Court Affirms FCC Cable Rate Deregulation

By affirming a 2015 FCC ruling, the federal appeals court in Washington will make it easier for cable operators to avoid regulation of their basic tiers containing broadcast signals. With competition from satellite and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, says ACA’s Matt Polka in lauding the decision, “there is no longer any good reason that cable operators should remain subject to burdensome rate regulation.” The court ruling is also seen as a setback for broadcasters, who had joined regulators in challenging the FCC action.