Cox pres Pat Esser had a few choice words for the Wall Street Journal in a Tues letter to the editor disputing the paper’s assertions about cable in its Jan 2 editorial titled "Franchise Freedom." In that editorial, WSJ lobbed several anti-cable barbs in lending support to the FCC’s Dec franchise ruling, which is generally opposed by the cable industry and (Cfax, Dec 21). "Allowing Bell companies preferred entry into the video market will not magically lower prices for consumers, but creating an unfair advantage for these large companies does hold the potential to unjustly damage existing competitors," Esser wrote. "It’s disappointing that a leading business newspaper would demonstrate so little insight into the economics of this business by overlooking the effect of wholesale costs (programming) on retail costs."

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CFX Review: The Five Industry Stories that Defined 2025

Sometimes, to look forward, you’ve got to look back. As we head into 2026, the CFX editors reflect on the year that was, recapping what they believe were the five biggest stories of the past 12 months.

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