Markey, Other Massachusetts Officials Criticize LFA FNPRM Over PEG Concerns
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Medford Mayor Stephanie Muccini Burke (D) and other state-level stakeholders spoke out Monday against an FCC Further NPRM that would treat cable operators' in-kind contributions required by local franchise authorities as franchise fees and subject to…
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a cap (see 1809250017). Markey and the others argued during a news conference the FNPRM's LFA provisions would cause problems for municipalities, which are currently permitted to use cable franchise agreements to require cable operators to set aside channels for public, educational or governmental channels. The proposal would force local governments “to decide between supporting local PEG channels and supporting other critical institutions serving the public good like schools and public safety buildings,” Markey said. He referred to the dilemma as a “Sophie's choice” situation, which is “just not right.” Markey and other Senate Democrats wrote FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in October about the issue (see 1810300049). Two Democrats in Massachusetts' House delegation -- Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley -- also wrote Pai to raise concerns. Pai noted in responses to both posted Monday that the FCC “observed that Congress broadly defined franchise fees; indeed, with respect to PEG channels, it only excluded support payments with respect to franchises granted prior to October 30, 1984 as well as capital costs required by franchises granted after that date.”