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FCC Boss Riles Cable Astroturf Machine

By saveaccess
Created 08/27/2007 - 8:39pm

from: Broadband Reports [1]

FCC Boss Riles Cable Astroturf Machine
'A La Carte' cable dust up...

Monday Aug 27 2007 by Karl

As we've noted, both cable and phone operators not only make up completely bogus consumer groups [2] to support their political positions, they also frequently donate cash to minority and disability organizations in exchange for vocal political support [3] for policies that often aren't in constituents' best interest (or vice versa).

FCC boss Kevin Martin ran into some trouble [4] last week when he criticized some cable industry-backed minority groups who were fighting against his desire to implement "a la carte" (the ability to purchase individual channels) cable programming:

"The grassroots opposition to a la carte is actually a highly sophisticated lobby campaign where seemingly disinterested third parties -- like nonprofits and legislators -- are spreading the anti-a la carte message using minority programming as the key issue. In fact, rather than being disinterested, these third parties have much to gain."

Those groups called Martin's comments "patronizing and insulting," and forced Martin to apologize. Of course, similar tactics [5] were key in helping Martin and the phone industry push their vision of "franchise reform," but received no such tongue lashing from the FCC boss -- who the cable industry claims gives phone operators preferential treatment.


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