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from: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

House adopts Senate bill to deregulate cable TV

By Josh Hafenbrack
Tallahassee Bureau

May 1, 2007

TALLAHASSEE · Fiercely fought legislation to drive more competition in Florida's cable TV markets now has one more stop: Gov. Charlie Crist.

The House on Monday overwhelmingly agreed to adopt the Senate version of a bill (HB 529) to deregulate Florida's cable industry, resolving the Legislature's big-money clash between the cable and telephone industries.

The bill paves the way for phone giants such as AT&T and Verizon to challenge existing cable companies, which have a near-monopoly in most areas.

"The one thing we know that this bill is going to do is benefit every person in the state of Florida who watches TV," state Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, said. "We're going to give competition."

For decades, cable providers such as Comcast had to negotiate individually with 67 counties and hundreds of cities in order to sell programming. The bill replaces that system with a cable franchise that would be valid statewide.

Phone companies, employing more than 100 lobbyists and millions in campaign contributions, sought the changes in order to add cable TV to their existing wireless Internet and phone offerings in so-called bundle packages.

Florida would become the 12th state to deregulate cable TV, with federal studies showing that rates in newly competitive markets drop more than 20 percent.

Crist spokeswoman Erin Isaac on Monday wouldn't say whether the governor would sign cable deregulation into law. "The governor looks forward to reviewing the bill," she said.

The big-money fight was broadcast across Florida in a monthslong advertising blitz from the rival telecom industries seeking to sway legislators and consumers.

Legislators found compromise on the most controversial issue: whether new cable providers would be able to "cherry pick" rich neighborhoods and ignore poor areas.

The bill bans new cable providers from discriminating based on income or race, with the attorney general's office given authority to impose unlimited fines on violators.

Staff Writer Josh Hafenbrack can be reached at 850-224-6214 or by e-mail at jhafenbrack@sun-sentinel.com.