Cable companies no longer have to share programming if they don’t want to. Smaller cable operators and satellite companies fought vigorously to convince the FCC to renew the rules, while the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, whose members include Comcast and Time Warner Cable — owners of popular regional sports networks — would rather see the rules sunset.
The FCC is expected to phase out rules that required cable operators that own programming to make that content available to rival pay-TV distributors such as satellite broadcasters. On Friday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski signaled that he is not interested in extending the so-called program access rules beyond their expiration date in October, people inside the agency said.
