The FCC unveiled a heavily censored version of a Comcast response to the Commission’s request for data on the firm’s proposed purchase of Adelphia cable systems with Time Warner for $17.6 billion. After the firms asked to keep certain material private (CD Dec 22 p8), the resulting 8 cartons of documents were condensed into a 23- page public filing. In response to a Commission request for a list of rival pay TV firms and technology they use, Comcast said it’s “continuing to gather the data necessary to provide a complete response.” Comcast’s filing reached the FCC Dec. 22, 3 days after it and Adelphia were supposed to deliver their responses. Comcast’s filing would clock in at about 4,000 pages, a company official said last month (CD Dec 21 p9). The redacted version was made available electronically Dec. 30, a Media Bureau spokeswoman said. A paper copy was available Dec. 23, she said.
Motorola, making a foray into music, will offer a pay radio service boasting more channels and a lower monthly fee than satellite, it said Tues. The iRadio service, unveiled with few details, will deliver more than 400 channels of music and talk radio through Bluetooth-enabled devices. That’s about 3 times the number of channels carried by XM and Sirius. IRadio will cost $7-$10 monthly, said a spokesman for Motorola. That compares with just under $13 charged by the 2 satellite rivals. Five types of iRadio compatible phones are on display at CES, said the official, noting Motorola CEO Ed Zander will demonstrate iRadio features tomorrow (Thurs.) at the show. Officials at Sirius and XM had no immediate comment.
American Cable Assn. (ACA) members want to offer an adult programming tier that would be separate from expanded basic service, said Pres. Matthew Polka. Smaller and rural cable operators that belong to ACA want to make expanded basic service, bought by most cable subscribers, “family friendly,” said Polka. The aim is to take racy programming out of that popular package and put it into a separate offering targeted at adults. ACA is awaiting FCC action on its petition to change retransmission consent rules, which could allow unbundling of broadcast stations from affiliated cable networks that carry objectionable programming, said Polka.
NCTA’s D.C. hq was broken into earlier this week, but theft was limited to personal items. Offices on the 6th and 7th floors were targeted in the break-in, which occurred Tues. night, said Rob Stoddard, senior vp- communications & public affairs. There are legal and govt. relations offices on those 2 floors, he said. “Not a lot of items” were stolen and those that were didn’t have “a terribly high value,” Stoddard said. Some items were “rifled through” and objects were moved on desks, but no equipment seems to have been stolen, said Stoddard. Police officials had no comment. “We haven’t been able to ascertain any motive other than an opportunity to obtain some items of minor value,” said Stoddard, who said no one was arrested right away. “It’s in the hands of the police.”
Four P.R. TV stations asked the FCC to force EchoStar and DirecTV to carry their signals. International Broadcasting Corp. (IBC) and R y F Broadcasting, in separate must-carry complaints, said the DBS providers haven’t given them a good reason their channels can’t be seen by satellite viewers. DirecTV responded that it’s not obligated to carry stations in P.R. under FCC rules -- a point the broadcasters concede in their filings, which are worded similarly.
Microsoft may use MSNBC.com to unveil new services, despite giving up control of the MSNBC cable channel in the restructuring last week of its partnership with NBC Universal, analysts said. Microsoft decided to keep its 50% stake in the web site, while reducing its interest in the MSNBC cable channel (CD Dec 27 p9). NBC Universal agreed Fri. to buy a controlling stake in MSNBC, with the option to purchase all assets of the cable news channel within 2 years.
Cable One and Charter won’t pay cash to head off a retransmission dispute shaping up in Corpus Christi, despite demands by a station owner for such remuneration, said cable company officials. With the cable operators’ contracts with McKinnon Bcstg.’s KIII (ABC) due to end Dec. 31, a standoff looms over that firm’s demand for cash compensation for carriage. Such disputes aren’t new: Long fights have pitted cable operators including Cox against broadcasters. Cable, as usual, has taken a firm stand, over objections from CBS parent Viacom. Industry officials have said they'll consider only compensation other than money, such as purchasing ads, for carriage (CD Sept 19 p3).
Comcast became the latest cable firm to boast a family tier, to be offered “early” next year for an average monthly price of $31.20, the firm said. The programming resembles that on Time Warner’s family tier. TW was the first in the industry to react to pressure from Capitol Hill and FCC Chmn. Martin by specifying programming plans (CD Dec 16 p12). Some smaller cable outfits also will offer such a tier, NCTA Pres. Kyle McSlarrow has said
Adelphia is expected to respond to a FCC request for information on its takeover this week, after a delay. The document was due to be filed Thurs. with the Commission, said Michael Hammer of Willkie Farr, which represents Adelphia. The bankrupt cable operator had missed a Mon. deadline to respond to a voluminous Commission request for information as it seeks approval for the $17.6 billion sale of its systems to Time Warner and Comcast (CD Dec 22 p8). Comcast, whose filing has also been delayed (CD Dec 21 p9), had no comment. The company expected also to file its response Thurs., said a person familiar with the situation.
Time Warner Cable (TWC), answering FCC queries, confirmed it uses “hunting licenses” for programmers to seek local carriage of channels. At our deadline, filings by Adelphia and Comcast, due Mon., weren’t publicly available. They may be available this week, said an FCC spokeswoman. Comcast’s filing was delayed, as one media activist had anticipated (CD Dec 7 p1). The document, about 4,000 pages long, probably will be filed with the FCC this week, said a spokesman. TWC’s pacts let executives at units make programming decisions, the firm told the FCC. TWC’s report of such licenses, in response to criticism from an upstart programmer unable to strike a deal, was among few detailed answers to a lengthy list of Commission queries in a request for information on the $17.6 billion Adelphia deal (CD Dec 7 p1). “TWC exercises careful business and editorial judgment in deciding which networks to carry on its cable systems,” it said. The America Channel has said Adelphia -- whose systems Comcast and Time Warner are seeking FCC approval to buy -- reneged on a carriage deal when the other 2 firms also refused to make a deal (CD Nov 10 p11). The 3 firms asked the FCC to keep information on terms of carriage agreements and other issues confidential. Officials representing Adelphia and Time Warner had no comment.