The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reversed last year?s orders fining Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications for moving channels from broadcast to switched digital video (SDV) lineups, which made the content unavailable to certain CableCard devices, including TiVo DVRs.

The FCC announced its new position last Friday, June 26. It originally filed its notice to fine the two MSOs?who petitioned for reconsideration?in October 2008. With one exception, the FCC vacated their ruling ?in its entirety.?

In its official explanation (FCC 09-52) the FCC noted the ?the potential consumer benefits of SDV deployment, and other factors that limit the potential scope for consumer disruption.?? What the FCC affirmed was the finding against Time Warner that moving programming to a switched lineup was a ?change in service? that required ?a 30-day advanced written notice to the relevant local franchise authority.?

The Daily

Subscribe
Thursday–July 10

Not Many Objections to FCC’s Mass Docket Purge

Buried in the more than 2,000 dockets the FCC has identified for termination are a few needles in the regulatory haystack that interested parties say need to be kept open.

Read the Full Issue
The Skinny is delivered on Tuesday and focuses on the cable profession. You'll stay in the know on the headlines, topics and special issues you value most. Sign Up

Calendar

Sep 11
2025 Faxies Awards Faxies Nominations Open! Final deadline: 4/4/25
Full Calendar

Jobs

Seeking an INDUSTRY JOB or hiring for one?
VIEW JOBS

In conjunction with our sister brand, Cynopsis, we are offering hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels and sectors. The result will be an even more robust industry job board, to help both employers and job seekers.

Contact Carley Ashley, [email protected], for more information about posting a job on the website and our Jobs newsletter, sent twice weekly to 85,000 media professionals.