Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/18pdf/17-1702_h315.pdf
Page Number: 6

Cite as:  587 U. S. ____ (2019) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

first-come, first-served.  §§895.4(c)(4) and (6).  Under state 
law, the cable operator operates the public access channels 
unless  the  local  government  in  the  area  chooses  to  itself 
operate  the  channels  or  designates  a  private  entity  to 
operate the channels.  §895.4(c)(1). 
  Time  Warner  (now  known  as  Charter)  operates  a  cable 
system  in  Manhattan.    Under  state  law,  Time  Warner 
must  set  aside  some  channels  on  its  cable  system  for 
public access.  New York City (the City) has designated a 
private  nonprofit  corporation  named  Manhattan  Neigh-
borhood Network, commonly referred to as MNN, to oper-
ate  Time  Warner’s  public  access  channels  in  Manhattan.  
This case involves a complaint against MNN regarding its 
management of the public access channels. 

B 
  Because this case comes to us on a motion to dismiss, we 
accept  the  allegations  in  the  complaint  as true.   See Ash-
croft v. Iqbal, 556 U. S. 662, 678 (2009). 
  DeeDee Halleck and Jesus Papoleto Melendez produced 
public  access  programming  in  Manhattan.    They  made  a 
film  about  MNN’s  alleged  neglect  of  the  East  Harlem 
community.  Halleck submitted the film to MNN for airing 
on  MNN’s  public  access  channels,  and  MNN  later  tele-
vised  the  film.    Afterwards,  MNN  fielded  multiple  com-
plaints  about  the  film’s  content.    In  response,  MNN  tem-
porarily  suspended  Halleck  from  using  the  public  access 
channels. 
  Halleck and Melendez soon became embroiled in another 
dispute  with  MNN  staff.    In  the  wake  of  that  dispute, 
MNN  ultimately  suspended  Halleck  and  Melendez  from 
all MNN services and facilities. 
  Halleck  and  Melendez  then  sued  MNN,  among  other 
parties,  in  Federal  District  Court.    The  two  producers 
claimed  that  MNN  violated  their  First  Amendment  free-
speech  rights  when  MNN  restricted  their  access  to  the