Herring Networks urged the FCC to consider conditions...
Herring Networks urged the FCC to consider conditions on Comcast’s planned buy of Time Warner Cable, including requiring Comcast divest some national cable holdings. The FCC should take a “strong look” at the ownership and workings of iN Demand, the…
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pay-per-view and VOD service owned by Comcast, Cox Communications and TWC, Herring said in an ex parte filing posted Wednesday in dockets 14-90 and 14-57 (http://bit.ly/1sdtrit). Comcast “should divest of its ownership interest in and management of iN Demand post-merger,” it said. The commission needs to consider Bright House Networks’ subscriber numbers in its calculations “should Bright House rely upon Comcast to negotiate its programming agreements post-merger,” Herring said. Consumers would benefit with more diverse programming offering if Comcast doesn’t negotiate programming affiliation agreements on behalf of Bright House, Spinco or Charter Communications, post-deal, it said. Herring also continued to urge the FCC to act swiftly and favorably on AT&T/DirecTV. Herring has had positive experiences and fair consideration “extended by the telco video providers when seeking distribution, including from AT&T U-verse,” it said. Herring’s forerunner battled over the owners of iN Demand over their lack of carriage of WealthTV.