House Panel OKs National Franchise
Multichannel News
3/9/2006 10:28 AM
In a setback for cable, key House lawmakers Wednesday night agreed in principle to award a national cable franchise to phone companies and to subject cable operators to continued local franchising requirements until phone rivals have reached 15% local-video-market penetration, industry and Capitol Hill aides said Thursday morning.
The agreement was reached by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas), Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Reps. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), the sources said.
AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. have been urging Congress to adopt a national-franchise policy, but the agreement includes provisions that have not been publicly debated.
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Multichannel News
3/9/2006 10:28 AM
In a setback for cable, key House lawmakers Wednesday night agreed in principle to award a national cable franchise to phone companies and to subject cable operators to continued local franchising requirements until phone rivals have reached 15% local-video-market penetration, industry and Capitol Hill aides said Thursday morning.
The agreement was reached by House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas), Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Reps. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.), John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), the sources said.
AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. have been urging Congress to adopt a national-franchise policy, but the agreement includes provisions that have not been publicly debated.
For more, click below (no subscription required) . . .
http://email.multichannel.com/cgi-bin2/DM/y/epgJ0KPZ8f0OZJ0CkAA0A5
