From: garrem@aix.rpi.edu (Matthew Olsen Garretson)
Subject: Re: Article on S12
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 22:45:48 GMT

Here is the AP "scoop" as of 9/10:

^Cable TV Mounts Ad Campaign Against Federal Regulation<
^By DIANE DUSTON=
^Associated Press Writer=
    WASHINGTON (AP) _ The cable television industry in recent days
has waged a fierce advertising effort to convince the public that
government regulation of cable television would raise customers'
bills.
    Not so, say consumer groups.
    Full-page advertisements in newspapers, spots on cable
television channels, direct mail pleas and inserts in cable bills
all convey the industry's contention that legislation to regulate
the industry would create costs that would be passed on to the
consumer.
    But the campaign did not stop a House-Senate conference
committee on Wednesday from approving a compromise between House
and Senate versions of the legislation. And it's not likely to
prevent either chamber from taking up the compromise version,
perhaps as early as next week.
    ``The big cable companies are trying to hoodwink the American
consumer into believing that the cable reform legislation will hurt
them,'' said Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., at a press conference
Thursday called by several members to ``debunk the cable industry's
misinformation campaign.''
    Gene Kimmelman of the Consumer Federation of America, who
lobbied hard for the bill, said a key element would require that
cable programming be made available to competitors, such as
satellite-delivery systems.
    ``Everywhere there is competition, rates are 30 percent lower,''
he said. But in the overwhelming majority of communities, cable
companies operate without competition.
    The bill approved by the conference committee also would require
the Federal Communications Commission to determine ``reasonable''
rates for basic cable service and streamline its procedures for
customer complaints about local cable operations.
    Under the bill ``basic'' service would include only local
affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS plus local independent
stations. Efforts to overcharge customers for additional channels
could lead to action from the FCC.
    Customers who sign up for basic cable would be allowed to pick
certain ``premium'' channels, such as all-movie channels, without
buying all the premium channels offered.
    Another provision would require cable companies to negotiate
with local broadcasters before carrying their signals.
    Jim Mooney, president of the National Cable Television
Association, said this could lead cable companies ``to pay large
sums of money to the commercial broadcasters.'' He said expenses
created by the bill ``will have to be paid for by cable
subscribers.''
    But the bill's supporters say customers shouldn't worry because
the legislation regulates basic rates and provides for consumer
action through the FCC if charges for expanded service are out of
line.
    ``Don't be fooled by cable's desperate million-dollar ad
campaigns,'' said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who sponsored the
House version of the bill. ``If cable cared about consumers, it
would have lowered the rates rather than tripling them since
deregulation.''
    AP-DS-09-10-92 1746EDT<
    AP-DS
-- 
Matt Garretson                       :-)                          garrem@rpi.edu