Decision on Sportsnet Philadelphia Due this Week

[Seabiscuit36]

SkyBOX:  Will They Or Won't They
by Evie Haskell evie@Mediabiz.com

Here's the anticlimatic question for the week:  Will the folks at the FCC approve the Comcast/Time Warner absorption of Adelphia at their open meeting on Tuesday?  Or will they not?
Well, of course they will.  Despite reports of a lone Democratic holdout, the Republication majority will almost certainly rule in favor of the cable big boys.  At worst, the vote is predicted to be four to one, with the Commission's two Democrats splitting, one for, one against.   

But that's not the real question.  Nope.  The news that multiplatformdom really wants to hear is:  Will the Comcast Regional Sports Nets past muster as legitimately exclusive programming ... ie something that the Philadelphia-based mega-multi does not have to sell to competitors.

For those of you who have missed the ins and outs of this one, a quick recap:  Long, long ago (about 10 years) Congress decreed that the cable operators could not withhold satellite-delivered programming that they owned from their competitors.  You no doubt caught the "satellite-delivered" catch.  So did Comcast. They promptly began delivering their popular regional sports nets via terrestrial means.  So when DirecTV and DISH (and others) came a'buying, the blue bloods said NO.  When DirecTV complained to the Commission, Comcast pointed to the DBS big gun's exclusive relationship with the NFL Sunday Ticket, to which DirecTV replied that they don't OWN that programming, they just paid an oil-sized ransom for exclusive rights so it's not like they're withholding anything.  Unlike those guys in Philly who ....

You get the drift.  Back to our question:  Will the FCC impose conditions on the Comcast/Time Warner takeover of Adelphia, saying in effect that the "terrestrial loophole" is a nice try but no dice?   We think that one's a toss up ... but if forced to bet, we'd say they'll leave the wormhole alone.  If they do, that will effectively, massively up the ante for cable owned local and regional programming.  Which will not only pressure DBS players but could also put a big crimp in the local card of local broadcasters which ...

Ah, the joys of multiplatform mayhem.

Do you have a comment or letter for SkyBOX? Write the editors at: editor@skyreport.com. Please note, your comments may be used for our Web site.

Next Big Portals Battle: Media Ownership
The next big item on the Federal Communications Commission's agenda could be the agency's re-write of broadcast ownership rules. And most expect fireworks when debates tied to the contentious issue surface at the Portals.

Last month, the commission began a process to seek comment on how to address issues raised in an appeals court ruling that stayed and remanded several media ownership rules adopted in 2002. Specifically, the FCC is looking at the number of TV stations a broadcaster can own in a single market, if the commission should revise those numerical limits or justify them, and how the agency should address radio/television and newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership issues.

Commenting on the endeavor, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said the commission would take into account "the competitive realities of the media marketplace while also ensuring the promotion of the important goals of localism and diversity."

Some are gearing up for a battle, including the Consumers Union.

The same week the FCC began its broadcast ownership inquiry the group unleashed a campaign it called "Resist the Tower, Fight Media Power," which can be found at a Web site detailing the push at http://www.hearusnow.org. Consumers Union also is putting efforts into http://wwww.stopbigmedia.com.

Gene Kimmelman, vice president of federal and international relations for Consumers Union, said there's widespread concern about concentration and bias in the media.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president and CEO of Media Access Project, said the organization is disappointed that Martin "continues to ignore public and Congressional requests that he complete the FCC's long delayed localism inquiry. Broadcasters can best serve the public by addressing local needs."

[BigEd76]

Given the current state of Philly sports, are people outside this area really missing out on anything?

[Seabiscuit36]

Good point Ed, but i would still rather suffer getting to watch my teams than on a boxscore from espn news. 

I Emailed the head of the FCC last week, have heard absolutely nothing as i figured.  Most likely its going to end up w/People outside 100 miles of Philly will get Comcast Sportsnet, within that figure your screwed. 

[phattymatty]

so the head of the FCC hasn't emailed you back yet?

unbelievable.

[Seabiscuit36]

The sad part is when you submit a request it says they will be read w/a response w/in 3 days.  I knew nothing would come from it but figured it was worth a shot. 

[ice grillin you]

not only is the head of the fcc not going to email you back hes not going to ever see your email

you might get a auto reply or a pre written reply from a secretary

[phattymatty]

i'm still waiting for my letter from the president.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Is that the Secret Service knocking on your door?

[Sgt PSN]

No, that's the male strip-o-gram I sent him. 

[Seabiscuit36]

DISH Pushes FCC on Adelphia, Program Access
Companies, organizations and others continue to make last-minute pushes at the Federal Communications Commission concerning the Adelphia takeover by Comcast and Time Warner Cable. The efforts included EchoStar, which recently joined others in voicing concerns about the billion-dollar deal.

In a joint letter sent to the Portals, EchoStar and others involved provided an outline of what they called principles for access to programming. Their concern is ensuring cable competitors can obtain content that's affiliated with an MSO.

The companies said program access should apply to the entire country and not to individual markets, such as Philadelphia, home to Comcast's exclusive regional sports network. "Carving out individual markets - in particular markets in which the parties have a dominant share of the market - does not serve the public interest because it harms consumers in those markets by effectively eliminating competitive alternatives," the filing stated.

Also, program access should apply to any "must have" programming, including regional sports and publicly-funded programming, such as PBS. And any pay-TV service should have the ability to initiate arbitration to obtain both affiliated and un-affiliated "must have" programming if program access is denied, the filing stated.

Joining EchoStar in the letter were RCN, The America Channel, Center for Creative Voices in Media and Media Access Project.

Also, EchoStar representatives last week met with staff working for FCC Commissioner Michael Copps about the Adelphia deal.

[Seabiscuit36]

The FCC is meeting today, its expected they will approve the Merger of Adelphia to TW/Comcast and Comcast will not have to share Comcast Philadelphia Sportsnet.   

Im waiting to hear it so i can go on a rampage 

[SunMo]

there were articles a few weeks ago that the only way the FCC would approve the merger is if Comcast shared SportsNet, outside of the Philly region.  i don't know what would make things change.

[Seabiscuit36]

 

[Susquehanna Birder]

I am curious what they would consider outside the Philly region. Maybe just the communities not offered CSN on their Comcast programming?

[SunMo]

I am curious what they would consider outside the Philly region. Maybe just the communities not offered CSN on their Comcast programming?

yeah.  in other words, they would be forced to offer SportsNet to everyone except satellite companies in the area where you could watch SportsNet on Comcast.