The cable industry has worked to prevent ownership diversity. People of color and women own practically nothing in cable TV—neither systems nor programming channels. Nor do many of cable’s CEO’s come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The cable lobby has fought against all policies that would promote diversity—including rules that would help ensure a more open broadband video Internet.
So why would so many civil rights groups support the cable lobby’s attempt to thwart FCC rules requiring an open network (via a new pending rule prohibiting proprietary set-top boxes)? Coming to cable’s aid, notes Broadcasting & Cable magazine was the Black Leadership Forum, representing almost three dozen groups. Siding with the Forum in comments to the FCC were the NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Urban League and the Southern Christian Leadership Council. Civil rights groups were joined by “limited government/free market†organizations such as Americans for Tax Reform, Reason Foundation, Institute for Liberty and Americans for Prosperity. Also arguing against the rule was the NCTA, Comcast and Verizon. We note that Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are supporters of the Black Leadership Forum.
The pricey lobbying and PR shop flacking for the Forum and the other groups—LMG—told reporters that opposition was based on concerns about consumers having to pay a few dollars more a month for open boxes. That is absurd, of course. What’s really going on is a continued cable lobby (and Telco) power grab. They don’t want any competition—just a box and a network they can fully control. [We wonder who actually paid LMG’s bill].
Siding with the cable and phone lobby will not bring the U.S. the kind of diverse and equitable electronic media system we desperately require. Such support is shortsighted, at best. At worse, it is another setback to ensuring a democratic media system in the digital age.
Source: “NAACP Opposes Set-Top Integration Ban.†John Eggerton. Broadcasting and Cable. Oct. 2. 2006.
