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US: Court may reverse FCC ruling, could limit power to control communications competition

By  |  February 26, 2013
US: Court may reverse FCC ruling, could limit power to control communications competition

As a US Court of Appeals reviews a 2012 decision by the Federal Communications Commission to punish Comcast for discriminating against the Tennis Channel, the outcome of the case could deal a major blow to the FCC’s power. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit is currently reviewing the case and, according to reports, the appellate judges seem “critical” of the FCC’s ruling against Comcast. Comcast forced the Tennis Channel into a premium sports tier as opposed to a basic tier with broader distribution; Comcast was fined $375,000 and ordered to carry the Tennis Channel at a basic tier. According to reports, the court may reverse the FCC’s ruling against Comcast arguing it clashes with the First Amendment. The FCC, however, argues its decision allowed the Tennis Channel to “compete fairly.”

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