Opinion ID: 184452
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Regulatory Regime Before 1996

Text: 2 In 1970, the FCC adopted a cross-ownership rule prohibiting telephone companies from providing video programming directly to subscribers in their telephone service areas, because of concerns that telephone companies might monopolize the emerging cable industry. See General Tel. Co. v. United States, 449 F.2d 846, 851-52 (5th Cir.1971). Congress eventually codified that rule in 1984. See 47 U.S.C. § 533(b), repealed by Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub.L. No. 104-104, § 302(b)(1), 110 Stat. 56, 124 (1996 Act). Over the next two decades, however, it became apparent that this cross-ownership prohibition granted cable providers too much protection. By 1992, most cable television subscribers ha[d] no opportunity to select between competing cable systems, resulting in undue market power for the cable operator as compared to that of consumers and video programmers. Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, Pub.L. No. 102-385, § 2(a)(2), 106 Stat. 1460, 1460.