Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) have reintroduced a bill that would reregulate cable franchise fees. The Protecting Community Television Act would “clarify” that the 5% cap on a cable franchise fee applies only to monetary “assessments” and not in-kind contributions.
The FCC says local cable franchising authorities cannot regulate a cable operator’s broadband service and that in-kind services or equipment they require those cable operators to provide must count toward the FCC’s 5% cap on franchise fees. That came in a politically divided 3-2 vote at the FCC’s public meeting today.
