DirecTV POV – White Calls for Comcast-TWC Scrutiny, Talks Sports Surcharge
By | February 21, 2014
During DirecTV’s earnings call, cable consolidation was the 1st question satellite execs received from analysts on Thurs’ 4Q call. CEO Mike White cautioned that it’s very early in the process and that DirecTV is still assessing the competitive implications. But he did call for regulators to appropriately scrutinize it, suggesting the deal could create an effective broadband monopoly that might include as much as 2/3 of the country. More from White on how he thinks the effects of the deal will play out, plus his take on programming costs from the upcoming Dodgers net, which Time Warner Cable.
More top stories in today’s CableFAX Daily:
The FCC on Thurs unanimously approved a new set of rules for TV closed captioning and meant to ensure full access for deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers. More about the rules here.
FCC chmn Tom Wheeler’s remarks on Thurs’ approved closed captioning item included a reference to some wrong captions in a weather report that were raised by Weather Channel in regards to WeatherNation. Read on for details.
Rep Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a longtime opponent of net neutrality rules, said she will introduce legislation to prevent the FCC from creating new Open Internet rules.