American Cable Association Endorses Time Warner’s Effort to Cap Licensing Costs

WASHINGTON, November 30, 2009 – A trade association representing small and independent cable television providers has endorsed Time Warner Cable’s effort to reign in rising programming licensing fees. The American Cable Association announced on Monday its support for Time Warner’s “Roll Over or Get Tough” campaign, which the company launched week as a web site to educate consumers about rising programming costs’ effect on bills – asserting television networks are threatening to cut viewers off from their favorite shows.

“Small cable operators…who cannot afford to engage in hand-to-hand combat with price-gouging media conglomerates, applaud Time Warner Cable’s efforts to ‘Get Tough’ with programmers in hopes that some modicum of reasonableness will return to the market as a result,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.

Increased cable prices could stymie the growth of broadband in rural areas by tying up capital investment, Polka said. “ACA hopes that Time Warner Cable’s public relations campaign highlighting marketplace misdoings will lead Congress and the FCC to recognize that cable networks and broadcasters regularly abuse their market power.”