Justice Dept. told FCC that changes in horizontal and vertical ow...

Justice Dept. told FCC that changes in horizontal and vertical ownership limits on cable companies wouldn’t diminish DoJ ability to evaluate mergers and acquisitions for anticompetitive effects. “Regardless of the Commission’s ultimate determination in this proceeding, the Department will continue to exercise its enforcement responsibilities,” it wrote. Comments came in reply to those submitted earlier on cable industry vertical and horizontal ownership limits, with deadline Mon. NAB supported NCTA’s petition for rulemaking that asked FCC to reevaluate its attribution policies and whether minority shareholders should be considered “owners” of company if they held as little as 5% stake. World Satellite Network contended that Commission had more than enough evidence to justify its previously stated caps. Group calling itself Concerned Citizens proposed FCC create common carrier framework for cable that would allow unaffiliated programmers access to cable networks. Concerned Citizens acknowledged current law expressly prohibited subjecting cable operators to common carrier regulation but said Congress should consider amendments and FCC should consider creating common carrier system anyway.