Cable Choice Amendment to Be Introduced     4/30/2004
By Staff

Under ‘a la carte,’ customers pay only for what they choose.

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An amendment to allow customers to pay for only the cable channels they want will be offered this week in a full meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Georgia) will offer an amendment to encourage video programming choice and decency. This amendment will allow a 12-month trial period during which cable and satellite providers would be allowed to offer "a la carte" channel menus along with any program packages they wish.

The Deal amendment is not a mandate, but a step toward breaking the market stranglehold in which many program producers force cable and satellite carriers to offer a "take it all, or leave it all" bundle to consumers.

"The a la carte channel menu is the best solution to current media problems," said CWA Policy Analyst Martha Kleder. "It gives customers more control over their children's viewing choices, more control over their cable bills, stops the flow of money to programs that viewers find offensive, and it does all of the above using the power of the free market."

CWA has joined several groups in a letter to members of Congress. Other signers include the Parents Television Council, Consumers Union and Consumer Federation of America.

"We applaud Congressman Deal for his leadership role in giving consumers the option to pick and pay only for those cable or satellite channels they want in their homes," said Gene Kimmelman, public policy director for Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, in the joint letter. "Consumers are demanding choice and control when it comes to the channels and programming they pay for, and policy-makers are hearing their concerns. We hope the industry will not stand in the way of giving consumers this important option."

"Members of Congress need to know that the public is aware of this measure and strongly supports it," CWA's Kleder said. "We encourage people to call or e-mail their representative and tell them to support this amendment when it comes up."

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