront.

August 2006

ACA Provides Perspectives on Telecom Bill Considerations

ACA worked with several members of the Energy and Commerce Committee in the House and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation throughout the hearing process to ensure that our members' views on important issues such as net neutrality and the need for a level playing field in the franchising process.

Efforts Expanded at the Copyright Office

ACA continued to monitor the Petition for Rulemaking by the MPAA at the Copyright Office. This proposed rulemaking would impact cable operator copyright reporting practices. In addition, ACA filed comments on the Compulsory License Notice of Inquiry with the Copyright Office for carriage of Digital Broadcast Signals.

ACA Asks FCC to Reconsider EAS Waivers

In July, the FCC arbitrarily denied Emergency Alert System (EAS) waivers for any operator with more than 100 subscribers. While some applicants received financial hardship waivers in the past, this time they were systematically denied even if their financial situation had declined or remained unchanged. As a result, on August 1, the ACA petitioned the FCC Enforcement Bureau for a stay of enforcing its July decision on EAS compliance until the FCC resolves the ACA's petition for reconsideration filed the same day. ACA's petition documents how the action imposes undue financial hardship on hundreds of very small cable systems and will force many systems to shut down entirely.

ACA Argues that All VoIP Is Not Alike

On August 9, the ACA filed comments with the FCC detailing why the 64.9% interim safe harbor set in the VoIP/USF Order is not appropriate for ACA members offering VoIP and how the inappropriately high level will impede the deployment of competitive voice services and broadband in smaller markets and rural areas. In its comments, ACA requests that the FCC distinguish between interconnected VoIP services and peer-to-peer voice services.

ACA Joins with NCTC to Have FCC Enforce News/Hughes Conditions

ACA sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin about the importance of News/Hughes conditions imposed on the DirecTV merger and the importance of these conditions to the survival of independent cable serving rural markets. ACA joined with NCTC in meetings at the FCC to illustrate the importance of allowing a third-party to negotiate sports rights and to discuss how Fox has averted the intention of the FCC order.

ACA Fights Alongside Armstrong at the FCC

ACA and Cinnamon Mueller joined ACA member company Armstrong for a series of FCC meetings regarding the impact of the low-cost set-top box integration ban. Armstrong executives provided real-life examples and demonstrations of boxes covered by the ban and what their discontinued use will mean to consumers.

Senate Judiciary Committee on CALEA

At the invitation of Senator Mike DeWine's office (R-OH), ACA and our counsel attended a Judiciary Committee meeting to share insight on how proposed CALEA legislation will impact independent cable operators.

ACA Testifies Against Verizon Legislation in Pennsylvania

On August 8 and 22, ACA President and CEO Matt Polka testified in public hearings in Pennsylvania regarding special legislative help sought by Verizon to enter the video marketplace in Pennsylvania. During his testimony, Polka stated that existing franchise rules are not a barrier to entry for Verizon. In his concluding remarks, Polka said, "Telephone executives are asking Pennsylvania to trade away consumer protections in favor of untested reforms with speculative benefits. Instead of lobbying for special favors, Verizon should be encouraged to go out into the marketplace and compete."

ACA Works with Federal Agencies

ACA met with staff from National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) regarding the digital television transition and the analog converter coupon program.

September 2006

FACTS: ACA Creates Retransmission Consent Coalition to Set the Record Straight

ACA created a coalition to educate consumers and policymakers about the real-life impact of retransmission consent and advocate legislative reform. The resulting group was dubbed Fair Access to Content for Television Subscribers (FACTS). Participating companies included Armstrong Cable, Atlantic Broadband, Bresnan Communications, Cable One, Charter Communications, Harron Communications, Mediacom Communications, Millennium Digital Media, Sunflower Broadband, Wave Broadband, Wide Open West, and the ACA.

ACA Files Comments Supporting the Bend Broadband Set-Top Box Waiver

Adding to efforts to support our members in their battle against the set-top box shot clock, ACA sent the FCC comments supporting Bend Broadband's waiver request.

October 2006

Pennsylvania Drops Support of Verizon Legislation

After public hearings in which ACA participated, Pennsylvania lawmakers dropped their support of legislation that would have allowed Verizon Communications to bypass the local franchise system and instead obtain one statewide franchise for cable television service.

Telecom National Franchising Bill Fails

The controversial telecom bill featuring a provision for national video franchise licenses that would enable the Bell companies to enter cable markets without requiring them to deliver service to the entire franchise area failed to pass in 2006. ACA worked with several members of the Energy and Commerce Committee in the House and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation throughout the hearing process to ensure that independent cable's concerns were heard. ACA was pleased that the bill was not passed this year.

November 2006

ACA Urges FCC, "Do Not Let Broadcasters Pull Signals"

ACA issued a statement in support of Mediacom's lawsuit against Sinclair Broadcasting Group alleging that Sinclair violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by conditioning its consent to carriage of its stations upon Mediacom's payment for carriage of stations in more than a dozen markets. ACA stated that if programming laws were subject to antitrust laws and regulations that the broadcaster's and the big four media conglomerates' wholesale programming practices would not hold up to scrutiny under current anti-trust laws and regulations.

In a letter filed with the FCC, ACA asked the FCC to approve Mediacom's request for continued carriage of Sinclair's stations pending resolution of a retransmission consent complaint filed by Mediacom against Sinclair. On November 30, Sinclair granted Mediacom an extension to continue carrying the broadcaster's stations until January 5.

ACA Works with NCTA on Stevens, Barton and Upton Set-top Letter

ACA had several meeting with staffers working for Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Congressmen Joe Barton (R-TX) and Fred Upton (R-MI) to discuss the impact of the set-top integration ban on our members' customers and the fact that consumers were going to see significant rate increases in the rental charge for set-top boxes with no increased functionality or service. At the urging of ACA and NCTA Senator Stevens, Congressmen Barton and Upton sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to reconsider the integration ban.

ACA Tackles NFL Network's Anti-Consumer Practices

On November 22, Matt Polka, ACA President and CEO, sent a letter on behalf of ACA's members to Steve Bornstein of the NFL Network. In the letter, Polka urged the NFL Network to change its actions related to sports tiering. "Currently, your network allows big cable companies like Comcast and Cox to offer the NFL Network in a variety of tiers and packages to consumers in urban areas such as Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Phoenix and Atlanta. At the same time, the NFL Network is refusing to allow the same flexibility to ACA member companies and their customers in areas like Wyandotte, Mich.; Altoona, Pa.; and Wilmington, Vt. On behalf of ACA's nearly 8 million customers served by its more than 1,000 members, I write to request that the NFL Network change this discriminatory and anti-consumer policy."

December 2006

ACA Tackles Skyrocketing Costs of Sports Programming

ACA implemented a game plan to educate consumers on the NFL Network's foul play. ACA created a 30-second spot and Web site at www.sportschoicenow.org to educate consumers about sports costs and cable operators' inability to put this expensive programming on tiers. As a result of this effort more than 2,700 contacts were made with congressional officials encouraging tiering flexibility for high-cost sports programming.

ACA Urges Scrutiny in Liberty/DirecTV Merger

ACA took the lead in requesting the FCC to hold News Corp. to its earlier merger obligations before this deal is considered.

Ongoing Efforts Regarding Set-Top Box Integration Ban

ACA coordinated an effort for CEOs of member companies to send a joint letter to the FCC regarding the set-top box integration ban. This letter was signed by Armstrong, Atlantic Broadband, Bend Broadband, Cable One and Sunflower Broadband.

ACA Updates Tagline and Mission Statement

To strengthen the communication of ACA's purpose, the board approved a new mission statement and tagline, "Connecting Hometown America."

ACA PAC Surpasses $50,000 in Contributions

As awareness of ACA's Political Action Committee (PAC) increased in 2006, so did contributions to this important fund. As a result, ACA PAC was able to make congressional campaign contributions totaling $35,750 - the most in the ACA PAC history!

January 2007

ACA Calls for Congress to Schedule Retransmission Consent Hearings

To protect independent cable operators and consumers from unreasonable pricing demands such as Sinclair's, ACA asked Congress to schedule retransmission consent hearings. "No television viewer in America should be subjected to any form of discriminatory pricing practices, directly or indirectly, by Sinclair or any other broadcaster. But that's what the FCC's decision has allowed to occur," said ACA's Matt Polka. "It is up to Congress to protect the interests of consumers. In doing so, Congress should schedule hearings to investigate retransmission consent practices and harm to consumers as exemplified by Sinclair's actions. In the meantime, Congress should immediately request Sinclair to restore its signals and stop pulling them from smaller-market cable customers."

ACA Responds When FCC Wrongly Blames Cable Ops for Increasing Rates

"Chairman Kevin Martin continues to point the finger of responsibility at the wrong parties," said ACA's Matt Polka. "He wonders why competition from satellite and other competitors has not brought down cable rates. The answer is very simple. Who controls the rates of the content on cable, satellite and telco video today? Not the operators, but the media conglomerate programmers whose rates and increases far exceed the data reported by the FCC on cable rates."

Congressman Nathan Deal Sends Colleagues Letter Regarding Retransmission Consent

Recognizing the detrimental effects of retransmission consent disputes to both consumers and businesses, Congressman Nathan Deal (R-GA) submitted a letter to the House Energy and Commerce leadership requesting a hearing on the issue. Congressman Deal's letter read, "...retransmission consent negotiations could be forcing a disproportional increase in consumer's cable bill, and act as strong indicators that the current regulatory regime is in need of reform."

Congress Asks for FCC Intervention in Retransmission Consent Disputes

Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) of the Senate Commerce Committee submitted a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin requesting that the Commission become actively engaged in resolving retransmission consent disputes. "At a minimum, Americans should not be shut off from broadcast programming while the matter is being negotiated by the parties and is awaiting action by the full Commission on appeal," read the letter. The Senators from Hawaii and Alaska also requested that the issue be discussed in upcoming hearings.

FCC Grants Bend Broadband Set-Top Waiver

The FCC Media Bureau granted a conditional waiver on the ban on integrated set-top boxes to Bend Broadband based upon the operator's commitment to move to an all-digital network by 2008 and the critical nature of a sub-$100 device to that plan.

February 2007

Member's Request to Congressman Results in Letter to FCC

Dave Keefe of Atlantic Broadband contacted the office of Congressman John Peterson (R-PA) requesting that he take action on retransmission consent. Keefe's request prompted Peterson, a Co-chairman of the House Rural Caucus, to send a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin on February 16. In the letter Peterson states: "In addition to unjustified price increases, broadcasters are imposing unreasonable tying/bundling requirements... Small, rural video operators need regulatory relief..."

Senate Commerce Committee Hearing Results in Tough Questions

Hearing participants discussed two issues of particular importance to ACA members: media ownership and localism and public interest standards for broadcast licenses. Some of the hardest questions directed to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin were asked by Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), and Daniel Inouye (D-HI).

March 2007

ACA Seeks Set-Top Integration Waiver for Small and Medium-Sized Operators

ACA filed comments with the FCC supporting the requests of several member companies for waivers of the Commission's ban on digital set-top boxes featuring integrated security. ACA noted members' high-cost and low-income markets as valuable reasons for the waivers.

"These small and medium-sized cable operators are attempting to upgrade their digital services in high-cost, lower-income markets. For this reason, Petitioners confront challenges not faced by larger MSOs," wrote ACA. "Petitioners' lower-income and smaller-market subscribers will be unable to span the digital divide unless Petitioners are permitted to continue to deploy low-cost, integrated set-top boxes."

Congressmen Voice ACA's Concerns at House Telecom Hearing

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin returned to Capitol Hill on March 14, giving Congress the opportunity to ask more crucial question about issues affecting ACA members. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Bart Supak (D-MI) raised their concerns about the costs of CALEA to consumers, while Mike Doyle (D-PA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) began the discussion about set-top box deployment. Other notable questions came from Barbara Cubin (R-WY) regarding DMA boundaries, while Nathan Deal (R-GA) once again brought retransmission consent to the FCC's attention. ACA members from across the country responded with their letters, e-mails and phone calls of appreciation to these members of Congress.

ACA Asks FCC to Protect Consumers from Liberty Media/DirecTV Merger

ACA asked the FCC to impose conditions on the pending Liberty Media/DirecTV merger to protect consumers served by smaller, independent cable companies in smaller markets and rural areas. In its comments to the FCC, ACA outlined the need for stringent conditions in the Liberty/DirecTV Merger by showing how the previous merger between News Corp. and DirecTV allowed for regulatory gaps that left ACA members and their customers vulnerable to attack by much larger media conglomerates. The filing demands that, "Any approval of the transaction should adjust, clarify, and expand the small and medium-sized cable company conditions to fill the gaps and plug the loopholes through which transaction-specific abuses of market power continue to flow."

April 2007

Summit Drives Home Independent Cable's Concerns with Record-Breaking Attendance

The voice of independent cable reached Congress loud and clear as 300 people representing 125 companies traveled to Washington, D.C., for ACA's 14th annual Summit. Members met with 158 congressional delegations to express their concerns about retransmission consent, the ban on integrated set-tops, the digital transition, and other issues pertinent to small and medium-sized cable operators. Sessions featured several notable speakers including: C-SPAN founder Brian Lamb; Congressman Rick Boucher (D-VA); Blair Levin, former chief of staff to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt; and several other industry leaders and Washington insiders.

Norm Mills Honored for Service; Named Emeritus Board Member

On April 18 during a dinner held at the beautiful Corcoran Gallery of Art, ACA honored Norm Mills, President of Colstrip Cable TV, Inc., for his extensive service to our organization and bestowed upon him the title of Emeritus Board Member. Mills, who joined the cable industry in 1980, is a founding ACA member and has served on ACA's board of directors since its inception in 1993.

Patrick Knorr, Chairman of the ACA and General Manager of Sunflower Broadband, lauded Mill's many contributions to the ACA, "Norm Mills is the rock of the association."

ACA Calls for FCC to Extend Program Access Rules

ACA asked the FCC to continue to mandate access to vertically integrated programming for independent cable companies serving consumers in smaller markets and rural areas. In comments filed with the FCC, ACC stated, "Without protections like Section 628(c)(2)(D), small and medium-sized cable operators risk becoming casualties in the war between the major MSOs, DBS providers, and the major phone companies."

"Our chief concern is to protect consumers who reside in rural areas and smaller markets from being abused by media consolidation and the withholding of important programming content," said ACA's Matt Polka. "No media conglomerate, including the 'new entrant' former Bell companies, should be able to acquire 'must-have' programming on an exclusive basis, preventing consumers from being able to access this programming."

ACA Sends Graphic Message to Policymakers

As ACA members met with policymakers on Capitol Hill, they left each with a parting reminder of the impact of retransmission consent on consumers through an editorial cartoon that showed how government laws and regulations have tipped the scales away from a free market in retransmission consent negotiations.

May 2007

FCC Grants Three Set-Top Waivers

The FCC's Media Bureau granted waivers of the ban on integrated set-top boxes to Charter Communications, GCI Communications and Millennium Telecom/OneSource Communications. Charter received a waiver on seven boxes (Motorola DCT-700 and DCT-2500e, the Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 1840, Explorer 940 and Explorer 3200, and the Pace Chicago DC501p and Indiana DC 511p) until July 2, 2008, based on demonstrated severe financial difficulties.

ACA Day at The Cable Show '07

On May 9, several events at The Cable Show in Las Vegas were targeted to independent operators. A breakfast session featured a legislative discussion by ACA's President and CEO Matt Polka, NCTA President and CEO Kyle McSlarrow, and NCTA Vice President Lisa Schoenthaler. ACA Day also featured a panel discussion titled "Future-Proofing Rural and Smaller Market Systems: Strategies for Success," and ACA attendees toured the expansive exhibit hall.

ACA Wins a Faxie!

At the Cable Show '07, CableFAX Daily bestowed its Gold FAXIE award on ACA for its memorable press kit promoting ACA's 14th Annual Washington Summit. The kit, which grabbed the top spot in the "Most Innovative 'Tchotchkey'" category, included a ball, cap, peanuts, Cracker Jacks, popcorn, bat, and jersey customized with the reporter's name. "This certainly drove home ACA's message," wrote CableFAX. The press kit helped inspire extensive coverage of ACA's Summit and efforts by members to take their message to Capitol Hill.

Matt Polka Article Appears in CableFAX

On May 9, CableFAX published an article by Matt Polka regarding the need for retransmission consent reform and a return to the days when programmers and operators worked together to best serve consumers' needs.

Inaugural ACA Webinar

To advance its goal of providing members with information critical to today's independent cable operators, ACA launched a webinar on May 30, featuring a panel of experts discussing how independent operators can tackle the FCC's set-top integration ban which goes into effect on July 1, 2007.

August 2007

ACA Reaches Agreement with APTS and PBS for Carriage of PBS Digital Signals

ACA negotiated a boilerplate agreement for ACA members and local PBS stations for carriage of the PBS HD and digital signals. ACA members can elect to opt-in to the ACA/APTS agreement and sign individual agreements with their local markets to provide the local PBS HD and digital signals.

October 2007

ACA Applauds Passing of the Internet Tax Moratorium

ACA testified before the House Committee on Small Business regarding the importance of extending the Internet moratorium tax. On October 31, the Internet Moratorium Tax was extended for seven years by Public Law 110 - 108.

ACA Chairman Testifies

ACA Chairman Patrick Knorr testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Telecom and the Internet that "[T]he switch to digital will impose unique burdens on our systems, which, if not appropriately dealt with will cause harm to consumers, especially in small and rural markets." And he urged the Committee to encourage the FCC to devise more flexible rules for independent operators.