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John McCain Introduces Cable A La Carte Legislation To Stop Bundling
Deadline ^ | 5/9/13 | DOMINIC PATTEN

Posted on 05/09/2013 12:34:44 PM PDT by Teflonic

John McCain wants to unbundle cable and to stop broadcasters like CBS and Fox from moving their stations to pay TV. The Arizona senator right now on the Senate floor is introducing The TV Consumer Freedom Act of 2013 (read it here). The legislation is intended to “allow the consumer, the television viewer who subscribes to cable, to have à la carte capability. In other words, not required to buy a whole bunch of channels that that consumer may not want wish to subscribe to,” McCain said moments ago. The former GOP Presidential candidate also went after broadcasters like CBS and Fox who have said that they could move to cable if they lose in the courts against Barry Diller’s Aereo streaming service. “We’ll also establish consequences if broadcasters choose to downgrade their over-the-air service,” McCain told the Senate. His legislation would also eliminate the sports blackout rule “in events that are held in publicly financed stadiums.”

The proposal is expected to meet heavy resistance among the cable companies. ”Only Dish and Cablevision have been for a la carte and smaller bundles because we think it’s consumer-friendly”, Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen said during his company’s conference call today. “Having said that, there are five big groups that probably have enough clout in Congress to stop that legislation today. He added that “the marketplace is going to determine” if the price is too high. “There’s an awful lot of people who don’t consume (200 channels)”, he said, “and most of us would like to look for creative solutions”.

“This is unfair and wrong — especially when you consider how the regulatory deck is stacked in favor of industry and against the American consumer”, he said. “You can only do that when you have a monopoly”, he added.

(Excerpt) Read more at deadline.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: mccain; tv
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To: Teflonic

I would like to pay for tv, by the day. I only watch something important a few times per year.

My wife uses it to go to sleep, and I can give her that from streaming “over the top” options, like Netflix.


101 posted on 05/09/2013 2:06:18 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: Teflonic
"John McCain wants to unbundle cable..."

Great idea McClame. How about we unbundle legislation while we're at it? That way we won't have absurd, irrelevant riders tacked on to necessary bills....

102 posted on 05/09/2013 2:08:41 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Qui me amat, amat et canem meum.)
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To: lu shissler

I hate watching news on broadcast or cable channels because they have so many commercials. I am used to reading news online and have no patience for five minutes of commercials. I don’t watch any regular TV shows because they are all about homosexuals. Even HGTV, which I watch sometimes, loves showing homosexual couples buying a house. Not interested. Sports sometimes but even that is ruined by so many commercials.


103 posted on 05/09/2013 2:09:08 PM PDT by ilovesarah2012
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To: Blue Ink

In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. Nice to be a statist.


104 posted on 05/09/2013 2:10:28 PM PDT by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: bestrongbpositive

IMO, McCain is a friend of anyone who puts a dollar in his pocket.


105 posted on 05/09/2013 2:16:04 PM PDT by CriticalJ (Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress.. But then I repeat myself. MT)
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To: andyk

Are you suggesting that water and electric be privatized?

That’ll make you very popular with your neighbors.

Acknowledging that some things government should do — like field an army and regulate who gets to dig up public streets — doesn’t make you a statist.


106 posted on 05/09/2013 2:20:03 PM PDT by Blue Ink
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To: Teflonic

I’m all for unbundling. I won’t have cable/sat again until I can pick just the shows I want.

BUT...I’m even more for John McCain and the rest of the incompetents in DC keeping their $##&%#&^# hands off the private sector.


107 posted on 05/09/2013 2:21:56 PM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Socialism consumes everything)
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To: Blue Ink

Oh no, I’m with you. They owe us big time. Thanks for correcting me. We all deserve the entertainment we want. Just because they’ve negotiated right of way, doesn’t mean we can’t force them to do what we want.


108 posted on 05/09/2013 2:25:59 PM PDT by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: Teflonic

I dropped DirecTV a year ago, I don’t care what pricing Cable/Satellite tv has anymore, I’m not buying. I refuse to have my hard earned dollars support and fund the Lamestream media - who I consider an Enemy of Freedom, in any way period.


109 posted on 05/09/2013 2:28:35 PM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: 0.E.O
So this is the most important thing on McCain’s plate right now? Cable bundling?

Anytime that douche-bag can devote his attention to something that isn't goring my ox, I'm okay with it. I got rid of cable nearly 3 years ago and haven't looked back.

Like there would be any real choice anyway. With only 3 or 4 companies owning all of the cable stations, they all play the same programs anyway, most of the bad. Hell, it got too stupid when they started playing professional wrestling on the science fiction channel. Cable is mostly entertainment for the insipid.

110 posted on 05/09/2013 2:42:52 PM PDT by Orangedog (An optimist is someone who tells you to 'cheer up' when things are going his way)
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To: Teflonic

McCain promised to do that before he ran for president in 2008!

Then, he got sidetracked by some related to baseball drug testing.

Priorities, ya know.


111 posted on 05/09/2013 3:00:34 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: Teflonic

I don’t get it. “Legislation To Stop Bundling.” Sounds like the Fascism of a government telling business how to do business. How is that different from passing legislation to tell doctors how to provide healthcare ?

If a business wants to use a model other than bundling, what’s stopping them ? Why does Senator McCain want to use government to dictate how business is run ?

How are cable companies a monopoly, when there is satelite and internet options ? The Senator is about 15 years behind the curve on that one.

I could be wrong, but I don’t see how any of this is Federal government business.


112 posted on 05/09/2013 3:08:26 PM PDT by Tigermoth ("...in order to form a more perfect union.....and secure the blessings of liberty..")
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To: GraceG
The Blaze- Yes, I only wish Direct TV would get off their azz so I could watch it at the Gym (also my Local Radio station kicked Glenn's Radio Show to the night time which means its bascily two day old news)

Fox News- Only if I have too or if it's Greta. Faux has slipped too much into liberal territory latey, it's no wonder Sarah left.

History Channel- I miss when it wasn't Swamp Loggers 24/7, although when they put their mind too it they come up with great stuff (Third Reich- The Rise being one)

History Channel 2- I miss it being History International, got the older History Channel shows.

Sci Fi Channel-Oh, you mean that wrestling channel!

The Hub- As long as the keep a certain show going than fine, if not........well........


113 posted on 05/09/2013 3:09:08 PM PDT by KC_Lion (Build the America you want to live in at your address, and keep looking up.-Sarah Palin)
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To: KC_Lion
I will admit, I am addicted to "Ancient Aliens" if nothing more than I am convinced that the one guy on that show is related to Londo Molari from babylon 5, they guy almost has the same hair and the same sense of fashion sense...

Have you seen "Defiance" on scifi, it stars Grant Bowler from Atlas Shrugged movie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Bowler

I keep thinking, gee that Hank Rearden, they need to make a Iron works joke, and I am waiting for it everytime I watch that show.

114 posted on 05/09/2013 3:18:17 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: Tigermoth
I don’t get it. “Legislation To Stop Bundling.” Sounds like the Fascism of a government telling business how to do business.

What if every time you bought a gallon of gas you also had to buy a gallon of milk?

Or if you wanted a loaf of bread you had to buy a head of lettuce?

Bundling is doing the same thing. It is forcing consumers to buy unwanted items (channels) in order to get desired items (channels).

Why bundle? Because it forces the consumer to supplement those channels that only a half-dozen people watch.
115 posted on 05/09/2013 3:32:00 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: kevslisababy

Thank you, was waiting for someone to make that comment.

Jeez McLame, does Benghazi trouble you at all? Arms dealing in Syria ring a bell? Border control, yea, the one you made that fake commercial about during your pathetic campaign.

It’s gotten to the point where all I can do some days is laugh, they have thrown so much at the wall just watch people chase their tails.


116 posted on 05/09/2013 3:35:45 PM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
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To: GraceG
No, I haven't seen Defiance yet, I hear its good though.

Sounds like I need to make some time to watch it.

117 posted on 05/09/2013 3:49:38 PM PDT by KC_Lion (Build the America you want to live in at your address, and keep looking up.-Sarah Palin)
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To: KC_Lion

No, I haven’t seen Defiance yet, I hear its good though.

Sounds like I need to make some time to watch it.

Be warned there are some sex scenes in it, thankfully it is TV nudity.

They could drop that part of it and I would still eagery watch it.


118 posted on 05/09/2013 3:51:42 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: andyk

“Just because they’ve negotiated right of way, doesn’t mean we can’t force them to do what we want.”

That’s exactly what it means.

Theater operators buy land and own theaters — they can show whatever movies they want. If you don’t like it, take your business elsewhere.

The television business is completely different. Transmission methods are entirely public owned.

Broadcasters do not own the public airwaves. We do. If they decide to show porn at 10 am on Saturday morning, we yank their license. That shuts them down. Until they’re responsive to those who own the airwaves and stop showing porn.

Cable operators do not own the cable infrastructure. We do. Lots of other companies would love the revenue from the franchise in a particular city. Well, they can’t set up shop and compete for those eyeballs. Only one company gets the right to all that revenue at a time. They have been granted a PUBLIC MONOPOLY. We own it; they’re licensing it. We’re the landlords, we make the rules.

Why is this so difficult for people to understand? It’s EXACTLY like the electric company or the water company. Their rates — and that’s what this is about, how much you’re going to pay — are and must be subject to regulation. Or they can give the franchise to someone who will operate it at rates acceptable to the public.


119 posted on 05/09/2013 3:57:41 PM PDT by Blue Ink
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To: Gene Eric
Furthermore, this is not about monopolies.
Is that right? How many choices of cable companies to you have (not including satellite)?
I have one - Time Warner. Do you think if I had the option to switch to another, TW would still have raised my rates 25% in the last two years?
120 posted on 05/09/2013 4:14:56 PM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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