INDEPENDENT CABLE OPERATORS UNIFIED BY ISSUES OF COST, CHOICE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Regional Small Cable Operators Meet to Fight Retransmission Abuse, Tying Practices, and to Bring Broadband Services to Rural Areas

DALLAS, July 9, 2008—

Leaders from the American Cable Association (ACA) and Congressional staff were also in attendance at the two-day event. The most critical issue operators in attendance as well as independent cable operators across the country was the need to put an end to pricing and packaging discrimination against independent cable operators at the hands of programmers and broadcasters. The practice of tying and bundling has drawn a great deal of attention at the FCC in recent months, and ACA and its members hope action by the Commission will curb market abuse by programmers and give operators the ability to offer greater choice and lower prices to their customers.

"I was proud to be in Dallas to discuss these important issues with the independent cable operators serving small town America and rural communities throughout the country," said Matt Polka, ACA president and chief executive officer. "Our members want to provide their consumers with quality television programming at an affordable price, but also want to deliver essential broadband services to keep hometown American connected. Today, the practices of programmers and broadcasters make it difficult to make those hopes realities, but we are fighting for our customers, and we are making progress. The current state of the cable industry is unacceptable to thousands of operators and millions of their customers. Our members and their customers deserve better."

"Today’s business environment for small cable operators is strangling our ability to provide value and choice to our customers. Conversations like one we had here this week at the roundtable are an essential part of independent operators working together to fight against market abuses by broadcasters and programmers," stated Chuck Davis the owner of TV Cable of Grayson County, located in Pottsboro, Texas. "I invite any and all of my fellow independent cable operators to contact me for help and advice in arranging similar meetings in their area. Every opportunity we have to cast a brighter light on the use of tying and bundling practices and absurd retransmission fees for smaller operators by broadcasters and programmers is time well spent and should be considered a success."

About the American Cable Association 

Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing 1,100 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit www.americancable.org.